Chicken, Tomato, and Black Bean Tacos

We love Mexican food around here.  I love it even more when I know that it's healthy!  These tacos are hands-down the best I've ever had ... they are irresistible and healthy!  The key is the homemade taco seasoning; it's a great mix of spices, it's low-sodium, and you can even omit the salt altogether if you really have to limit your salt intake.  For these tacos, I used canned black beans and canned tomatoes, but it can be recreated using fresh tomatoes and soaked black beans...another option for those watching their sodium intake.  This is a great site on soaking dried beans.  We use Mission Carb Smart tortillas, and top the meat mixture with an easy homemade guacamole, sour cream, and cheese.  This is truly my favorite meal lately, and a great addition to a "Taco Night" - you won't be disappointed!  Wishing you best dishes and yummy dreams!

xoxo,

Chicken, Tomato, and Black Bean Tacos

- A "Little Mommy" creation

Serves 2-4

1 package of boneless, skinless chicken breast tenderloins

all-purpose seasoning

olive oil

1 can of petite diced tomatoes, or 1 small diced tomato

1 can of black beans, or 1/2 c. dried beans

1/4 c. Taco Seasoning

3/4 c. water or chicken stock

tortillas

toppings of your choice!

1.  Trim the chicken tenders and sprinkle them with all-purpose seasoning.

2.  Place the tenders in a saute pan with olive oil and cook until they are almost cooked through (you don't want to cook them completely because you will dry out the meat when you have to place it back in the pan).  

3.  Shred the meat with a fork, then add it back to the pan.  

4.  Add 1/2 of the can of black beans and tomatoes to the pan, then add the taco seasoning and water.  Stir.  

5.  Allow the mixture to cook on medium-low until the mixture thickens and is cooked through.

6.  Make your taco and enjoy!

*If you don't want to waste the rest of the beans and tomatoes, just double the chicken and seasoning in the recipe and use the whole can of each.  I did this and then froze the leftovers.  

If you enjoyed this recipe, I'd love for you to "like" my Facebook page, follow me on GFC, leave a comment, or pin my pics!  Thanks a million!  xoxo

November Improv Cooking Challenge: Creamy Chicken, Pumpkin, and Pepper Jack Enchiladas

I love a good challenge.  I'm so excited to take part in the Improv Cooking Challenge!  We were given two amazing fall ingredients for November:  pumpkin and cream cheese.  Love.  As I thought about the great potential that these two ingredients bring to the table, I decided to give myself an additional challenge... no recipes.  So, as much as I adore a sinfully sweet treat, not having a recipe at hand makes baking a "no go" for me!  So, as I was recalling some of my favorite creamy dishes - chicken enchiladas came to mind...add pumpkin?  Why not?!  As I've said before - I love to "hide" vegetables in dishes - such a smart idea!

These enchiladas are rich, creamy, spicy, savory, and most of all ... delicious!  We were excited (because I knew it could be a total flop - sans recipe).  They were even husband approved (and he's a tough critic)!  He made my night when he said, 'These taste like they could be on a menu somewhere!"  Awww.  Enjoy - we did!  Best dishes and yummy dreams!

xoxo,

Creamy Chicken, Pumpkin, and Pepper Jack Enchiladas

By:  Little Mommy

Ingredients:

All purpose seasoning

Adobo seasoning

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 package of boneless, skinless, chicken tenderloins

1/3 of a medium sweet onion, finely chopped

1 garlic clove

1/3 package of 1/3 less fat Philadelphia cream cheese

3/4 c. pumpkin

1/4 c. chicken stock

1/2 c. diced tomatoes (or 1/2 c. Rotel)

1/2 can of green chilies (optional)

3/4 c. - 1/2 c. shredded peppeer jack cheese

1/4 tsp. cumin

1/4 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

1/8 tsp. cayenne

6 flour tortillas

1.  Rinse, trim, and cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces.

2.  Place the chicken in a saute pan with 1 tbsp. olive oil.  Sprinkle  the chicken with all-purpose seasoning, Adobo seasoning, and parsley.  Cook thoroughly and set aside.  

Chicken cooling (before chopping into smaller pieces)

When cooled, chop into smaller pieces (consistency of shredded chicken).  

 3.  In a sauce pot, saute minced onion in 1 tbsp. olive oil until tender, add garlic (I grated it into the pot using microplane grater) and cook for 1 minute longer. 

