Simple Marinade: Honey Lime Chicken

Chicken is the standard staple for our weeknight dinners. I know I’m preaching to the choir, but chicken can get pretty boring. So I like to mix it up, especially with what’s handy in the pantry.

This marinade was super simple to prepare and used only a few basic ingredients: olive oil, lime juice, honey, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper. Bonus: the chicken is marinated overnight, so all you need to do on the day of is grill it and serve. Voilà!

The citrus marinade made the chicken tangy and juicy with the honey creating a slight crust. We enjoyed the honey lime chicken on a bed of salad for dinner and lunch the next day.

Quick Ideas Day 4: Classic Hummus

Hummus is one of those staple foods I always buy at the grocery store. We go through so much of it that I decided to start making my own.

I never thought I’d be saying that because Mike used to refuse hummus vehemently, but now he can’t get enough of it. That’s why I say you have to give everything a try, at least once!

Hummus is easy to make and healthy too—high in fiber and chockfull of other nutrients. There are 4 basic ingredients needed: garbanzo beans (a.k.a. chickpeas), tahini, lemon juice, and either water or olive oil.

The first time I didn’t have any tahini on hand so I used plain Greek yogurt. The result was tangy and bit sweet—not the authentic taste I was going for. So I sprung for some tahini and immediately after tasting the tahini version, I knew I wouldn’t go back to store-bought hummus.

Classic Hummus

Adapted from Barefoot Contessa

Makes about 3 cups

Ingredients:

· 2 cans of garbanzo beans/chickpeas, drained and rinsed (some liquid reserved, optional)

· 2 garlic cloves, minced (Tip: throw into processor first)

· 1/3 cup Tahini paste (can replace with sesame oil or paste)

· Juice of 1-2 freshly squeezed lemons

· 3 tablespoons water, olive oil or reserved liquid

· Season to taste: salt, cumin, paprika, etc.

· Other additions: cayenne pepper, hot sauce, roasted red peppers, edamame, etc.

· For garnish: chopped parsley, pine nuts, garbanzo beans, lemon wedge, drizzle of olive oil, etc.

Directions:

It’s simple: Throw everything in a food processor (fitted with a steel blade) and process until preferred consistency is reached (creamy to coarsely pureed). Garnish as desired.

Note: Everything is “to taste,” so start processing and taste along the way, adding more seasonings as need.

You can also make your own pita chips like I did. Cut mini-pitas into quarters, drizzle with some olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Bake at 375° for about 10 minutes or until slightly browned.

Question: What’s your favorite hummus flavor: classic, roasted red pepper, lemon, garlic…? Do you prefer homemade or store-bought hummus; why?

Quick Ideas Day 1: Veggie-loaded Bagel

Let’s face it — we’re all time-starved these days.

Good thing I have some quick meal and snack ideas to share with you… all week-long! That’s right. You all loved this post so much that each day this week, I’ll post a quick idea to help you whip up a yummy, healthy option in no time.

Veggie-loaded Bagel

When Mike and I were dating, we frequented bagel shops on the weekend. Our favorite combination sounds simple, but surprisingly almost every time we ordered it, the shop was out of at least one ingredient (usually the sprouts … I know, go figure). Sometimes we had to hit up the grocery store to finish off our favorite creation. It was always worth it.

Try this bagel for breakfast or lunch. It’s filling and mighty tasty. Plus it’s packed with lots of good-for-you veggies.

Quick steps:

• Pick your favorite bagel. I prefer multigrain or whole wheat, toasted.
• Spread with low-fat veggie cream cheese. I like to a liberal helping.
• Top with sliced tomato and cucumber. Thin slices work best.
• Finish with alfalfa sprouts and season with pepper. The sprouts are a must, in my mind.

Question: What’s your favorite bagel combination?

Zucchini, Banana, and Flaxseed Muffins

Zucchini rolled in chicken, zucchini in a salad, zucchini in a frittata … and now zucchini in muffins. Apparently I can’t get enough of the long green summer squash.

These muffins are a “healthified” hybrid of zucchini bread and banana bread. You won’t find any oil or butter in this recipe, but instead a vegetable, a fruit, and nutrient-rich flaxseed. The zucchini and banana provide moisture in the muffins, helping to keep them low in fat.

I made a few modifications to this Martha Stewart recipe: I upped the amount of cinnamon, replaced whole milk with skim, and swapped in some whole wheat flour to add more whole grains. I was happy to see the recipe called for flaxseed… did I tell you how much I love this wonder food?

I sprinkle ground flaxseed in yogurt parfaits, smoothies, cereal, etc. Plus it’s a great way to get nutrients and minerals (like fiber, lignans, omega-3 oils, and iron) into baked goods.

So the verdict on this healthy baked good: Yummy (with a capital Y)! The muffins were soft and made the apartment smell AHHH-MAZING!

Chicken Rollatini stuffed with zucchini, mushrooms, and mozzarella

I’m always on the prowl for a quick, healthy meal that’s tasty. I came across this winner on a friend’s Pinterest board.

If you don’t know about Pinterest.com, you need to. I recently joined and have been obsessed ever since. According to their Website: Pinterest is a virtual pinboard — a place to share all the great things you find on the web.

Think of it as visual bookmarking. I use it to create and organize collections of my favorite recipes. You can request an invite from Pinterest or if you know someone already on it, they can send you an invite directly. (I’ll share as many invites as I can!)

Back to the healthy deliciousness of these rollatini…

I halved the original recipe as I was cooking for two. One rollatini might be enough if you have a hearty side(s), otherwise two will satisfy with a light side.

The dish was very easy to put together and surprisingly flavorful. When I first looked at the ingredients, I was a bit skeptical, wondering if this healthy preparation would turn out bland or dry.

