Grilled Lemon Chicken

This simple method yields tangy-sweet and super moist chicken.  

Serves 6

Ingredients:

1 t lemon zest
juice of one lemon
1/4 chopped fresh basil or oregano
1 T honey
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 t salt
1/4 t black pepper
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
6 (4 to 5 ounce) boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives, halved (We used capers cause that's what we had)

To prepare the dressing, whisk together the lemon zest and juice, the basil, honey, mustard, garlic, salt and pepper.  Whisking constantly, add the olive oil in a slow stream.  Set aside. 

Place the chicken on a cutting board and lay a sheet of wax paper over it.  Using the flat side of a meat mallet, pound the chicken slightly is it is an even thickness.  Place the chicken in a shallow baking dish just large enough to hold it.  Pour half of the dressing (about 1/3 cup) over the chicken and turn the breast once or twice to coat.  Cover the dish and refrigerate for at least 2 hours if possible, and up to 8 hours, turning at least once.
Stir the olives (or capers) into the remaining dressing and set aside until ready to serve.

If using a gas or charcoal grill, spray the grill with olive oil and prepare a medium-hot grill.  If using a grill pan, spray it with olive oil and heat over med-high heat. Discard the marinade and grill the chicken until it is opaque in the center, 5 to 6 mins per side.  Serve the chicken with a drizzle of the dressing.

Nutritional facts:
Cal: 227 cal Fat 11.1 g Protein: 26.6 g Carb: 3.9 g Sodium 395.4 mg

Found in The Master your Metabolism Cookbook pg 122

Roasted Rosemary Butternut Squash

Serves 4

Make this simple autumn side dish with acorn squash instead of butternut squash, if desired. Parsnips make a delicious substitution for the carrots, too.

Ingredients

1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 3/4 inch cubes
1 medium carrot, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 small onion, peeled and chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt, to taste
Ground pepper, to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°F. In a medium bowl, toss butternut squash, carrot, onion, rosemary, and olive oil together until evenly coated with oil and herbs. Season with salt and pepper. Place evenly on a non-stick baking sheet and roast until tender, about 1/2 hour. 

 

Nutrition

Per serving (about 5oz/131g-wt.): 110 calories (60 from fat), 7g total fat, 1g saturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 310mg sodium, 13g total carbohydrate (3g dietary fiber, 3g sugar), 1g protein 

 

Found on Whole Foods iphone app.

Black Bean and Tomato Quinoa

1 cup quinoa, dry
1 can black beans rinsed and drained (I sometimes used pre-seasoned beans)
1 small box sweet cherry tomatoes, diced in half
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped (I leave out the parsley and use more cilantro)
1 lemon
1 lime
extra virgin olive oil
sea salt and pepper to taste

1. Prepare 1 cup dry quinoa according to package directions.

2. Place cooked quinoa in a large bowl and add the black beans, tomatoes, green onions, cilantro and parsley.

3. Squeeze the juice of the lemon and lime in the bowl. Pour in the olive oil using just enough to coat all the ingredients or until it looks good to you. Add salt and pepper to taste.

From Sunflower Farmers Markets simple suppers.