Mango Salad with Walnuts and Chicken

I love this salad!  It is bright and fresh and has a very light and simple dressing.  I usually make it without the chicken and serve it as a side dish for entrees such as Pork with Tomatillos and Tomatoes...  but today I had it for lunch with some left-over roasted chicken.  I have to say... I enjoyed it this way just as much!

Mango Salad with Walnuts and Chicken

Salad ingredients:

Variety of lettuces, coarsley chopped (Mixed Spring Greens work too)

Fresh Mango, cut into chunks

Red onion, a few thinly sliced pieces

Raw walnuts, coarsely chopped

Roasted Chicken, chopped (optional)

Dressing:

1/4 cup rice vinegar

2 Tablespoons honey

1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Toss all salad ingredients into a large salad bowl.  Lightly dress salad just before serving. You don't have to use all of the dressing.  

I have a garden full of greens this time of year so salads are my best friend!

Poblano Chicken and Kale Stew

I LOVE the flavors in this stew.  Anything made with fresh poblanos and tomatillos is a hit with me; add the rest of the ingredients and this stew really takes off!  It's flavorful, nutritious, and satisfying for the heartiest of eaters. Top it with some fresh cilantro, grated monterey jack cheese and a dollop of sour cream as desired.  I like to serve it with skillet warmed corn tortillas for dipping and some fresh cut mango on the side.

Poblano Chicken and Kale Stew (adapted from Cooking Light)

2 poblano chiles

8 ounces tomatillos, husks removed and halved (about 4)

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 1/2 cups chopped onion

1 jalapeño, seeded and minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons ground cumin

7 cups homemade chicken stock (substitute canned chicken broth as needed)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper

2 (15.5-ounce) cans unsalted black beans, rinsed and drained

1 (8-ounce) bunch kale, tough stems removed, leaves chopped (about 4 packed cups)

1 (15-ounce) can hominy, rinsed and drained

6 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream

2 ounces shredded monterey jack cheese (about 1/2 cup)

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

3 medium-sized cooked chicken breasts, chopped (I broil them in the oven with a little cumin and salt)

1.  Preheat Broiler to high.  

2. Place poblano chiles on a foil-lined baking sheet. Broil 7 minutes on each side or until blackened and charred. Roll up in the foil they broiled on, and seal edges by folding or rolling. Let stand 15 minutes. Peel chiles; cut in half lengthwise. Discard seeds and membranes; coarsely chop. Set aside.

3. While poblano chiles roast, place the tomatillos in a food processor, and process until smooth. Set aside.

4. Heat a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add onion and jalapeño; sauté 5 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and cumin; sauté 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add tomatillos, broth, and next 4 ingredients (through kale); bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add roasted poblanos and hominy and chicken; cook for 2 minutes or until heated through. Ladle into each of 4 shallow bowls; top evenly with sour cream and cheese. Sprinkle with cilantro.

Weekly Menu

This Weeks Menu:

1.  Mexican Chicken Soup with Tortillas and Fresh Fruit
2.  Spicy Asian Noodles with Chicken served with a Snow Pea Stir fry
3.  Roasted Tilapia with Mandarin Cilantro Salsa, brown rice, and a garden vegetable
4.  Chicken Bruschetta, Garden Salad and Bread
5.  Poblano Chicken and Kale Stew with corn tortillas and Fresh-cut Mango

Thai Steak Salad

The fresh herbs and vegetables in this Thai inspired salad give it its vibrant flavor.  The dressing is delicious on both the salad and the steak making it a perfect combination... the cool crisp greens with the tender savory steak.  It is quick and easy to make, especially if you have an herb garden and a well-stocked Chinese pantry.  I serve it with short grain brown rice to balance out the flavors and textures for my kid's developing palettes.

1 (1 1/2-pound) flank steak, trimmed

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 cup fresh lime juice 

2 tablespoon brown sugar 

4 tablespoons lower-sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoon fish sauce

4 teaspoons minced fresh garlic

2 teaspoon Sriracha

4 cups thinly sliced nappa cabbage

1 cup julienne-cut carrots

2/3 cup fresh mint leaves

2/3 cup fresh cilantro leaves

2/3 cup fresh basil leaves

Sprinkle steak evenly with pepper and salt. Grill or broil steak for 6 minutes each side or until desired degree of doneness. Remove steak from grill/broiler; let stand 5 minutes. Cut steak diagonally across grain into thin slices

Combine juice and next 5 ingredients (through Sriracha) in a small bowl; stir with a whisk.

Combine cabbage and remaining ingredients in a medium bowl. Add 2/3 C juice mixture to cabbage mixture; toss well. Toss steak in remaining 4 tablespoons juice mixture. Add steak to cabbage mixture; toss to combine.

This Weeks Menu

I have 5 planned meals this week.  We've already had the first two on the list... the other two nights are for leftovers and date night :).

1.  Pork Chops with Country Gravy

Orange-tinted Mashed potatoes

Steamed Broccoli

2.  Thai Steak Salad with Fresh Garden Herbs

Short Grain Brown Rice

3.  Spanish Style Cod in Tomato Broth

Long Grain Brown Rice

4.  Homemade Chicken Pot Pie with Whole Wheat Crust

5.  Chicken and Squash Saute with Quinoa

This weeks Menu (My peaches are here!)
1)Jamaican Chicken Thighs, Fresh Peaches with cilantro, Sauteed green Vegetable, Brown Basmati Rice Pilaf
2)Spinach Salad with Peaches and Maple Spiced Pecans with Grilled Chicken Breasts
3) Quinoa Salad with Peaches and grilled Salmon
4) Country Ham and Peach Panini's
5) Chicken Kale and Quiona Soup

Weekly Menu

Sometimes the hardest part of cooking dinner every night is coming up with a good, healthy and desirable meal on the spot.  Occasionally we can be good at shooting from the hip, but it doesn't usually work as a long term plan when it comes to dinner.  Writing weekly dinner menus is the answer!  Weather you shop the sales and make a menu from your findings,  or you shop according to your menu, it's always better when you have a plan.  It's a beautiful thing to wake up in the morning and already know what's for dinner ;)

 I usually don't plan more than 5 meals per week, because I like to leave a night open for leftovers, and a night for Jeff and I to go out.
This is my plan this week:

1)  Turkey Lettuce Wraps, brown rice, fresh cut honeydew
2) Chicken in a cherry pan sauce, quinoa, steamed broccoli
3) Spinach-Mushroom Skillet Enchiladas, corn on the cob, fresh cut pineapple
4) Mexican Chicken, Zucchini and Corn Soup with tortillas for dipping
5) Beef and Vegetable Stir-Fry, brown rice