This week is another week from home after a couple of weeks on the road. Since I haven't been eating the best foods around the past couple weeks, I decided this was going to be a full week of home cooked meals and eating clean. The first meal was going to be an experiment of two recipes that I had not made before.
For the meat portion, I made Baked Chicken Stuffed with Pesto and Cheese. We had revived our basil plant from the move, and it had started growing again. Because of that, this was a perfect recipe to use some of the basil and make a homemade pesto sauce! For the side, I wanted to make something with quinoa and I found recipe that was titled, "Baked Quinoa with Spinach, Red Pepper, and Cheese". Although it came out completely different from what I expected, it was still amazing. It definitely turned out more like a quiche but still fantastic and a great source of protein after all those eggs and quinoa! So, with that, you will find both recipes below! Enjoy!
Baked Chicken Stuffed with Pesto and Cheese
2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 T
Basil Pesto with Lemon or your favorite commercial pesto
2 T low-fat sour cream
2 T grated mozzarella cheese
(I used heaping tablespoons of pesto, sour cream and cheese)
2 eggs, beaten (or if they're large eggs one will probably be enough)
3 T finely grated Parmesan cheese
3 T almond flour (or almond meal, but almond flour is better for this because it's more finely ground)
black pepper to taste
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375F/190C. Spray a small casserole dish with non-stick
spray. Trim any visible fat from chicken breasts, then put them one at a
time inside a heavy plastic bag and pound with meat mallet until the
chicken is as thin as you can get it. Don't worry too much about the
shape or whether there are some loose pieces, you can tuck them in when
you roll up the chicken.
In a small bowl mix together the basil pesto, sour cream, and grated
mozzarella. Use a rubber scraper to spread a thin layer of this mixture
over each chicken breast, stopping about 1/2 inch from the edge of the
chicken (so it doesn't run out so much as it cooks.) Roll up the
chicken breasts and secure them with a couple of toothpicks. (I roll
them so the finished piece is as thin as I can get it so they will cook
quickly.)
Prepare two bowls, one with the beaten egg and the other with the grated
Parmesan-almond flour mixture, seasoned with black pepper to taste.
Dip each chicken breast roll first into the egg mixture and then into
the Parmesan-almond flour mixture, patting it on so the chicken breast
roll is well-coated with the mixture.
Put chicken breasts into the casserole dish and bake until the chicken
is firm and lightly browned. (Start checking after about 25-30 minutes;
total baking time will be 30-35 minutes.) Serve hot.
- See more at: http://www.kalynskitchen.com/2005/04/chicken-stuffed-with-pesto-and-cheese.html?m=1#sthash.Blcz2TH0.dpuf
Ingredients
2 chicken breasts
3 teaspoons olive oil, divided
salt & freshly ground pepper to taste
1 1/2 cups green onions, finely chopped, divided
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tomato, diced
3 - 14.5oz cans chicken broth
1/8 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
2 avocados, diced
1/2 cup cilantro, finely chopped
lime wedges
Instructions
- Season
chicken with salt and pepper. In a large skillet over medium-high, heat
1 teaspoon of the olive oil. Add chicken to the heated skillet and
lower temperature to medium, cover pan and grill chicken until the
internal temperature reaches 165° F. Shred chicken and cover with foil
to keep warm, then set aside.
- In a dutch oven or equivalent, heat the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil over medium heat until hot.
- Add the 1 cup chopped green onions and minced garlic to pot; Sauté about 2 minutes.
- Add diced tomato; Sauté 1 minute, until soft.
- Add chicken broth, cumin, and salt to pot.
- Stir well and bring to a boil.
- Cover pot and simmer on low for 15 to 20 minutes.
Layering
in separate bowls; Fill each bowl with shredded chicken, diced avocado,
chopped green onions (from the remaining 1/2 cup), and cilantro. Next,
ladle the chicken broth onto the layered chicken in each bowl. Serve
each bowl with a lime wedge.
