Pan Fried Chicken

This is one of those quick meal things.  It works really well if you have a giant bag of frozen chicken breasts already sitting in the freezer.  Go ahead and cook them frozen, no need to thaw this time!

You will need:

Frozen chicken breasts (I am using three)

3 Tbsp. oil

Salt to taste

Pepper to taste

Seasoning of your choice (I used Roasted Garlic and Bell Pepper... REALLY good on chicken)

Heat your skillet on medium-high heat and add oil. When oil is hot, add chicken.  Season the top side with salt, pepper, and seasoning.  Then cover with a lid and let cook for 5-10 minutes.

When bottom side is white, flip over and begin to cook other side. Season this side just as you did with the first side. Cover and let cook for another 5-10 minutes.  Check with a fork and knife if the center juices run clear. If everything is still pink inside, continue flipping every 5-10 minutes  until the center is white and juices are clear (I flipped like 4 or 5 times).

Enjoy! Can be served as a main course, or can be used in other dishes like salads or pastas.  

Garden Salsa

This is my mom's recipe, and I have to say, my FAVORITE recipe! Note: After all the chopping, slicing and squeezing, it takes about 2 hours if you have no help... but TOTALLY worth it!

Here's what you need (makes a good party-size amount):

18-20 roma tomatoes*

1 large onion

1 bunch of cilantro

4 limes*

3-4 garlic cloves

1 jalepeno pepper

1-2 tsp. salt

Finely dice tomatoes, onion (I used a food chopper for the onion), cilantro, and garlic; add to a large bowl. Roll limes on counter top with pressure from hand to loosen the inside of the limes, then squeeze juice from all 4 limes into bowl. Finely chop jalepeno pepper (note: if you are a spicy wimp, like me, use only 1/3 of the pepper, and 1/4 of the seeds; otherwise go for it!) Add salt to taste. Let sit in the fridge for about 30 min to 1 hour for juices to combine, and ENJOY!

*Use organic if possible. Not only are they better for you, but they are much more juicy and flavorful! Makes for a very very delicious salsa!

Vegetarian Fajitas

Earlier this week, my husband was really sick and I could not take care of him much because I had to work all day. On my way home from work, I was brainstorming with meal ideas that would be quick (because I was really hungry) and that would help fight his illness (because he was really sick). By the time I got home, this delicious meal popped into my head! Because everything is cooked in a pan, it was quick to prepare; and because of the ingredients, Chris started feeling better the next day! The combination of the onion and peppers provide a very powerful antiviral and antibacterial quality to this meal, not to mention the nutrients from all the other whole foods!

You will need (for 4-5 servings):

1 large onion, sliced

1-2 peppers, chopped or sliced (the more colors you have, the more nutritional variety you have!)

2/3 cup of sliced mushrooms (amount depends on your preference really)

1 roma tomato, chopped

1 lime, quartered

3-4 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

1-2 Tbs of oil (preferably oil that is refined for high heat, like sesame oil, to avoid free radicals in your meal)

Multi-grain tortillas

1 can of black beans, heated, rinsed and drained

On Low-Medium heat, add oil to pan. When oil is heated, add onion, peppers and mushrooms. Stir frequently, until vegetables begin to soften. Do not overcook! Meanwhile, in a sauce pan, heat black beans on low heat.

When vegetables have softened, add tomato. Stir frequently for a few minutes until tomato is slightly cooked. Then remove pan from heat.

On a tortilla, layer: small amount of black beans, small amount of vegetables. Garnish with cilantro, and juice of lime quarter.

Wrap and enjoy!

Note: My husband and I each had 2, and they kept us full for quite a while!