4.  Add in cream cheese, pumpkin, and pepper jack.  Stir until all cheeses are melted. 

5.  Add in chicken stock, tomatoes (or Rotel), chilies, chicken, and all spices.  Stir thoroughly. 

6.  Heat 6 flour tortillas in the microwave for 20 seconds.  (This makes them easier to work with - they won't break.)

7.  Spray a baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  

7.  Divide mixture equally between 6 tortillas, place the mixture inside each tortilla, wrap up the tortillas, and place the enchiladas into the baking dish.

8.  Top with more shredded pepper jack.  

Bake on 350 degrees for 25 minutes. 

If you enjoyed this recipe, "like" my Facebook page, or follow me on GoogleConnect!  Thanks so much!
Enjoy!

A Mini Southern Treat: Shredded BBQ Chicken and Southern Slaw on Buttery Garlic Toast

I love minis!  I can't help but visit blogs with mini pies, cakes, pizzas... you name it, I love it!  I think my obsession with mini portions is that they allow you to have a rich, decadent taste of something, without going totally overboard.

Lately, I've seen a bunch of pulled pork barbecue sandwiches, and a bunch of minis ... so, I combined the two!  These tasty little treats would make a great appetizer, or small meal at a holiday party.  They can give a little "kick" to typical holiday food spread!  

On a delightful side note... these sandwiches aren't even that rich and decadent in calories.  They are shredded chicken breast sandwiches.. so it's perfectly fine to have more than one... or two... or three ..... ;)

Best dishes and yummy dreams!

xoxo,

Shredded BBQ Chicken and Southern Slaw on Buttery Garlic Toast
BBQ Chicken recipe adapted from:  Taste of Home's Healthy Cooking magazine recipe for Shredded Chicken and Pumpkin Grits 
Slaw recipe adapted from:  About.com: Southern Food

BBQ Chicken:

3 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts - rinsed and trimmed

1 1/2 c. of your favorite barbecue sauce (We love Sweet Baby Ray's)

1 c. chicken stock

1/8 c. molasses

1/8 c. hot sauce

1 tbsp. ancho chili powder

Slaw:

1 bag of pre-shredded cole slaw mix
1/2-1/4 grated sweet onion

1/2 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 c. vegetable oil
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 tsp. celery seed
1/2 c. cider vinegar


Toast:
1 loaf of fresh french or italian bread
"I Can't Believe it's Not Butter" spread
garlic powder, red pepper flakes, parsley


Preparing the chicken:
1.  Place the chicken into a large skillet and add all listed ingredients.
2.  Cover the skillet and cook on medium until chicken is cooked through.
3.  Take the chicken out of the skillet and shred it with a fork.
4.  Return the chicken to the skillet with the sauce and allow it to simmer on low for 30 minutes.


Preparing the slaw:
1.  In a sauce pan, cook all of the ingredients together on medium (except for the cole slaw mix) until the sugar dissolves.
2.  Cool the mixture, stir, and pour over cole slaw mix.
3.  Refrigerate for 8 hours before serving.


Preparing the buttered toast:

1.  Slice the loaf into thick slices.
2.  Coat each side with "butter" spread and place the slices on a baking sheet.
3.  Sprinkle one side with garlic powder, red pepper flakes, and parsley.
4.  Bake on 350 degrees until golden brown.

Make a sandwich and enjoy!

If you enjoyed this recipe, I'd love for you to follow me on GoogleConnect, or "like" my Facebook page!  Thanks :)

Baked Egg Rolls: The Less-Guilty Pleasure

Even the best set plans are thwarted by forces unseen...sigh.  I had every intention of making baked wontons for two weeks now ... I scheduled it, talked about it, and finally went to the store - road block.  I got to the organics section to pick up the wonton wrappers (which they ALWAYS have) and the only packages they had were marked Oct. 31.  Of course ... it kind of went with the theme for the week:  gas leak at school, hit a car on the way to work, got puked on inside and outside of my shirt by my little one, got lost in the 'hood.. who am I kidding - I work in the 'hood ... the list goes on.  This week will not get the best of me .. onto plan B - baked egg rolls!  Which, I'm sure, are just as yummy!
The thing that I adore most about homemade Chinese food is that it can be so healthy, flavorful, and include tons of awesome veggies (and you don't have to wonder what exactly is in the dish??!)!  I was never much of a veggie fan growing up, but when it came to stir frys and soups - I was game for any vegetable.  Still am!  The ingredients for the filling can easily be altered and new things can be added.  I'd love to try different veggies next time - like some kind of seaweed, or bok choy.  I created the sauce - yes, I know it contains some uncommon odds and ends, but the flavors are spot on... not too salty, not too sweet - tons of flavor.  If you don't keep Tiger Sauce, Duck Sauce, Sriracha, or sesame oil at home, I highly recommend them.  You can use them for so many dishes (not just Asian foods!).
My biggest concern with this recipe was that they might not come out crispy, but no fear - they are perfectly crispy, not at all soggy...just delicious.  I had 4 ... in about 2 minutes.  Best dishes and yummy dreams!

