Mexican Pulled Chicken Stuffed Peppers

• 5 large green bell peppers
• 3 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 2 tbsp. chopped pickled jalapenos
• 1 - 14.5 oz can petite diced tomatoes, with the juices
• 1/2 white onion, minced
• 1 - 4 oz. can diced green chiles
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. onion powder
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp. oregano
• 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
• About a cup and a half of salsa

Put all ingredients except for the salsa in your crock pot.  Gently stir to mix well.  Cook on low for 6 hours.

Using two forks, shred the chicken.  Turn the crock pot to warm until you're ready to cook the peppers.

Preheat oven to 350F.

Cut the tops off the peppers, removing the ribs and seeds.  Slice a few small slices on the bottom of each pepper, allowing it to drain while cooking.  Lightly season the inside of each pepper with salt.

Spray a 9x13 baking dish and pour about a cup of salsa to cover the bottom.  Stuff each pepper with the chicken mixture and top each with about a tbsp. of salsa.  Cover with foil and bake until the peppers soften, 20 minutes.  Spoon some hot salsa from the bottom of the pan over the top of your stuffed pepper and enjoy!

Yum!

Mini Dijon Prosciutto Chicken Roulades

• 1 1 lb. package of chicken breast tenders
• 1 - 4 oz. package of thinly sliced prosciutto
• 3 tsp. dijon mustard (approximate)
• salt & freshly ground black pepper
• garlic powder
• olive oil

Preheat oven to 350F.

Lay the chicken tenders out on a clean work surface.  Lightly season with salt and pepper.  Spread about 1/2 tsp. of dijon mustard onto each chicken tender.  Place a thin slice of prosciutto on top of each chicken tender, folding to fit the chicken.  Roll each chicken tender up and secure with a toothpick.  Lightly season with garlic powder and drizzle with olive oil.

Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden and cooked through.

Enjoy!

Avocado Shrimp Salsa Salad

• 16 oz. peeled, deveined small shrimp, cooked and cut into bite size pieces
• 2 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 2 medium avocados, peeled and chopped
• 1 cup fresh parsley leaves, minced
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 bunch green onions, white and light green parts only, chopped
• 1/2 of a cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped
• 1 jalapeno pepper, minced
• 2 tbsp. fresh lime juice
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.  Gently mix.  Keep refrigerated until ready to devour!

Spicy Grilled Shrimp

• 2 lbs. medium shrimp, peeled and cleaned
• 1 tbsp. chopped garlic
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp. paprika
• 3 tbsp. olive oil

Mix all ingredients together in a ziploc bag.  Massage shrimp in the bag to mix the marinade well.  Let sit in refrigerator until you're ready to grill (I let mine sit for 4 hours)

Heat up grill and cook until pink, about 3-4 minutes per side.

Yum!

Fresh Guacamole

• 4 avocados, peeled and cubed, pits saved
• 1 bunch green onions, white and light green parts only, chopped
• 1/2 red onion, chopped
• 1 tomato, seeded and chopped
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
• 1 serrano pepper, seeded and minced
• 1 tsp. chopped garlic
• 1 lime, juiced
• 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp. cumin
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients in a bowl, mix well.  Put the pits around the edges and cover with plastic wrap and chill until ready to serve.

Enjoy!

Springtime Pasta Salad

• 1 - 1 lb. box orecchiette pasta
• 1/2 medium red onion, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh Italian parsley leaves, minced
• 2 tbsp. dijon mustard
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1/2 cup light mayo
• 1/2 cup Italian salad dressing
• Salt & freshly ground black pepper

 Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Add 1 tbsp. salt and the pasta.  Bring it back to a boil and cook 15 minutes.  Drain in a colander, rinse with cold water, drain again and set aside to cool.

In a large bowl combine onion, parsley, and bell peppers. In a small bowl, mix together the mayo, salad dressing, mustard, onion powder and cayenne.  Toss the pasta into the large bowl and add the mayo mixture.  Mix well.  Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste.

Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Springtime Minestrone with Israeli Couscous

·      1 tbsp. onion powder with white & green onions and parsley

·      1 tsp. dried oregano

·      3 tbsp. garlic infused olive oil

·      1 yellow onion, chopped

·      3 carrots, peeled and diced

·      1 green bell pepper, diced

·      1 red bell pepper, diced

·      1 tbsp. chopped garlic

·      1 – 28 oz. can Italian crushed tomatoes with oregano & basil

·      2 – 15 oz. cans small white beans, rinsed and drained

·      1 – 8.5 oz. can corn, drained

·      6 cups reduced sodium vegetable broth

·      1 – 8.8 oz package Israeli couscous

·      1 cup frozen peas

Put the first 12 ingredients (up to couscous) into a large crock pot sprayed with cooking spray.  Mix well.  Let it cook on low for 4-6 hours.

Add the peas and couscous and continue to cook for an additional 20-30 minutes.

Enjoy!