Jamaican Chicken Breast and Sweet Potatoes

I just made this meal and had to post it right now because it was THAT good. This recipe comes from Special K. I don't know why but they have some fun recipe ideas so I gave one a try! This is probably the most filling 'light' meal I've ever had (if that makes sense). Special K stated that this meal was 228 calories but I counted about 300. But still!! That is incredible for how flavorful and filling this meal was! Give it a shot.

Jamaican Chicken Breast with Mashed Sweet Potatoes

• Total time: 25 minutes
• Yield: 1 serving

Ingredients

• 1 small sweet potato (about 6 oz.)
• 1 small boneless, skinless chicken breast half (about 5 oz.)
• 1/4 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon Caribbean jerk seasoning
• 1/2 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup chopped tomato
• 1/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon sliced green onions
• 1/2 teaspoon butter or margarine

Directions

1. Scrub potato. Trim ends. Prick skin in several places with fork. Place in shallow microwave-safe dish. Micro-cook, loosely covered, for 4 to 5 minutes or until very tender, turning dish every 2 minutes. Let potato stand until cool enough to handle.
2. Meanwhile, brush chicken on both sides with oil. Rub jerk seasoning on both sides of chicken.
3. In small nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray cook chicken over medium-low heat about 6 minutes or until lightly browned, turning once. Add beans, tomato and broth to skillet. Bring to boiling. Reduce heat. Simmer, covered, about 5 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Stir onions into bean mixture.
4. Meanwhile, use spoon to scoop pulp from potato. Slightly mash potato. Stir in butter. Return to microwave-safe dish. Micro-cook, loosely covered, about 1 minute or until heated through. Spoon onto serving plate. Top with chicken and vegetables. Serve immediately.

THE BEST SALAD EVER!!

Do you like the name of this recipe? I named it myself. This salad comes from my husband's Aunt Chris. My sister in law made it one Sunday dinner a couple summers ago and I fell in love. I wrote the ingredients down on a sticky note and told my mom who makes it at least once a week throughout the summer. Then I lost the sticky note and had to get the ingredients from my mom again and put it on another sticky note so I decided it was time to post about it so we don't lose the recipe for the best salad ever!! Honestly... so good.

THE BEST SALAD EVER

Salad:
Spinach
Romaine leaves
Mandarin oranges (or strawberries. I think I like strawberries better but whatever you have on hand works!)
REAL bacon bits
Avocado
lettuce
Swiss cheese
Sugared almonds

Dressing:
2 tsp chopped red onion
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1 TBL Poppyseeds
1 cup oil
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp salt

You know how to make a salad. Mix all the above ingredients. To make a big bowl of this salad for a get together, I put half of the spinach/romaine mix then layer all the other ingredients then layer another spinach/romaine mix and top it off with all the other ingredients. It works great! Blend all the dressing ingredients in the blender and pour on the salad. The dressing makes the salad! Enjoy all summer long (and winter, spring, fall, etc.)!!

Super Multi-Grain Bread

Remember the Quinoa Veggie Burritos I posted. If you have not made those yet, you must!! This recipe comes from the same cooking class by Joy Ercanbrack on Whole Grains. This is my FAVORITE bread recipe and makes the BEST rolls!! Even if you don't think you're into the whole multi-grain thing, you should try these and you might be surprised!!

Super Multi-Grain Bread

2 cups hot water
2/3 cup 9-grain cracked cereal
1 Tbsp + 1 tsp millet (I leave this out because I'm allergic! Who would have known?)
1 Tbsp + 1 tsp sesame seeds
1 Tbsp + 1 tsp flax seeds
1/3 cup sunflower seeds
2 Tbsp vital wheat gluten (this helps absorb the wheat and grains)
1 Tbsp yeast
1/4 cup honey

Measure these ingredients into large mixing bowl. Gently fold together with a spatula and then let the mixture rest for five minutes, until yeast begins to foam. Then add:

1/4 cup oil
2 tsp liquid lecithin (this adds stretch and flexibility to the dough)
2 tsp salt
3 cups whole wheat flour (4-5 cups total)

Begin mixing with a dough hook on the mixer setting for dough until all ingredients are combined. Add up to 2 additional cups of what flour 1/2 cup at a time until dough begins to clean the sides of the mixer bowl. Knead (mix) for 8 minutes. Then add:

2 tsp dough enhancer

Knead (mix) for 2 minutes longer until dough enhancer is mixed through. This dough does not need to rise twice. Just form the bread loaves or rolls straight from the mixer.

