Baked Chicken Stuffed with Pesto and Cheese

(Makes two servings, but recipe can easily be doubled or tripled)

Ingredients:
2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 tbsp Basil Pesto or your favourite pre made pesto
3 tbsp low-fat sour cream
1/4 cup grated mozzarella cheese
1 tbsp olive oil

2 mushrooms, diced small
salt, pepper and turmeric to taste

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375F.  Oil a small casserole dish with olive oil. 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, diced mushrooms 

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.  Sprinkle with salt, pepper and turmeric on both sides of chicken

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.

Mushroom, Asparagus and Chicken Risotto

1 cup arborio rice
1/2 cup white wine
32 oz vegetable stock (or chicken stock)
1 onion, small diced (about 8 oz)
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
10 oz mixed mushrooms, sliced (I used crimini and button)
1/2 lb asparagus spears, cut into 2″ pieces (ends snapped off)
1 chicken breast, cubed
1 Tbsp plus 2 Tbsp olive oil
1.5 Tbsp of butter for finish
Grated parmesan

• Heat the stock in a small stock pot to a simmer. You will want it hot when you add it to the rice, but it does not need to be kept boiling.
• Sauté the mushrooms in a hot pan with 2 Tbsp of olive oil. I do this in batches so as not to crowd the pan and allow the mushrooms to get nicely browned. If you put too many mushrooms in the pan at one time, the pan will not stay hot, and the mushrooms will release all their water, effectively poaching instead of roasting to a nice brown colour. Set aside for later.
• Quickly blanch the asparagus pieces, about 2 minutes, until they are cooked, but still firm. Set aside.
• Saute chicken till slightly browned, set aside
• Heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil in a large heavy bottomed saute pan or pot. Add in the onions and cook until they are soft, about 4-5 minutes. Don’t let them get too brown.
• Add in the rice and cook it with the onions until it becomes lightly toasted, but again, not brown then add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
• Add the wine and stir until it is completely absorbed and evaporated (the rice absorbs the flavor and the alcohol cooks off)
• Ladle in 1 cup of warm stock and stir. Reduce the heat to low and continue cooking until the stock is absorbed. Continue adding the stock, slowly, 1/2 cup at a time, as the rice cooks and absorbs it.Keep stirring every few minutes to help release the starch and develop the creamy texture. This will also prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan. As it gets the stock gets absorbed, add more.
• Once most of the stock is absorbed, check the texture of the rice. It should be al dente, slightly firm in the centre, but not crunchy. If it’s still too firm for your taste, add more stock .
• Fold in the cooked mushrooms, asparagus or chicken. Stir in the butter. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. If you’d like to include some freshly grated parmesan, add right before serving. Enjoy!

Lime Chicken Soft Tacos

1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast meat - cubed 1/8 cup red wine vinegar 1/2 lime, juiced 1 teaspoon white sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 2 green onions, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced 1 teaspoon dried oregano 10 (6 inch) flour tortillas 1/4 cup shredded lettuce 1/4 cup shredded jalapeño Monterey Jack cheese 1/4 cup salsa pico de gallo

Pico de Gallo 

1 medium sized jalapeño, minced

2 medium tomatoes, deseeded and diced

1/4 cup minced red onion

1/4 cup minced cilantro

Juice of 1/2 lime

Salt, pepper and cayenne pepper to taste

1.	Saute chicken in a medium saucepan over medium high heat for about 20 minutes. Add vinegar, lime juice, sugar, salt, pepper, green onion, garlic and oregano. Simmer for an extra 10 minutes.
2.	Heat an iron skillet over medium heat. Place a tortilla in the pan, warm, and turn over to heat the other side. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Serve lime chicken mixture in warm tortillas topped with pico, lettuce, cheese and salsa.

Ground Turkey Taco Soup

I made this with mainly organic ingredients and it was so tasty and healthy. Try not to take seconds (and thirds!)


       2 tablespoons olive oil

       
1 1/4 pounds ground turkey

       
1 onion, chopped

       
1 carrot, cut into 1/4 inch rounds

       
2 stalks celery, chopped

1/2 of a red pepper, chopped

       
1 1/2 cups canned corn

       
5 cloves garlic, minced

       
1 (1 ounce) package taco seasoning mix

       
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

       
1 teaspoon chili powder

       
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

       
1/2 bunch chopped fresh cilantro, divided

       
1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice

       
1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained

       
1 jalapeño, seeded and halved lengthwise

       
3 1/2 cups chicken broth

       
1 cup water, or more as needed

       
juice of 1/2 a lime

       
salt and ground black pepper to taste 

        1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat and stir in the ground turkey. Cook and stir until the turkey is crumbly, evenly browned, and no longer pink. Transfer turkey to a bowl; set aside.

       2. In the same skillet, stir in the onion; cook and stir until the onion is  softened. Add the carrots, celery and pepper. Continue to cook and stir until tender.

       3. Stir in the corn, garlic, taco seasoning, cumin, chili powder, dried oregano, and about 1/4 cup cilantro along with the cooked turkey. Cook and stir until fragrant.

         4. Rinse kidney beans. Mix in the tomatoes, kidney beans, jalapeño pepper, chicken broth, water, and lime juice.  Season with salt and black pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and continue to simmer for 20 minutes. Remove jalapeño halves, and garnish with the remaining cilantro before serving.

Original recipe from: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/turkey-taco-soup/