xoxo,

Little Mommy's Baked Egg Rolls

Preparing the chicken:

2 small boneless, skinless chicken breasts (1 1/2 large breasts)

All-purpose seasoning

dash of Sriracha

olive oil

Preparing the filling:

1 small red pepper, diced

4 scallions, diced

1 small bag of coleslaw mix

1 can of water chestnuts, diced

1 cup of mushrooms, (diced after measuring)
1 cup chopped fresh broccoli

2 cloves of garlic, grated or chopped

Sauce for filling:

1/8 c. soy sauce

1/8 c. chicken stock

1/2 tsp. sesame oil

1 tsp. sugar

1 tsp. Sriracha

2 tbsp. Duck Sauce

2 tsp. Tiger Sauce

1.  Rinse the chicken and cut it into bite-sized pieces, sprinkle with all-purpose seasoning.

2.  Cook chicken in a skillet with olive oil and a dash of Sriracha.  Set aside and allow the chicken to cool.

3.  After cooled, chop into smaller pieces for egg roll filling.

4.  Place all veggies into the skillet with 1 tbsp. of Canola oil.

5.  Cover the veggies with sauce ingredients and cook until cabbage is tender.  Add the chicken to the mixture.

6.  Place 2 heaping tablespoons of the mixture into an egg roll wrapper.  See pictures below on how to wrap the egg rolls!

Place the egg roll wrapper so it looks like a diamond.  Place the filling just below the center.

Roll the bottom corner up and tuck it under the filling.

Fold the side corners in.

Roll the egg roll up!  Wet the final corner so that it sticks to the wrapper.

7.  Spray a pan with nonstick spray.  Place egg rolls on the pan and spray the tops generously with nonstick spray.

8.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.  

9.  Enjoy with extra Duck Sauce - it makes all the difference!
The recipe makes 8-10 egg rolls.  Eat right away - they aren't the greatest to reheat!  Keep in mind that the wrapper will not taste like a fried egg roll - but, they are sooo good in their own way!

If you enjoyed this recipe, I'd love for you to follow my blog on GoogleConnect, or "like" my Facebook page!  Cheers!

I shared this recipe with the cute blogs on the side bar, as well as:
This awesome new blog I found!

Shredded Barbecue Chicken with Pumpkin Pepper Jack Grits

Wondering what to do with all of those cans of pumpkin you bought when you finally found them at the store?? You have to make this dish.  Really.  This recipe caught my eye about a year ago - I had never seen pumpkin with grits.  I love pumpkin and all of the health benefits and I rarely say "no" to barbecue chicken, so I was game for this recipe.  However, I'm definitely not a connoisseur of grits - I was born in Pennsylvania and my parents were born and raised there too - grits are not familiar territory.  This recipe was actually my first experience with grits and they are so yummy!  So, it's official, after 20-some years in the south, I am finally a "southerner".
I also love the fact that this recipe is a healthy alternative to a familiar dish.  Instead of the popular cheddar cheese grits with BBQ chicken (dark meat, on the bone) - it uses pumpkin to flavor the grits, a little bit of pepper jack, and lean chicken breast.  It is unbelievably flavorful - spicy, savory, and sweet.  Don't skimp on the toppings - the green onion, cheese, and tomato (says my husband since he's the tomato-eater) really take the dish to another level.
Best dishes and yummy dreams!

xo,

Shredded Barbecue Chicken with Pumpkin Pepper Jack Grits
Recipe:  Taste of Home's "Healthy Cooking" Magazine

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast, trimmed and rinsed

1 c. chicken stock 

1 c. of your favorite BBQ sauce (We use Sweet Baby Ray's Original)

1/4 c. molasses (excellent source of calcium!)

