Pesto Grilled Chicken Sandwiches

Nothing says "it's summer" (food-wise) like a good pesto. I've always had a thing for smelling fresh basil (seriously, next time you see a plant for sale at the grocery store, rip a leaf and inhale -- OMG.) I've always been one of those people that buys the packs of fresh herbs to use 1/4 of it in a recipe, then let the rest die -- because who honestly has a consistent reason to cook with sage? However, I broke from the mold and took a chance this summer by purchasing a fresh basil plant from (you guessed it) Trader Joe's (for $3.99!) and cared for it, patiently waiting for the opportune moment to make pesto. And this happened.

Fresh, slightly sweet and cheesy, pesto is pretty much as natural of a condiment as it gets. You'll find lots of different recipes on the internet, and you can easily change it up to get your own results. Here is my own recipe.

Servings: 4

What You'll Need:

• 4 mini ciabatta rolls (or any bread you like)
• 1 package Trader Joe's Grilled Balsamic Rosemary Chicken, cut into 4 pieces
• If you want to grill your own chicken, there are many ways you can do it. For the basics, take chicken breasts, cut into 4 pieces, season with salt and pepper (I would also suggest letting them sit in a plastic bag with a little bit of balsamic vinegar for some flavor!) and throw on the grill until fully cooked and nicely charred. You can also put on the stove with some cooking spray if a grill is not available!
• 4 tbsp Table Haven Easy Summer Pesto
• OPTIONAL: 4 oz sharp white cheddar

The Step-by-Step:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Cut ciabatta rolls in half, and toast them in the oven for 5 minutes.
3. Place chicken then cheese on roll, then top with fresh pesto.
4. Place sandwich back in oven for 5 more minutes until heated through.
5. Serve immediately! (If you're on the run and don't have time for the oven, this sandwich is also amazing cold, since it's full of flavor!)

Enjoy!

xoxo n

Stovetop Tomato Basil Chicken

So I'm a big advocate of "using what you have" but realistically,  there will come days where you do not want to eat what's in your freezer! Yesterday was a big example of that for me -- I needed a recipe, and fast. Plus, I was feeling inspired. I needed to pick up Austin from the airport after work, and that only left me an hour to grocery shop, get back to my apartment, and head to Reagan. Wonder Woman? Imagine that.

Leaving work, I started to google healthy recipes that had tomatoes. Personally, I'm not a fan of tomato-heavy recipes (my dad eats them raw and it makes me squirm, even though I know they're an incredible source of lycopene) but I was in the mood for something with Italian flair. Plus, we're on the cusp of tomato season (summer) so I knew tomatoes would be on sale. After googling for a while, I found this incredible recipe for Tomato Basil Chicken from LaaLoosh, a blog that specializes in Weight Watchers recipes (how did I not know about it before -- LaaLoosh, you are now one of my favorites!!!)

I was impressed about the way this dish is a single pot dish (eliminating the complaining mumbles that I usually hear/ignore as Austin loads the dishwasher) and is so easy to put together. It allowed me to be in and out of the grocery store in 15 minutes (and lucky for me, tomatoes on the vine were on sale, so I went with those instead of the grape tomatoes LaaLoosh used.) Besides that, I also made LaaLoosh's recipe my own by adding more basil for punch, as well as a fresh red bell pepper I had on hand. I added the pepper at the very end, so it added a nice fresh crunch! All in all, I highly recommend this next time you want to do a quick, easy, flavorful dinner -- straight from stove to table. Lay a towel down, and let's go.

Servings: 6

What You'll Need:

• 1.5lbs of raw boneless chicken breast (skin removed)
• 1.5lbs is about a 3-breast package
• 4 medium-sized tomatoes, cut into wedges
• LaaLoosh used grape tomatoes, so if you have that, go ahead!
• 1 cup fresh basil chopped (about 10-15 leaves)
• 1 good tbsp light spreadable butter (like I Can't Believe it's Not Butter or Land O' Lakes)
• Salt, Pepper
• Garlic Powder
• Dried Oregano (or Italian Seasoning)
• Cooking Spray

  

  Candlelight dinner, anyone? =)

The Step-by-Step:

