Green Olive Bean Salad

Looking for more lunch ideas for B and got this from his friend -- he tells me it was DELICIOUS :)

 Serves 4

Salad Base

• 1 can (13.4 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 can (13.4 oz) butter beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup castelvetrano olives, roughly chopped
• 1 medium shallot, finely minced
• 1/2 cup finely minced cilantro
• 1/2 cup finely minced parsley
• 1–2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• Mozzarella pearls

Honey Dijon Vinaigrette

• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp honey (a heaping tablespoon)
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (sub with 1 tsp red pepper flakes)

Instructions

1. Add the salad base to a bowl. Add the chickpeas, butter beans, olives, shallot, herbs, and garlic into a serving bowl. Set aside.
2. Make the dressing. Add all of the dressing ingredients to a jar or cup and whisk well until emulsified. 
3. Toss together and serve. Pour all of the dressing on the salad and toss together well. Adjust for salt as needed and let sit at least 30 minutes before serving. Enjoy on toasted sourdough, or just on its own. 
4. Store any leftovers in an airtight glass container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Chicken Pesto Bakes

 Always looking for new meals and quick ones are even better!!!  This was great -- not enough food for dinner for my crew BUT works great to prep, bake, and then have the next day for lunch!!!

Equipment

• 5 Glass Bowls 4 cup capacity
• 1 Half Sheet Pan

Ingredients

• 10 tablespoons rice uncooked (Basmati)
• 25 ounces boneless skinless chicken breast diced
• 5 tablespoons pesto Classico
• 5 tablespoons plain nonfat Greek yogurt
• 1 & 1/4 cups chicken broth
• 10 ounces cherry tomatoes
• 1 & 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and arrange 5 oven safe containers on a cookie sheet.
• To each container add 2 tablespoons rice, 5 ounces chicken, 1 tablespoon of both pesto and yogurt, and 1/4 cup of broth. Stir well.
• Top each with 2 ounces of tomatoes and 1/4 cup of the cheese.
• Bake in the oven for about 40 minutes, or until the chicken reaches 165 degrees and the rice is cooked.
• Let cool before covering with lids and placing in the refrigerator. Reheat in the microwave for 2-3 minutes.

Notes

• Search the Myfitnesspal or MacrosFirst app food databases for Stay Fit Mom Pesto Chicken Bakes to log in your food diary.
• Bulk up with some extra rice. For every extra tablespoon of uncooked rice you add to your bowl, add an additonal 8.8g of carbs and 0.8g of protein. Don’t forget to keep the 2:1 ratio of rice to broth.
• Add extra veggies to get in some extra micronutrients!
• Freeze a few if you won’t eat them in time. Store in the freezer up to 30 days. 

Patriotic Party Mix

This was super cute for our Olympic viewing party :)  Easy to make!!

Ingredients

• 4 cups Chex cereal
• 3 cups Cheerios
• 2 cups pretzels snaps
• 1–1/2 cups dry roasted peanuts
• 1 (16 ounce) package candiquik candy coating or 1 (20 ounce) package vanilla almond bark
• 2 (1.7 ounce) containers red, white and blue sprinkles
• 1 cup regular red, white and blue M&M’s
• 1 cup peanut red, white and blue M&M’s
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1. In a large bowl, combine the Chex cereal, Cheerios, pretzels and peanuts.
2. In a microwave safe bowl, melt the almond bark or candy coating according to package directions, usually 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds until melted and smooth. Be sure not to over melt the almond bark as it will burn and become too thick to stir and coat the mix evenly.
3. Pour the melted almond bark over the ingredients in the large bowl and toss to coat with a large spoon. Ingredients should be evenly coated in the almond bark.
4. Spread the mixture out in an even layer on parchment paper. Immediately sprinkle with the sprinkles and then the M&M’s. Allow mixture to cool completely. Break apart to serve. Store in an airtight container or baggie.

Benihana Fried Rice

Benihana in the house!!!!  This was YUMMY in my TUMMY!!!  SOOOOO amazing!!!  So much cheaper than Benihana too :)  Don't forget to make the rice and garlic butter a day ahead.

