Sesame Orange Chicken, Rice, Mango Avocado Salad, Grilled Asparagus

What's for Dinner?
Sesame Orange Chicken
White Rice
Mango Avocado Salad
Asparagus- Grilled.

Recipe:
Sesame Orange Chicken -"Against the Grain"
Ingredients:
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1/3 cup coconut aminos (GF Soy Sauce or regular soy sauce substitute)
1/3 cup honey
2 tbsp. orange juice
2 tbsp. tomato paste
1 tbsp. toasted sesame oil
2 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 tsp ground ginger
3/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp cracked black pepper
Garnish: Sesame seeds

Instructions:
1.  Trim fat from meet and place in the bottom of a slow cooker
2.  Place the remaining ingredients, except sesame seeds in a bowl, whisk together and pour over chicken.
3.  Turn the chicken once to ensure even coating.
4.  Cook the chicken on low for 4 hours
5.  Remove the chicken from the sauce and cut it into cubes
6.  Spoon any fat off the top of sauce and transfer sauce to small pan
7.  Simmer the sauce over medium heat for 20 minutes, until it has been reduced by half and is thick and shiny.
8.  Toss the chicken in the sauce and serve over rice with a sprinkle of sesame seeds.

Recipe:
Mango Spinach Salad with Honey Lime Dressing
http://diethood.com/mango-spinach-salad-honey-lime-dressing/

Ingredients

For the Salad
• 2 cups fresh baby spinach
• 1 mango, peeled and sliced
• 1/4-cup cashew halves
• Red onion (optional)
• Avocado (optional)
 
For the Dressing
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 limes, juiced (My kids preferred a little less lime)
• 2 tablespoons honey (add more if you like it sweeter)
• salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

 

Instructions

1. In a salad bowl, combine spinach, mango slices and cashews; set aside.
2. In a mixing bowl, whisk together olive oil, lime juice, honey, salt and pepper; whisk until thoroughly combined.
3. Pour dressing over salad and gently toss it all together.
4. Serve.

Personal Note:  This Salad does NOT keep, pour dressing on individually and only make what you want for the night.

Jalepeno Beef Sausage, Nann Bread, Zucchini Fries, Mixed Veggies

What's for Dinner?
Jalepeno Beef Sausage (Costco)
Nann Bread (Costco) Kids roll it in nann bread like a hot dog
Zucchini Fries
Mixed Veggies
Fry Sauce & Ranch Dip

Recipe:
Zucchini Fries
https://www.buzzfeed.com/mercedessandoval/these-veggie-fries-are-the-best-new-years-resolutions

 

INGREDIENTS
2 zucchinis
1 cup panko (I use ground up almonds for Gluten-Free)
½ cup grated parmesan
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
2 eggs

 

PREPARATION
1. Preheat oven to 425°F/220°C.
2. Cut zucchini into fries and set aside.
3. In a large bowl combine panko, parmesan, garlic powder, basil, salt, and pepper.
4. Whisk eggs in a shallow bowl or dish.
5. Dip zucchini in eggs, coating evenly, and then toss in bread crumb mixture.
6. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway.
7. Enjoy with dip in recipe above!

FRY Sauce
mayo, ketchup and pickle juice

Mesquite Chicken, Spinach Salad, Asparagus, Sweet Potatoe Fries, Chunky Guacamole

What's for Dinner?
Marinated Mesquite Chicken Thighs Grilled
Sweet Potatoe Fries
Asparagus- Broiled
Spinach Salad
Chunky Guacamole

Recipe:
Chunky Guacamole

1 medium tomato, diced
3 tablespoons red onion, finely diced
1/2 cup fresh cilantro chopped (more if you love cilantro- I use 1/2 a bunch to a full bunch)
Juice from one lime (about 2 tablespoons)
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp. salt
2 large avocados, cut into 1/2 inch dice

Mix first six ingredients and let sit in a bowl for 5 minutes. Add the avocado and gently mash into the tomato mixture with fork. (I like chunks of avocado) serve immediately.

Recipe:
Spinach Salad- Cannon's favorite

Salad:
3/4 lbs sliced fresh mushrooms
1 red onion in rings
1 cup cottage cheese
1 bag, (9 oz) spinach leaves
1 lg head of lettuce
3/4 lb grated swiss cheese
crumbled bacon
sliced almonds

Dressing:
3/4 c white vinegar
1 1/2 c oil
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp. mustard

Put in blender & mix 6 to 10 minutes all together.
Add 1 1/2 tbsp. poppy seeds.