1. Carefully rinse and pat dry the chicken breasts with paper towels. Slice each breast in two (long-ways) until you have six portions, and lay the chicken on a plate.
2. Season the chicken with the oregano, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
3. In a pan coated with cooking spray, cook the chicken over medium heat for about 3 minutes per side. If your pan isn't big enough, you may have to do this in batches. When you are done with the last of the chicken, place all of it in the pan.
4. Add the tomatoes and most of the basil. After about two minutes, give it a good stir to make sure all of the chicken gets the flavor punch! You'll start to notice that the tomato is releasing lots of liquid at this point -- that is good!
5. After about 5 more minutes, turn off the heat, and stir in the butter. Add the remaining touch of fresh basil, and season with a little more salt and pepper until it tastes just right to you.
6. Serve over pasta, brown rice, on it's own, or even over fresh kale (we had it salad style!)

Again, I can't stress enough how much I loved this recipe (Austin raved too!) Not only that, but I want to stress how important it is to be open to other bloggers out there and learn from them -- cooking is not new and there are people out there that can teach you a thing or two -- so thank you LaaLoosh!! Lastly, be humble enough to use what you have (example: I used garlic powder because I forgot to get fresh garlic at the store) when trying something new -- and have the confidence to know that if you put enough love in it, it will taste great!

xoxo n

Recipe Adapted from LaaLoosh

Photos my own

Simply Homemade Chicken "Noodle" Soup

Anyone who's anyone knows that soup is a cure-all. with the crappy weather we've been having in DC, this couldn't be more true. As I'm typing this -- snow is falling -- and it's March 30th!!!! Can you believe this? The great thing about this soup, is that its literally pour, cook, and go -- it couldn't be easier, and it freezes magnificently -- making it a top choice for saving the extras and reheating later. What's not to love (besides the weather?) 

Servings: 6

What You'll Need:

• 2 chicken breasts, raw
• 1 cup fusilli (curly noodles)
• If you have another pasta, go for it -- just break it up into smaller pieces first!
• 5 large carrots, sliced into coins
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 cups spinach
• Pinch of Salt/Pepper
• Optional: 1 tablespoon Poultry Seasoning
• Optional: 1 tablespoon Cayenne Pepper (if you like it spicy!!)

The Step-by-Step:

1. Heat the chicken broth over medium heat in a large soup pot.
2. Stir in salt & pepper. 
3. In the meantime, cut chicken breasts into small slices. If you have the optional ingredients, season the chicken. When broth starts to simmer, add the chicken. Cover the pot.
4. After about ten minutes, add the carrots and pasta. Turn down heat. Let cook for 15 more minutes.
5. Lastly, stir in the spinach and turn the heat down to low.
6. After about 5 more minutes, the soup is ready to serve!

xoxo n

why wouldn't you cook the chicken first?

If you have cooked chicken left over, by all means, add it instead of raw chicken. I am a big fan of buying rotisserie when I know I'll have a busy week, because it cuts out the extra work. But when you have more time, I recommend adding the raw chicken right into the soup -- that way, all of the chicken flavor has nowhere to escape, as might be the case if you cooked it first in another pan! All in favor, say raw!

Crockpot Teriyaki Ginger Chicken

Being Texan, there's nothing I love more than pulled meat. The sloppyness of it just makes everything better. Plus, it makes you feel like you're eating more, since a pulled pork sandwich is ALWAYS more filling then a porkchop (maybe it's psychological?) Anyways, this recipe takes the traditional BBQ chicken and instead puts an Asian twist on it -- infusing fresh ginger and teriyaki flavors. Portion it out and when ready to eat, put it in a pita, or on top of some salad!