Servings 4

Ingredients:

2 cups rice, uncooked

1 cup + 1 tablespoon water

Frozen peas and carrots bags

1/2 large onion, finely

1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced (about 6)

4 large eggs

1lb of protein (chicken, steak, shrimp)

2T safflower oil (or any neutral oil)

salt and pepper to taste

2 teaspoons sesame seeds

2T soy sauce

Behihana's garlic butter:

1/4 cup butter, softened

2 small cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon soy sauce

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• Instructions

• Add rice in a saucepan (or large pot) with the water. Add a pinch of salt and stir. Turn the heat to high. Once you see the rice start to boil slightly, give it a good stir. Cover the pot, then reduce heat to low and let it simmer for about 10 minutes.
• Remove the pot from the heat and let it sit (with the lid on) for an additional 10 minutes.
• Remove the lid and fluff the rice with a spoon to separate the granules as much as possible. Then, store it in a shallow container or large baking dish. Refrigerate overnight so it dehydrates. Without this step, your fried rice will be wet and clumpy.
• The next step is to prepare the Benihana garlic butter. Combine room temperature butter and two cloves of minced garlic. Add the soy sauce and mix well.
• Saute the onion and carrots until golden brown. In the last minute or two, add the green onion. Set aside.
• Next, heat up some oil and saute your chicken breast. Take it off the heat, dice, and place back into the pan. In the last minute or two of cooking, flavor it with some garlic butter. Mix until chicken is fully coated. Set aside.
• Scramble the eggs and set aside.
• Now it's time to assemble the fried rice. Pour safflower oil into a wok or a large frying pan over high heat. Add the rice and mix it well so it gets coated with oil. Add the garlic butter. Stir so that rice gets thoroughly coated in the garlic butter. Add in the vegetables, chicken, and egg. Stir well until combined.
• Season your fried rice with soy sauce, salt, and pepper (to taste). Top with sesame seeds.
• Enjoy!

Notes

• Wash the rice before cooking for best results
• Fried rice is best with cooked, day old rice. You'll need 3-4 cups of cooked rice.

Ham Salad

B doesn't like many sandwiches so I have been looking for something else he would like....this was it!!  He LOVED it!!!  AND it is high in protein!!  You can eat with crackers or pretzels too -- pretty yummy!!!  Great way to use leftover ham too!!

Ingredients

• 24 oz. cooked ham I bought ham steak
• 6 tablespoons light mayonnaise 90g
• 1/2 cup low fat cottage cheese 110g
• 1/2 cup celery diced (100g)
• 1/2 cup pickles diced (60g)
• 2 tablespoons diced onion 30g
• 3 hardboiled eggs diced
• 2 teaspoons Dijon

Instructions

• In a food processor pulse/dice up the ham really well. Transfer to a mixing bowl.
• In the food processor blend up the cottage cheese and mayo. Transfer to the mixing bowl.
• Add all remaining ingredients and stir well.
• Serve with crackers, cucumbers, celery sticks, or on a slice of bread.

Notes

• This is a great one for using up leftover ham!
• Meal prep snack idea: pack 150g with crackers, veggies, fruit, or cheese!

Avocado, Tomato, and Goat Cheese Toast

Wanted some new recipes for toast party with Genva and this was easy and yummy!!!

Ingredients:

2 ripe avocadoes

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

sea salt and pepper to taste

4 slices bread, toasted

1 cup arugula

2oz goat cheese

3 tomatoes sliced

1/4 cup basil leaves, roughly chopped

balsamic glaze

Cut the avocadoes in half, remove pit, and scoop the flesh into a small bowl.  Add the lemon juice, sea salt, pepper to taste.  With a fork, mash the ingredients together.

Spread the mashed avocado evenly over toasted bread slices.  Top with arugula and tomato slices.  Crumble the goat cheese over the top and sprinkle with fresh basil.  Season with salt and pepper if desired.  Drizzle with balsamic glaze and serve immediately.

Griddled asparagus and goat’s cheese toast

 Tried a new recipe for a toast party with Genva today and this was super delicious!!!  Easy to make too!

Ingredients

Asparagus

sunflower oil

2 large slices sourdough bread

1 large garlic clove, sliced in half

spreadable goat cheese

small handful of pistachios

1/2 lemon, grated

For Herb Oil:

Large handful of soft herbs (basil, mint, oregano, coriander)

juice 1/2 lemon

olive oil

For herb oil, whizz the herbs, lemon juice and a little olive oil in a mini chopper or blender until combined. 

Heat a griddle pan - rub the asparagus with sunflower oil, then cook for 2-3 minutes or until each side is charred and tender.  Put on a plate and cover loosely with foil

Drizzle the bead with a little oil, toast in the griddle pan until crisp on both sides.  Remove to a board.  Rub each slice with cut side of garlic, the spread on the cheese, pile on the asparagus.  Drizzle over the herb oil, then scatter pistachios and lemon zest