1 tbsp. ancho chili powder

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

4 c. chicken stock

1 c. quick-cooking grits

1 c. canned pumpkin

3/4 c. shredded pepper jack cheese

chopped green onion

seeded and chopped tomato

extra shredded pepper jack

sour cream

Preparing the chicken:

1.  Mix 1 c. chicken stock, BBQ sauce, molasses, cinnamon, and chili powder in a skillet.  Add chicken, cover, and cook over medium heat until chicken is cooked through.

2.  Take the chicken out and shred it with a fork, return it to the skillet and keep the mixture on low.

Preparing the grits:

1.  Boil 4 c. chicken stock.

2.  Add grits and pumpkin.  Stir until mixture reaches appropriate thickness (about 5 minutes).

3.  Add shredded cheese and stir.

Place grits in a bowl, top with chicken and any desired toppings!

Thanks for reading, loves! xo

Mini Chicken and Black Bean Burritos and Homemade Guacamole

We love Mexican food.  Tacos, enchiladas, quesadillas, burritos, guacamole ... you name it, we eat it.  As much as we love eating Mexican out, I love the challenge of making healthy alternatives at home.  This recipe has evolved over the years - it's one of our favorites and is constantly changing because there are so many great "twists" you can put on this dish!  Our latest "twist" is the salsa and cheddar cheese sauce inside the burrito.  Yummmm!  This step is completely optional, as they are delicious (and a little healthier) without it, but who doesn't like a little cheese sauce??

This recipe incorporates one of the healthiest condiments - salsa ... rich in lycopene and vitamin C, and low in calories.  It also has black beans - great fiber - rice, chicken, and many other yummies.  I make these burritos in taco-sized tortillas instead of burrito tortillas, which allows for smaller portions.  They are slightly time consuming, but totally worth it!   

On a side note - you'll notice something about most of my recipes - chicken.  Specifically, chicken breast tenderloins.  We are a chicken family - it's healthy, light, can be cooked many ways, and can be made into just about anything!  I choose to buy tenderloins because we are a small family - two adults and one little princess.  It's much faster and easier to work with the tenderloins, as opposed to large chicken breasts - I can cook them in a third of the time after a busy day at work. 

Enjoy this yummy, lighter dish!  Best dishes and yummy dreams!  

Mini Chicken, Black Bean, and Cheese Burritos

1 package of chicken breast tenderloins 

Adobo seasoning

1 can of black beans

1 cup of jasmine (or another type) of rice

1 1/2 c. chicken stock

1/4 c. homemade taco seasoning

3/4 c. water

1 tbsp. taco sauce (medium)

1 package of tortillas (we use Mission Carb Smart Flour Tortillas)

Special Salsa and Cheese Sauce:

1 tbsp. unsalted butter

1 tbsp. flour

1 c. cheddar cheese

1 c. skim milk

1 c. salsa 

(salsa and cheese amounts can be altered according to preference)

Burrito filling:

1.  Cut chicken breast tenderloins into bite-sized pieces, sprinkle with Adobo, and cook in a pan with olive oil.  After cooked, set aside to cool.

2.  Cook rice with chicken stock in a sauce pan and set aside.

3.  Chop the chicken into smaller pieces and add to a pan with rice, rinsed black beans, taco seasoning, water, and taco sauce.  Cook on medium and stir until combined and fully heated.  

Chicken, black beans, rice, and taco seasoning

Burrito filling mixed together!

Preparing the cheese sauce:

1.  In a separate sauce pan, melt butter and add flour, mix thoroughly.

2.  Add cold milk and cheese, stir until it thickens.

3.  Add salsa and stir. 

Cheese and salsa sauce

Preparing the burritos:

1.  Heat tortilla in the microwave for 30 seconds so they are easier to work with and will not tear.  

2.  Place approximately 3/4 c. of rice/chicken/bean mixture on one end of the tortilla.  Top with a spoonful of cheese sauce.

3.  Fold in the sides of the tortilla and then roll the tortilla up, tucking the mixture inside. 

4.  Place the burritos in a baking dish sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. 

5.  Top with salsa and bake for 20 minutes on 350 degrees.  *My husband likes them topped with enchilada sauce and cheese (... a burrito-chilada).  

When cooled, top with guacamole, sour cream, cilantro, etc.!  

Homemade Guacamole

4 ripe avocados, scooped out and mashed with a fork

1 cup (or more) of salsa

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. onion powder, or 2 chopped green onions

1 tsp. lemon juice

I also shared this recipe with:

http://www.makeaheadmealsforbusymoms.com/melt-in-your-mouth-monday-blog-hop-35/