Servings: 5 (about 1.5 cups)

What You'll Need:

• 5-pack of raw chicken breasts
• 1 yellow onion; chopped into small pieces
• 1/4 cup of ginger puree (they have squeezy bottles now in the produce section; $2)
• Salt & pepper
• 1/2 cup of teriyaki sauce
• A slow cooker (if you don't have one, see below section for oven directions)
• OPTIONAL: a few sprigs of fresh thyme

The Step-by-Step:

1. Wash your hands. One by one, lightly rinse the chicken breasts and dry off with paper towels. Set them aside. Cut them in half longways. Season with salt & pepper. Wash your hands again (vital when cooking with raw meat.)
2. Place a couple of chicken breast halves along the bottom of the slow cooker. Spread some ginger over it, then add a handful of the onion. If you have it, add a couple of thyme sprigs. 
3. Repeat with more chicken, ginger, onion, and thyme until all the chicken is in the slow cooker. Top with any onion, ginger, and thyme you have left.
4. Cover with lid, and let cook for 6 hours on low. If you're working and will be out of the house for 8 hours, don't fret, that is fine.
5. When time is up, take out the chicken and use two forks to tear each piece to shreds. Return to slow cooker. Stir so the ginger and onion are well distributed.
6. Let cook another 30 minutes.
7. Add in teriyaki sauce, and stir. Turn off slow cooker. Enjoy!

xoxo n

if you do not have a slow cooker

you should get one! seriously, you don't know what you're missing out on! hands-free is the way to be :) but anyways, this recipe works in an oven as well -- just toss the chicken breasts in the ginger, add onion, then put the mixture in a oven pan already greased with olive oil. bake for 45 minutes at 375 degrees F. use the two forks to pull apart chicken and add back to pan. bake for 10 minutes. add teriyaki sauce. you're done!

#WWHD: Southwestern BBQ Chicken Salad

In the spirit of finding something quick to eat (and to kick off this awesome work week challenge  (#WWHD)) -- I'm a big fan of wholesome, filling, and TASTY salads. Yes, salads -- what, did you think I was going to say steak? I mean, yes, steak is also filling and tasty -- but sometimes, thats not what your body really needs after a long day. It needs nutrients, not just protein. In that spirit, the other day -- after a late workout -- I realized I was low on energy, and quickly threw together this salad based on what I had in my fridge. If you do not have the exact brand items, feel free to sub in some spinach or plain salad mix, chicken and barbecue sauce for the meat, or throw together some canned corn and bottled salsa for a similar taste combination. After all, when your day is coming to an end, sometimes you need to be flexible!

Servings: 1

What You'll Need:

• 1/3 a package of Trader Joe's Pulled Chicken in BBQ Sauce
• The package will last you 3 salads, so buy and be happy!
• 2 cups chopped kale
• One bag of kale is about 6 cups!
• 2 tbsp Trader Joe's Chile Corn Salsa
• Drizzle of Olive Oil

The Step-by-Step:

1. Heat chicken per package directions (about 2-3 minutes)
2. Arrange kale on plate.
3. Spread corn salsa over the kale.
4. Top with the chicken, and drizzle with some olive oil.

So easy, trust me, you won't miss the steak.

xoxo n

For more info about the #WWHD feature, please see the below post, or head on over to The Gym Bag Diaries!

Easy Mexican Chicken

Personally -- I am a HUGE fan of Mexican cuisine. In fact, some of the proudest cooking moments I have include figuring out how to skinny up Mexican dishes without sacrificing flavors and still keeping the essential nutrients our bodies need -- as some "diet" foods seem to forget.

What many people don't know when they are trying to get healthy is that Mexican food is actually quite flavorful naturally. When you think of ingredients like tomato salsa, fresh cilantro, and avocadoes -- these are all things that are of the EARTH (meaning your body will thank you for them.) With that being put out there, look at this amazing way to cook some Mexican chicken that's friendly to your body -- and have your cheese and eat it too. Seriously, it was so easy to make, Austin & I went ice skating in Silver Spring afterwards.

Servings: 6

What You'll Need:

Austin's first time skating! Such a sweet idea!

• 3 large raw chicken breasts (get a 3-pack in the grocery store)
• 1 jar salsa (Some like Medium, but I get Hot for that spicy kick!)
• Tip: You may think all salsas are the same, but look at the ingredients list of the brands you're considering. I liked Newman's Own because I could understand what goes into it! Nothing sketchy about things like "tomatoes" and "onions."
• 1 cup reduced-fat shredded Cheddar Jack cheese (Sargento makes this)
• 1 avocado
• A Slow Cooker (Don't think they're expensive like I thought for so long..... I got mine for $15)
• A SLOW COOKER IS THE BEST THING YOU'LL EVER BUY (more on this in a later post)
• Here's one for $16: Click here
• Oven + 13x9 Pan (a brownie pan)
• Optional: Fresh Cilantro

