Salads For Days

In an effort to eat more healthy foods and lose some weight, I have committed to #DailyVeggies, making sure I have at least one serving of vegetables every day. Since I detest most cooked vegetables, this means that a meal-sized salad is my best veggie option. Therefore, #SaladaDay has become my usual lunch. Of course, salads don't have to be boring or bland - not at all! There are many variations and possibilities when it comes to salads. I thought I would share some of my favorites with you, and please feel free to share your ideas with me! I'm always looking for more ideas!

Basic chicken salad: romaine lettuce mix, grilled chicken, corn, bacon bits, cheese, and a light drizzle of thousand island .

Taco salad: mixed lettuce, taco seasoned beef, queso blanco sauce, salsa, sour cream, and cheese. No dressing needed!

Deconstructed sandwich salads: basically the ingredients of a sandwich, placed on top of a salad. This one was lettuce and radicchio mix, chopped steak strips, half an avocado, lowfat provolone cheese, and Green Goddess dressing.

Extra protein salads: for those days when you need more protein, adding navy beans, hummus, and boiled eggs to the salad gives it both flavor and protein kick.

Tuna salad: these days you can get flavored tuna packets in a variety of flavors. I don't usually like tuna, but the ranch flavor is really good! Here's lettuce mix, ranch-flavored tuna, navy beans, peas, cheese, and Green Goddess dressing.

Think outside the box: salad doesn't always have to start with a leafy green base. Try other combinations like beans, tomatoes, avocado, eggs, different cheeses, or other vegetables that strike your fancy. I'd like to hear what ideas you come up with!

Salsa Chicken Bake

This meal was born of Pinterest ideas (who am I kidding?! Most of my recipes are tweaked Pinterest finds!), and hubby heartily approved and went back for seconds. It's easiest made in the oven, but could probably be modified for the grill or even a skillet. I made taco rice in the skillet while the chicken and bean mixture baked, then topped my serving with sour cream. It was very tasty and filling!

Ingredients:
Chicken breasts, cut into strips
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup corn, frozen or canned
3/4 cup salsa
1/2 cup queso blanco sauce
1/2 cup shredded cheddar or fiesta blend cheese

Preheat the oven to 400. Spread the beans and corn evenly in the bottom of a large oven or casserole dish. Trim the chicken strips and arrange them on top of the bean mixture. Spread the salsa and queso evenly on the chicken strips and sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 400 for 30-40 minutes, checking occasionally. When chicken is cooked through, remove from the oven and serve with rice or tortillas. Enjoy!

Chicken Enchilada Orzo

Yummy!

I am part of a Facebook community called Big Truck Cooking, all about truckers cooking, that has a Chopped Challenge every month. For my entry this month, I'm submitting this easy, oh-so-delicious one-skillet recipe for Chicken Enchilada Orzo.

Since it can be difficult keeping enough fresh or perishable food in the truck to last us 3-5 weeks, I have been developing more recipes using mainly (or exclusively) non-perishable ingredients. The only perishable ingredient in this recipe is cheddar cheese, which can be substituted with shelf-stable cheese like Velveeta or omitted altogether.

Ingredients

Ingredients:
1 can red enchilada sauce
1 can mild Rotel
1 can chicken in water
1 1/2 cup dry orzo
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 small can whole kernel corn, drained
1/2 package taco seasoning
Cheddar cheese

Pour the enchilada sauce, Rotel, and chicken into a skillet without draining. Add the orzo and about a cup of water. Bring to a boil and let simmer until orzo is cooked. Add the drained black beans and corn, stir and continue to simmer. Add half a package of taco seasoning and mix in thoroughly. By now mixture should be thick. Reduce heat, pat mixture firmly down in the skillet, sprinkle cheese on top and let sit to melt cheese. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Serving hot from the skillet

Nacho Chicken Bowls

This recipe was birthed from a recipe I had planned to make in the oven during home time: baked chicken with a cheesy corn and bean sauce, to be served over taco rice. Instead, I ended up making it on the road, in the crockpot. It turned out much less visually aesthetic, but oh so yummy and very filling, which are the main requirements for food in our family. The first day we scooped it out of the pot and wrapped it in tortillas for burritos; the second day we warmed it up in bowls and added extra queso and fritos on top. Either way, it's delicious and easy!


Ingredients:
3 large chicken breasts
1 can sweet corn, drained
1 can black beans, drained
1 can Rotel, partially drained
1 package dry taco-flavored rice
1 jar queso blanco sauce

Cut chicken into smaller pieces for faster cooking time, if desired. Place chicken in crockpot with corn, beans, and Rotel. Cook 2-4 hours or until chicken is completely cooked. Shred chicken, add rice and cook another hour, checking regularly and adding water if additional liquid is needed. About 10 minutes before serving, add queso blanco and stir thoroughly. Serve with tortillas, Fritos, or tortilla chips, and additional taco toppings if desired. Enjoy!

Frijoles Con Queso

This is one of those really easy, quick, go-to meals that you can make in one skillet in about 15-20 minutes. I love those kinds of meals, don't you? And I can keep all the ingredients on hand, even in the truck. I use minute rice and canned refried beans, although you can easily substitute freshly cooked rice and homemade beans. One can of beans and one package of rice feeds my hubby and I, so if you are serving a larger family adjust ingredient amounts.

It's certainly not the most aesthetically pleasing meal, but it is certainly pleasing to the taste buds and the tummy!

Wrapped in a tortilla

Ingredients:
Olive oil
Taco seasoning
Rice
1 can refried beans
Queso blanco sauce

Spread a little olive oil in a warm skillet and fry the rice, adding water if needed to keep it moist. Sprinkle a small amount of taco seasoning over the rice. Add beans, stir and continue to fry until mixture is hot. Add about half a cup of queso blanco, more or less to taste, and stir thoroughly. When completely mixed and heated, serve with tortillas and extra cheese as desired. Enjoy!

Chicken Chili

After being out in snow and subzero temperatures this weekend, I came down with an unpleasant cold (is there any other kind?). Between the frigid weather and my sore throat, something warm and soft was definitely in order - and chicken chili hit the spot.

The nice thing about this recipe is its flexibility. Most of the ingredients are nonperishable, which means I can keep them on hand until I'm ready for them. It can also be made mild or spicy depending on your choice of ingredients. We use plain diced tomatoes, but using a can that contains chilies will add a zip to your chili.

 It can be made with raw or precooked chicken; simply adjust the cooking time appropriately. For raw chicken, plan to leave your crockpot on for 4-6 hours on high, or 7+ hours on low. For precooked chicken, however, an hour or two is plenty.

Also, if you're one of those people who is picky about leftovers, let me assure you that this chili is absolutely just as good the next day, or even better! The longer it sits, the more the flavors mingle and marry, resulting in leftovers that surpass the original concoction.

Ingredients:
4 chicken breasts, raw or cooked
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can each: black beans, northern beans, and corn
1 8oz package of cream cheese
Dry taco seasoning
Dry ranch dressing mix
Optional: shredded cheddar cheese

Place the chicken in the crockpot and dump the can of tomatoes on top. Drain the excess fluid out of the beans and corn, then add to the crockpot. If using precooked chicken, add the cream cheese; if using raw chicken, wait till later. Add about half a package each of the taco seasoning and ranch mix. Stir everything together. For raw chicken, cook as directed above, and add cream cheese to the last hour of cooking. For precooked chicken, let all ingredients simmer about an hour. When ready to serve, stir thoroughly and garnish with shredded cheddar cheese on top. Enjoy!