Ingredients
2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 T Basil Pesto with Lemon or your favorite commercial pesto
2 T low-fat sour cream
2 T grated mozzarella cheese
(I used heaping tablespoons of pesto, sour cream and cheese)
2 eggs, beaten (or if they're large eggs one will probably be enough)
3 T finely grated Parmesan cheese
3 T almond flour (or almond meal, but almond flour is better for this because it's more finely ground)
black pepper to taste
Directions
The chicken
must be trimmed of all the visible fat, and placed, one at the time, inside a
zip lock bag. Then is pounded with a meat tenderizer until is getting flat. The
process is applied to each piece of chicken breast.In a small bowl, the basil
pesto, sour cream and the grated mozzarella are mixed. The mixture is spread on
each layer of flatten chicken breast stopping about ½ inch from the edges in
order to not run out the mixture when cooked.The chicken with the pesto mixture
inside is rolled and secured with toothpicks. The finished product must be as
thin as possible, so that it can cook quickly and well.In one bowl the eggs are
beaten, and in another bowl the Parmesan grated cheese is mixed with the almond
flour and the spices.One at the time, the chicken rolls are being dipped, first
in the beaten egg, and after, in the Parmesan- almond flour mixture, making
sure that the chicken breast roll is well- coated with the mixture.The chicken
rolls are placed in a previously sprayed casserole dish (with non—stick spray),
and baked in a preheated oven (to 190C), until they become firm and lightly
browned.The baking time , depending on the thickness of the roll, is about 25
to 35 minutes.The toothpicks are removed and the rolls are served hot! Enjoy!
For the Pesto
2 cups fresh basil leaves (packed into measuring cup)
3-4 cloves fresh garlic, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil (choose a a flavorful olive oil for pesto)
3/4 cup coarsely grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste.
Wash basil leaves if needed and spin dry or dry with paper towels. Put
basil leaves and sliced garlic into food processor that's been fitted
with the steel blade and process until basil and garlic is finely
chopped, adding oil through the feed tube as you process. (You may need
to take off the lid and scrape the sides with a rubber scraper if you
have a hard time getting the basil all chopped.)
Add Parmesan cheese, and lemon juice to the chopped basil
mixture and process 1-2 minutes more, until the pesto is mostly pureed
and well mixed. (I like to keep it slightly chunky, but you can make it
as finely pureed as you wish.)
Season to taste with salt and fresh ground black pepper and pulse a few times more.
Store basil pesto in the refrigerator in a glass jar, where it will keep
for more than a week. Pesto can also be frozen.
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| Lemon Pesto |
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| Chicken with Pesto and Cheese |
2 cups fresh basil leaves (packed into measuring cup)
3-4 cloves fresh garlic, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil (choose a a flavorful olive oil for pesto)
1/2 cup pine nuts
3/4 cup coarsely grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste.
Wash basil leaves if needed and spin dry or dry with paper towels. Put
basil leaves and sliced garlic into food processor that's been fitted
with the steel blade and process until basil and garlic is finely
chopped, adding oil through the feed tube as you process. (You may need
to take off the lid and scrape the sides with a rubber scraper if you
have a hard time getting the basil all chopped.)
Add pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, and lemon juice to the chopped basil
mixture and process 1-2 minutes more, until the pesto is mostly pureed
and well mixed. (I like to keep it slightly chunky, but you can make it
as finely pureed as you wish.)
Season to taste with salt and fresh ground black pepper and pulse a few times more.
Store basil pesto in the refrigerator in a glass jar, where it will keep
for more than a week. Pesto can also be frozen. Many cooking experts
recommend leaving out the cheese if you're going to freeze it, and then
adding the cheese when you thaw the pesto. (I've done it both ways and
haven't noticed that much difference.) - See more at:
http://www.kalynskitchen.com/2010/08/recipe-for-basil-pesto-with-lemon-and.html#sthash.b6Q8aTge.dpuf2 cups fresh basil leaves (packed into measuring cup)
3-4 cloves fresh garlic, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil (choose a a flavorful olive oil for pesto)
1/2 cup pine nuts
3/4 cup coarsely grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste.
Wash basil leaves if needed and spin dry or dry with paper towels. Put
basil leaves and sliced garlic into food processor that's been fitted
with the steel blade and process until basil and garlic is finely
chopped, adding oil through the feed tube as you process. (You may need
to take off the lid and scrape the sides with a rubber scraper if you
have a hard time getting the basil all chopped.)