The Step-by-Step:

(inspired by a Pinterest post)

1. Rinse the chicken breasts gently with some cold water. Pat dry with some paper towels.
2. Pour 1/3 of the salsa into the bottom of the slow cooker.
3. Take each chicken breast, and slice it in half horizontally (so one long cut from left to right.) You should now have six pieces of chicken.
4. Place two pieces of chicken in the slow cooker, then top with more salsa. Repeat until you place all chicken in the cooker and top it with salsa. If you want some extra spice, feel free to add a little bit of cayenne pepper.
5. Put the lid on the slow cooker, and let it cook on "Low" for 3 hours.
6. Transfer the chicken to the pan, and top it with the remaining salsa mixture from the slow cooker.
7. Let bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes until cooked through.
8. Slice the avocado. Get the cheese measured and ready.
9. Remove the pan from the oven and top each chicken piece with avocado slices. Sprinkle the whole pan with the cheese. If you have cilantro, rip the leaves and sprinkle over.
10. Let bake for 5 more minutes so the cheese can melt into stringy goodness.

See, I told you -- super easy.
Not to mention -- it makes for EXCELLENT left-overs that you can easily freeze and reheat. Check my Instagram (@natalieneilson) for the mexican chicken salad I made the day after!

Happy eating!
xoxo n

Honey Mustard Baked Chicken w/ Thyme

Who doesn't love Honey Mustard? Well, better question -- who grew up not liking it? That would be ME. In my tradition Jamaican family, Honey Dijon was just not on the condiment shelf. Now that I'm an adult, its flavor is calling me -- like a siren to a pirate -- that was random, I know -- but seriously.

I found this pin on Pinterest around the holidays when I was looking for a creative chicken dish to contribute to our Christmas dinner table. Nothing too crazy, I still wanted everyone to enjoy it -- and of 7 people with different tastes, I knew this would be hard. The original sharer of the recipe uses rosemary, but I chose to add fresh thyme that my Mom was already using that day (it's a Jamaican staple) as well as add more spice for that kick I love. Plus, I didn't feel the need to add red wine vinegar. The maple syrup was a hit out the ballpark -- the combination of sweet and savory reminded me of going out for Chicken & Waffles here in DC (if you aren't familiar with it, just think of amazingness.) And like I kind of mentioned before, Honey Mustard is a pretty fantastic siren that will (literally) rock your boat.

Serves 10 people (2-3 people per chicken breast used)

What You'll Need:

• 1 tbsp olive oil (or cooking spray if you have that)
• 4 chicken breasts
• 1/2 cup maple syrup (I used the "Light" version to cut back on calories)
• 1/2 cup honey mustard
• Salt & Pepper
• Foil
• Fresh Thyme (if you have another herb like oregano, rosemary, or basil, get creative!)
• Money-Saver: Italian Seasoning works here too. You can buy it for about $1.50 on the spice aisle at the grocery store. I even saw it at my CVS.
• Oven & 13x9 Pan (a brownie pan)

The Step-by-Step:

...

1. Spread olive oil in pan (or spray with cooking spray.)
2. Rinse the chicken breasts gently with cold water. Pat dry with paper towels, and place in pan side-by-side.
3. Sprinkle each chicken breast with salt and pepper. (If you like spice, add more pepper, you flavor beast!)
4. In a mixing bowl, combine syrup and mustard. Add a little thyme and stir. (I added even more pepper here!)
5. Pour the syrup mixture on top of the chicken breasts.
6. Cover with foil.
7. Bake at 375 degrees F for 45 minutes.
8. Take off foil and put back in the oven for 10 more minutes.
9. Remove from oven and add more thyme. Slice the breasts and serve.

I have to admit -- I've made this many times since Christmas dinner. I missed it, and it's so easy.

I actually go to the store and buy fresh thyme because it smells like my mommy!

xoxo n

Side Note:

My aunt visiting from Jamaica said she doesn't usually like chicken breast because it gets dry, but this was the best she's ever had! This will officially be a Neilson staple. Let me know if it becomes one of yours too :)