Bread: 2 large loaves, Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Rolls: 24 rolls, Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Brush tops with melted butter while still warm.

Ooey-Gooey Peanut Butter Chocolate Brownies

I haven't posted any dessert because I already have all of my fail proof desserts in my old school binder recipe book. But I found a new dessert recipe and to find a dessert recipe to add to my "keeper" recipes is a pretty big deal. That means it has got to be AMAZING. Don't worry... it is!

OOEY-GOOEY PEANUT BUTTER-CHOCOLATE BROWNIES
From: Cooking Light (they are definitely not light but they tried to skim some calories)

• YIELD: 2 dozen (serving size: 1 brownie)
• COURSE: Desserts

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup fat-free sweetened condensed milk, divided
• 1/4 cup butter or stick margarine, melted and cooled
• 1/4 cup fat-free milk
• 1 (18.25-ounce) package devil's food cake mix
• 1 large egg white, lightly beaten
• Cooking spray
• 1 (7-ounce) jar marshmallow creme (about 1 3/4 cups)
• 1/2 cup peanut butter morsels

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Combine 1/4 cup condensed milk, butter, and next 3 ingredients (butter through egg white) in a bowl (batter will be very stiff). Coat bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Press two-thirds of batter into prepared pan using floured hands; pat evenly (layer will be thin).
• Bake at 350° for 10 minutes. Combine 1/2 cup condensed milk and marshmallow creme in a bowl; stir in morsels. Spread marshmallow mixture evenly over brownie layer. Carefully drop remaining batter by spoonfuls over marshmallow mixture. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.

English Muffin Breakfast Pizzas

Have you gone to www.ourbestbites.com? If not...go now! Immediately! It is my FAVORITE recipe site ever! Everything I've been making for the past month or two has come from their site. I finally got their recipe book so I don't have to compile many of their recipes on here. This recipe is one I have made a few times already and love it! I love breakfast foods and this one is pretty healthy so I love it even more! So easy! So good!!

English Muffin Breakfast Pizzas
Recipe by Our Best Bites

6 whole wheat English muffins at room temperature
4 eggs, at room temperature
2 tablespoons milk
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
About 10 dashes Tabasco sauce
12 thin deli slices of ham or 10-12 slices of cooked bacon, crumbled
3/4-1 c. shredded cheddar or pepper jack cheese
Optional: Chopped vegetables like green onions, tomatoes, sliced olives, mushrooms, green peppers, etc.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray liberally with non-stick cooking spray or brush with oil or melted butter. Set aside.
In a pie plate, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, and Tabasco sauce. Gently pull apart each English muffin and soak each side (like you would for French toast) in the egg mixture–you want the egg mixture to soak into the bread, but you don’t want the English muffin to be completely falling apart. Place the muffin, cut side up, on the baking sheet.

If using ham, slice the ham into thin strips and then place on top of the English muffins. If using bacon, just sprinkle the crumbled bacon on top. Add any additional desired toppings and then sprinkle with shredded cheese. Bake for 15 minutes and serve immediately.

FREEZER INSTRUCTIONS: After baking, loosen them from the baking sheet with a spatula and then allow them to cool completely. Transfer the baking sheet to the freezer. When the pizzas are solid, transfer them to a large Ziploc freezer bag. To reheat, place on a plate and microwave for 1 1/2 minutes at a time until the pizza is heated through (actual time will depend on how powerful your microwave is).