Add pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, and lemon juice to the chopped basil
mixture and process 1-2 minutes more, until the pesto is mostly pureed
and well mixed. (I like to keep it slightly chunky, but you can make it
as finely pureed as you wish.)
Season to taste with salt and fresh ground black pepper and pulse a few times more.
Store basil pesto in the refrigerator in a glass jar, where it will keep
for more than a week. Pesto can also be frozen. Many cooking experts
recommend leaving out the cheese if you're going to freeze it, and then
adding the cheese when you thaw the pesto. (I've done it both ways and
haven't noticed that much difference.)
2 cups fresh basil leaves (packed into measuring cup)
3-4 cloves fresh garlic, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil (choose a a flavorful olive oil for pesto)
1/2 cup pine nuts
3/4 cup coarsely grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste.
Wash basil leaves if needed and spin dry or dry with paper towels. Put
basil leaves and sliced garlic into food processor that's been fitted
with the steel blade and process until basil and garlic is finely
chopped, adding oil through the feed tube as you process. (You may need
to take off the lid and scrape the sides with a rubber scraper if you
have a hard time getting the basil all chopped.)
Add pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, and lemon juice to the chopped basil
mixture and process 1-2 minutes more, until the pesto is mostly pureed
and well mixed. (I like to keep it slightly chunky, but you can make it
as finely pureed as you wish.)
Season to taste with salt and fresh ground black pepper and pulse a few times more.
Store basil pesto in the refrigerator in a glass jar, where it will keep
for more than a week. Pesto can also be frozen. Many cooking experts
recommend leaving out the cheese if you're going to freeze it, and then
adding the cheese when you thaw the pesto. (I've done it both ways and
haven't noticed that much difference.) - See more at:
http://www.kalynskitchen.com/2010/08/recipe-for-basil-pesto-with-lemon-and.html#sthash.b6Q8aTge.dpuf
2 cups fresh basil leaves (packed into measuring cup)
3-4 cloves fresh garlic, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil (choose a a flavorful olive oil for pesto)
1/2 cup pine nuts
3/4 cup coarsely grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste.
Wash basil leaves if needed and spin dry or dry with paper towels. Put
basil leaves and sliced garlic into food processor that's been fitted
with the steel blade and process until basil and garlic is finely
chopped, adding oil through the feed tube as you process. (You may need
to take off the lid and scrape the sides with a rubber scraper if you
have a hard time getting the basil all chopped.)
Add pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, and lemon juice to the chopped basil
mixture and process 1-2 minutes more, until the pesto is mostly pureed
and well mixed. (I like to keep it slightly chunky, but you can make it
as finely pureed as you wish.)
Season to taste with salt and fresh ground black pepper and pulse a few times more.
Store basil pesto in the refrigerator in a glass jar, where it will keep
for more than a week. Pesto can also be frozen. Many cooking experts
recommend leaving out the cheese if you're going to freeze it, and then
adding the cheese when you thaw the pesto. (I've done it both ways and
haven't noticed that much difference.) - See more at:
http://www.kalynskitchen.com/2010/08/recipe-for-basil-pesto-with-lemon-and.html#sthash.b6Q8aTge.dpuf
Baked Qunoa with Spinach, Red Peppers, and Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon butter
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa
- 10 eggs
- 2 1/2 cups milk
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups packed baby spinach, roughly chopped
- 1 medium red pepper, cored, seeded and diced
- 1 1/2 cups shredded Asiago cheese
- 1 cup shredded Parmesan or Romano cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Grease a 13-inch x 9-inch glass or metal baking dish with butter; set aside.
- Put the quinoa into a fine mesh strainer and rinse with cold running water; drain well.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, garlic, rosemary, salt, and pepper.
- Stir in spinach, red peppers, quinoa and 1 cup of the Asiago cheese.
- Cover
the pan tightly with foil then jiggle dish gently from side to side so
that the quinoa settles on the bottom in an even layer.
- Bake until just set, about 45 minutes.
- Remove foil and sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of Asiago cheese and all of the Parmesan cheese evenly over the top.
- Return to the oven and bake, uncovered, until golden brown, 10 minutes more.
- Set aside to cool slightly, then slice and serve.
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| Quinoa with Spinach, Red Pepper, and Cheese |
