Fresh avocado salad
For me, the weekends are the best time to really dig in and cook. I have more time, I feel relaxed and I can sip a glass of wine and just enjoy the entire process. Sunday night dinners are a big deal for my boyfriend and I, and I tend to favor slow-cooked meals to comfort that oh-god-its-Sunday-I-cant-believe-how-fast-the-weekend-went feeling (I know I can't be the only one that sometimes gets the dreads on Sunday night).
So if Sunday is for slow-cooking, then Saturday night is for a meal that's involved but doesn't need to cook all day (I tend to spend Saturdays doing errands and running around all over the place). Well, it just so happens to be Saturday, and I just so happen to have the perfect recipe for you to make tonight.: Chicken Enchiladas w/ Salsa Verde and Tomato Avocado Salad.
These Chicken Enchiladas are fantastic (and lightened up - no cheese, no heavy sauces). The recipe calls for store-bought salsa verde but if you make your own, by all means use it (and send me your recipe!). I normally don't care for the store-bought stuff but blending in onion, garlic and fresh cilantro really improved the consistency. The recipe also calls for 2 cups of cooked, shredded chicken. I poached two medium sized boneless skinless chicken breasts and then shredded them with forks. What I loved most about this recipe is that it reminded me of eating at a Mexican restaurant, but without the bill and while watching a movie on my couch (does it get any better than that?).
Finally I accompanied this dinner with my very own deconstructed guacamole salad. This salad is so simple and perfect for the summer time. I add a little balsamic vinegar right at the end to brighten the whole thing up - and it's absolutely delicious and fresh tasting. You can literally whip this salad together all summer (or anytime you come across ripe avocados at the grocery store).
So happy Saturday my healthy-ish friends - enjoy your day and evening:
Katie's Deconstructed Guacamole Salad (serves 2):
Ingredients:
1 ripe avocado diced
1 medium sized tomato diced
1/2 of a red onion thinly sliced
! tablespoon olive oil
Fresh cilantro to taste (hate cilantro? use parsley)
Dash of balsamic vinegar
Fresh lime juice from 1/2 a lime
1 clove garlic chopped
1 oz. queso fresco
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
Combine tomatoes, onion, avocado and garlic in a bowl. Add the olive oil, lime juice and balsamic vinegar and give it a stir. Add cilantro, salt and pepper. Give it a gentle toss (every time you stir be gentle so that the avocados don't get mashed). Taste and adjust seasoning. Sprinkle with queso fresco. Serve.
Chicken Enchiladas w/ Salsa Verde (from Cooking Light) - Serves 4
note: this recipe is health-ish only if you stick with the serving size, which is 2 enchiladas
Ingredients
Preheat oven to 425°.
Combine first 4 ingredients in a blender; process until smooth. Combine chicken and cream cheese in a large bowl. Stir in 1/2 cup salsa mixture. Reserve remaining salsa mixture.
Bring broth to a simmer in a medium skillet. Working with one tortilla at a time, add tortilla to pan; cook 20 seconds or until moist, turning once. Remove tortilla; drain on paper towels. Spoon about 1/4 cup chicken mixture down center of tortilla; roll up. Place tortilla, seam-side down, in an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Repeat procedure with remaining tortillas, broth, and chicken mixture.
Pour remaining salsa mixture over enchiladas; sprinkle evenly with queso fresco and chili powder. Bake at 425° for 18 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Serve with lime wedges. Garnish with cilantro sprigs, if desired.
So if Sunday is for slow-cooking, then Saturday night is for a meal that's involved but doesn't need to cook all day (I tend to spend Saturdays doing errands and running around all over the place). Well, it just so happens to be Saturday, and I just so happen to have the perfect recipe for you to make tonight.: Chicken Enchiladas w/ Salsa Verde and Tomato Avocado Salad.
These Chicken Enchiladas are fantastic (and lightened up - no cheese, no heavy sauces). The recipe calls for store-bought salsa verde but if you make your own, by all means use it (and send me your recipe!). I normally don't care for the store-bought stuff but blending in onion, garlic and fresh cilantro really improved the consistency. The recipe also calls for 2 cups of cooked, shredded chicken. I poached two medium sized boneless skinless chicken breasts and then shredded them with forks. What I loved most about this recipe is that it reminded me of eating at a Mexican restaurant, but without the bill and while watching a movie on my couch (does it get any better than that?).
Finally I accompanied this dinner with my very own deconstructed guacamole salad. This salad is so simple and perfect for the summer time. I add a little balsamic vinegar right at the end to brighten the whole thing up - and it's absolutely delicious and fresh tasting. You can literally whip this salad together all summer (or anytime you come across ripe avocados at the grocery store).
So happy Saturday my healthy-ish friends - enjoy your day and evening:
Katie's Deconstructed Guacamole Salad (serves 2):
Ingredients:
1 ripe avocado diced
1 medium sized tomato diced
1/2 of a red onion thinly sliced
! tablespoon olive oil
Fresh cilantro to taste (hate cilantro? use parsley)
Dash of balsamic vinegar
Fresh lime juice from 1/2 a lime
1 clove garlic chopped
1 oz. queso fresco
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
Combine tomatoes, onion, avocado and garlic in a bowl. Add the olive oil, lime juice and balsamic vinegar and give it a stir. Add cilantro, salt and pepper. Give it a gentle toss (every time you stir be gentle so that the avocados don't get mashed). Taste and adjust seasoning. Sprinkle with queso fresco. Serve.
Chicken Enchiladas w/ Salsa Verde (from Cooking Light) - Serves 4
note: this recipe is health-ish only if you stick with the serving size, which is 2 enchiladas
Ingredients
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 (7-ounce) bottle salsa verde (such as Herdez brand)
- 2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
- 1/3 cup (3 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
- 8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
- Cooking spray
- 1/4 cup (1 ounce) crumbled queso fresco
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 4 lime wedges
- Cilantro sprigs (optional)
Preheat oven to 425°.
Combine first 4 ingredients in a blender; process until smooth. Combine chicken and cream cheese in a large bowl. Stir in 1/2 cup salsa mixture. Reserve remaining salsa mixture.
Bring broth to a simmer in a medium skillet. Working with one tortilla at a time, add tortilla to pan; cook 20 seconds or until moist, turning once. Remove tortilla; drain on paper towels. Spoon about 1/4 cup chicken mixture down center of tortilla; roll up. Place tortilla, seam-side down, in an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Repeat procedure with remaining tortillas, broth, and chicken mixture.
Pour remaining salsa mixture over enchiladas; sprinkle evenly with queso fresco and chili powder. Bake at 425° for 18 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Serve with lime wedges. Garnish with cilantro sprigs, if desired.
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