To my pleasant surprise, it was the complete opposite. The chicken was tender and juicy, and the cheesy-veggie filling was … well… cheesy goodness. And I was quite happy with my addition of mushrooms and basil. No need for sauce here.

My favorite part was the crunchy parmesan-breadcrumb crust… actually the part leftover in the pan 🙂  Anyone else love those crunchies???

Mike and I both gave it two-thumbs up. This dish will definitely enjoy regular rotation in the weeknight line-up.

Fish Tacos with Mango Salsa & Cilantro-Lime Cream Sauce

What to do with a 45 pound striped bass:

We grilled it, baked it, fried it, and made it into fish cakes. But my favorite thing we made was… fish tacos.

Some of you may cringe, like my mom, when you hear fish tacos. My mom has never tried one because she thinks it sounds unappetizing and just plain weird.

I’m betting a bunch of you are fans like me, but for those still on the fence, I’m hoping this recipe will change your mind (and my mom’s!).

The combination of the fresh fish with the juicy mango salsa, creamy cilantro lime sauce, and crunchy cabbage offers a flavorful break from the traditional taco.

This is a four component meal: three for the tacos (mango salsa, cream sauce, and breaded fish) and one for the side – avocado, corn & tomato salad.

It may seem like a lot of steps, but each step is simple and it’s mostly just prepping the veggies. You can do the salsa, cream sauce, and salad ahead of time.

The avocado, corn & tomato salad is something I’ve been throwing together for awhile. It’s one of my all-time favorite summer dishes. It accompanies the tacos nicely and it’s great as a healthy snack on its own or with tortilla chips.

Fish Tacos with Mango Salsa & Cilantro-Lime Cream Sauce

Adapted from Love & Olive Oil (recipe originally from Culinate)

Makes 4-6 servings (with additional salsa for chips)

Ingredients

For Fish Tacos:

• 1-1½ pounds of white flaky fish (tilapia, halibut, cod, mahi mahi, or sole; *I used striped bass)
• Salt and pepper
• ¾ cup all-purpose flour or instant flour (like Wondra)
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon paprika
• 4+ tablespoons vegetable or olive oil, divided
• 1 package of tortillas
• 1 package shredded cabbage or lettuce

For Mango Salsa:

• 5 Roma tomatoes, chopped
• 1 bell pepper (any color), chopped
• 2 ripe mangoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 small red onion, finely chopped (Tip: soak chopped onion in an ice bath for 10 minutes, drain and pat dry)
• ½ bunch of cilantro, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• Juice and rind of ½ lime
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Optional: 1 jalapeno pepper, deseeded and diced; 2 cloves garlic, minced

For Cilantro-Lime Cream Sauce:

• ½ cup light mayonnaise
• ½ cup light sour cream or low-fat plain yogurt
• ¼ cup cilantro, finely chopped
• Juice and rind of ½ lime
• Optional: Salt to taste

For Avocado, Corn & Tomato Salad:

Recipe from Lofty Bites (Inspired by Food Network)

• 3 ears corn, cooked, cooled and kernels removed
• 1 ripe avocado, cubed
• 1 pint of cherry tomatoes, halved (I like a variety mix of different colors)
• Fresh lime juice to taste
• Salt and pepper to taste

 Directions

1. In a medium to large bowl, prepare mango salsa by combining Roma tomatoes, bell pepper, mangoes, red onion, and cilantro (jalapeno and garlic optional). Then add the chili powder, olive oil, lemon juice, and juice and rind of ½ lime. Mix well. Salt and pepper to taste. Chill in fridge until ready to serve.
2. In a small bowl, prepare cream sauce by combining all ingredients (mayo, sour cream and/or yogurt, cilantro, and juice and rind of ½ lime). Salt to taste. Chill in fridge until ready to serve.
3. Prepare avocado, corn & tomato salad by combining all ingredients  in a medium bow. Squeeze in fresh lime juice to taste. Salt and pepper to taste. Chill in fridge until ready to serve.
4. Rinse fish and pat dry. Season with salt and pepper. Cut into bite size pieces, about 1 inch cubes. Combine flour with cumin, garlic powder, and paprika. In a bowl, toss fish pieces with seasoned flour. In a pan over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil (or 2 turns of the pan). Make sure oil is sizzling before adding fish (test with drop of water).
5. Add half the breaded fish pieces and cook about 4-5 minutes each side until the fish is lightly browned and cooked through. Tip: Turn the fish when the flour on the face side up has dissipated. After turning, add more oil (as needed) to prevent the fish from burning. Remove fish from heat and cool on paper towel-lined plate to absorb extra oil. Repeat process with second batch of fish.
6. Warm tortillas in microwave for 10 seconds. Assemble tacos by spreading cilantro-lime cream on tortilla, add fish, and layer with shredded cabbage and mango salsa. Serve with avocado, corn & tomato salad.

Lofty Bites’ Notes

Tips:

• The ice bath for the red onion takes out some of the bite of the raw onion, preventing it from overpowering the other flavors. It’s a great trick I use often.
• If the mangoes aren’t ripe or sweet enough, sprinkle them with some sugar and marinate the salsa in the fridge longer.
• For the cream sauce, you can use any combination of mayo, sour cream and/or yogurt to equal 1 cup.
• You only need one bunch of cilantro to split between the salsa and cream sauce; only one lime is needed between the salsa, cream sauce, and salad.
• To save time, use the raw corn kernels (rather than cooking the ears of corn) for the avocado, corn & tomato salad.

Fish preparation: Instead of breading, you could bake or grill the fish. I prefer the light breading with the striped bass.

Leftovers: Use the extra cilantro-lime cream and mango salsa for chips. Combine remaining cabbage and cream sauce for an easy slaw.