Personal Note: I do not pour this dressing over the salad, we pour it individually on our own.  A little goes a long way.  Also I make up this salad on a nightly basis, it doesn't keep well.  SO my usual is this:
two handfuls of spinach
1 small head romain lettuce
few slices of red onion
handful of bacon crumbles (from Costco)
handful of sliced almonds (from Costco)
1 scoop of cottage cheese
-I rarely add the swiss cheese or mushrooms cause I rarely have them on hand:)

Shrimp Tacos, Caesar Salad, White Rice

What's for Dinner?
Shrimp Tacos
Caesar Salad
White Rice

Recipe:
Shrimp Tacos with Pineapple Salsa

Ingredients for Pineapple Salsa:
1 lb tomatoes, seeded and diced
2 cup fresh pineapple, diced
2 green onion, chopped
Juice from a whole lime
2 TBS fresh cilantro, chopped (more if you prefer)
1/4 tsp salt

Additional Ingredients:

1 lb shrimp cooked, cut into smaller pieces if needed.
lime marinade spice/rub (I use McCormick Mojito Lime)
avocado
cheese
corn tortillas


Instructions:
1. In a bowl combine tomatoes, pineapple, green onion, lime juice, cilantro and salt. Mix and set aside.

2.  Heat a medium skillet over medium high heat.  Toss the shrimp with Mojito Lime Rub, and add to the pan.  Saute until cooked through and warm.
3. Serve shrimp on a corn tortilla with the pineapple salsa, avocado and cheese.

Almond Chicken Tenders, Broccoli & Asian Cabbage Salad

What's for Dinner?
Almond Chicken Fingers- Gluten Free
Broccoli, steamed
Asian Cabbage Salad (Costco)

Recipe:
Almond Chicken Tenders

Ingredients:
1 lbs chicken tenderloins (can use breasts cut into strips)
1 cup almond meal (grind almonds in food processor)
1 tbsp paprika
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp cayenne pepper (use less if don't want too spicy)
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp sea salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
olive oil cooking spray

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 375
2. Mix together almond meal, paprika, garlic, cumin, cayenne, pepper, and salt
3. Line a cookie sheet with foil, place a cooling rack inside cookie sheet, spray with cooking spray
4. Dredge each piece of chicken in egg and then coat with almond spice mixture, place on rack
5. Repeat with all chicken pieces
6. Spray all chicken with olive oil spray (this will help brown them)
7. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden
8. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce

Thai Coconut Soup & Salad

What's For Dinner?
Thai Coconut Soup (Happy Planet, Costco-Refrigerated, Gluten-free)

Add to it to make it more filling and/or stretch further:
Shredded Chicken (I used leftover Rotisserie Chicken)
Saute'ed Red Pepper

Serve with: Salad of your choice.

Marinated Chicken, Carrots, Salad & Brussel Sprouts

What's For Dinner?
Marinated Chicken Thigh Grilled (Mesquite marinade from Store-  gluten free option if available)
Steamed Carrots
Spinach Salad
Shaved Brussels Sprouts with Bacon, Leeks, and Pomegranate Seeds

Recipe:  
Shaved Brussels Sprouts with Bacon, Leeks, and Pomegranate Seeds
"Against all Grain" by Danielle Walker


Ingredients
2 lbs Brussel Sprouts
5 slices Bacon
1 leek, sliced (white part only)
1 clove garlic
2/3 cup chicken broth
3/4 tsp salt
Pinch black pepper
2TBS pomegranate seeds

Method
1.  Shred the Brussels Sprouts using the grater attachment on a food processor.
2.  Cook the bacon in a large skillet or stock pot over medium heat till crisp.
3. Remove the bacon from the pan, set aside, leaving the grease in the pan.
4. Add the Brussels sprouts, leek, garlic to the pan and saute' for 5 minutes.
5. Add the chicken broth, salt, and pepper. Cover and steam for 5 minutes, until the Brussels spouts are bright green and tender.  Return the bacon to the pan.
6. Garnish with pomegranate seeds and serve warm.