Light Broccoli Salad

I have been meaning to post this recipe for over a month now - and in that time, I've probably made this 10 times and I'm not exaggerating. Will requests this for lunch ALL the time. It's an excellent lunch because half of the recipe is 310 calories. So I make one batch, we split it, and we each have a BIG bowl of this stuff for lunch.

1/4 c finely chopped red onion
1/4 c light mayo
1/4 c plain nonfat Greek yogurt
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp honey
1/4 tsp salt/pepper, or to taste
4-5 c chopped broccoli florets
1/4 c slivered almonds
1/4 c dried cranberries (or golden raisins)
2 tbsp real bacon bits

In a large bowl, whisk together light mayo, Greek yogurt, apple cider vinegar, honey, and salt + pepper. Add everything else and toss well. You can eat it immediately or put it in the fridge for later. The longer it sits, the better it is. But we usually eat ours right after I make it and it's delicious regardless!

Broiled Chicken Tenders with Pineapple Relish

This recipe comes to you via Bon Appetit! It reminds me a little of HelloFresh or Blue Apron, because these are things I would never think would go together... but it was amazing! 

Marinade:

1 medium shallot, finely grated
3 tbsp (packed) light brown sugar
1 tbsp all-natural peanut butter
1 tbsp finely grated peeled ginger
1 tbsp minced lemongrass
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp Sriracha sauce
1 garlic clove, finely grated

2 tablespoons peanut oil, divided
1 lb skinless, boneless chicken breast tenders or chicken breasts, cut into ½-inch strips
1 c minced fresh pineapple (from about ¼ of a cored peeled pineapple) (I used canned)
1 Persian cucumber, minced (about 1 cup) (I used a regular one)
1 jalapeño, seeded, minced
2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro or mint
2 tbsp (or more) fresh lime juice
salt

Combine first 8 ingredients in a large bowl. Stir in 1 tbsp peanut oil and chicken. Cover and chill at least 4 hours and up to 6 hours.

Stir pineapple, cucumber, jalapeño, cilantro, and 2 tbsp lime juice in a small bowl to blend; season relish to taste with salt and more lime juice, if desired. Set aside.

Arrange a rack 4" from heat; preheat broiler. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil and brush with 1/2 tbsp oil. Remove chicken from marinade and arrange in a single layer, spacing apart, on prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with remaining 1/2 tbsp oil and season with salt. Broil until browned and cooked through, about 10 minutes. Transfer chicken to a platter and serve with reserved relish.

Original recipe found here.

Lentil Salad with Capers and Balsamic-Dijon Dressing

I could eat this for lunch every day! Will and I split this and each had a good size bowl. Very filling and healthy!

1 c dry brown lentils (I used green... not sure if there's a difference besides color)
5 roma tomatoes
2-3 oz baby spinach
1/4 c chives (or shallot or green onion)
2 tbsp capers

Dressing:
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, minced


Cook lentils according to package directions, leaving firm, not mushy. While lentils are cooking, make the dressing: in a small bowl combine all ingredients and whisk. Roughly chop the spinach and chives, and dice tomatoes. Place in a large bowl.

When lentils are done cooking, drain, and immediately add to large bowl with spinach and tomatoes. The heat from the lentils will slightly wilt the spinach. Add the dressing and capers and stir to combine.



Original recipe found here.

Edamame Chickpea Feta Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing

Whoa! WHOA! I was looking for a dish full of protein that we could eat alongside the Weight Watchers Cabbage Soup. Found it! Full of protein and fiber, and it's delicious!

6.5 oz can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed (1/2 of a 15oz can) (I used the whole can)
1 1/2 c edamame, shelled and cooked
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 english cucumber, seeds removed, chopped (I used a regular cucumber)
3 green onions, chopped
1/4 c fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 c red-fat crumbled feta cheese

For the Lemon Tahini Dressing:1/3 c tahini1 lemon, juiced1 garlic clove1/4 tsp sea salt
4 tbsp water (more or less depending on the texture of the dressing you want)1 teaspoon olive oil

In a large mixing bowl combine the first 7 ingredients (chickpeas through the feta cheese) and mix. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. In a blender blend together the ingredients for the lemon tahini dressing. Pour the dressing over the salad and gently toss to combine and serve.

Original recipe found here.

Firecracker Chicken Meatballs

These spicy and yummy! The sauce is delicious, in fact, I used a little on my broccoli too.

I halved the recipe posted below.

Meatballs:

1 ¾ – 2 pounds ground chicken (or turkey)
4 teaspoons minced garlic
1 ½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
2 large eggs
1 cup Panko breadcrumbs*
½ teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon onion powder

Firecracker sauce:
½ cup hot sauce (I recommend Franks)
1 cup light brown sugar
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
¼ teaspoon salt
¼-½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (depending on spice preference)



Position 2 racks near the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 475ºF. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper, set aside.

In a saucepan, combine the ingredients of the firecracker sauce over medium high heat, allow to come to a boil, reduce the heat so it simmers. Let simmer for 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow the sauce to cool. The sauce will thicken as it cools so don’t worry if it looks thin.

In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, garlic, salt pepper, eggs, panko, paprika, and onion powder. Use your hands to mix all the ingredients together. It’s easier to tell when he ingredients are combined when using hands. Do not overmix, it will result in drier meatballs.

Shape the meat mixture into balls, about 3 tablespoons of meat per ball. Place shaped meatballs on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 11-13 minutes or until the meatballs are completely cooked.

Using 2 tablespoons, dip each individual meatball into the sauce. Alternately, you can brush each meatball with the sauce. Place back on the baking sheet and bake for an additional 1-2 minutes. Drizzle or brush with additional sauce as desired.

Original recipe found here.