(24Day) Oven Roast Chicken

I have photos of meals I wanted to post since March of 2012 but my families life was changed forever that month with AdvoCare and followed with the months to come, so I have forgotten all about these recipes but I am making time now to share with all my friends because I feel its important. We have been vegetarian as of March, so majority of these recipes were from before that change, and this is one of them; I still prepare this just of course without the chicken ;)

I apologize now for not having photos of each step for this one-

Ingredients:

Chicken Breast (however many you need or can fit into the pan)
1 Sweet Potato 
2 Celery sticks
Sliced Onion (less than half an onion)
Several baby Carrots 
1 Lemon 
Salt & Pepper
Dill Weed or Rosemary, Basil or Oregano whatever you have in the cupboard basically 

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 

Spray cooking oil or add olive oil to the pyrex pan (I use a paper towel to spread or coat it evenly)

Chop up celery, sweet potato, carrots, onion and set aside.

Defrost or prepare your chicken however you normally would, I used to cut into the chicken to allow the juices to be absorbed to add more flavor. 

Place chicken in the pan and arrange the celery, sweet potato, carrots, and onion on the sides of the chicken.

Cut a lemon and squeeze the juices of one half over the ingredients and make slices from the other lemon half (do not place them on the chicken yet!) 

Add Salt and Pepper and other seasoning then place the lemon slices over the chicken. Place aluminum over the pan and roast for 40min or till you see the juices bubbling, cut into the chicken once removed to make sure it is thoroughly cooked.

New! (24day)Spinach with Chickpeas

The original called for tofu but I didn't have any on hand so I used West Soy Seitan instead and it was still amazing, chicken would be a great option as well. I also got creative and added mushrooms. 

I served this dish with Cilantro Lemon Quinoa and side salad 

Ingredients;

• 1 (16-ounce) block firm tofu, drained of liquid or Chicken
• 2 tablespoons oil of your choice
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger or 1 tablespoon of ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 6 cups spinach
• 2/3 cup vegetable broth or which broth you prefer
• 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas or garbanzo beans

Directions:

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add your choice of meat and place in the skillet. Cook, turning occasionally, until lightly browned. transfer it to a plate and keep warm and prepare the rest.

West Soy Seitan 

Add onion to the skillet and cook, stirring often, until softened. Add mushrooms, garlic, ginger, cumin, stirring for 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium.

Add spinach to the skillet, mix ingredients and allow spinach to wilt. Add a bit of vegetable broth if the skillet gets dry.

Stir in remaining broth, chickpeas, and meat and cook until heated through, and serve warm  

New! (24day) Lima Beans Curry

I love a good Indian dish, so when I found this recipe I was so happy to have most of the ingredients however, I made a couple adjustments and this is my version for you. If you are currently on a challenge make sure to add a side salad of fresh ingredients! Fresh is best! 

Ingredients:
Baby Lima beans - 1 can or cup of frozen lima beans   
1 can of tomato sauce
Onion - 1 chopped
Tomato - 2 (crushed or pureed) I blended mine with my cuisinart hand mixer 
Ginger Powder 1/2 tsp
Minced Garlic 1/2 tsp
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp 
Chili powder -1/2 tsp 
curry
Salt - to taste 
Oil - 1 tsp 

Directions:

Wash the beans and cook them with water and salt until the beans become tender. I do this in a safe microwave dish and cook them for about 5 min in water. If left longer, the beans will become mushy. Once done leave it to the side and prepare the rest. 

Heat oil in a pan and fry the chopped onions until they become translucent. 
Add the tomatoes and tomato sauce along with Ginger Powder and Garlic cook for 5 minutes till everything blends and forms a nice masala
Add turmeric powder, chili powder, curry powder and salt, saute for a minute. 

Now add the cooked lima beans along with the water in which the beans was cooked.
Let the soup simmer for 5-10 minutes until everything blends together, mixing occasionally 
then garnish with a bit of parsley or cilantro 

Oven Baked Chimichangas

This is a vegetarian dish and I prepared my black beans with TVP protein. Obviously you can always add beef or chicken.


Ingredients:

Whole Wheat Tortillas (number depends on how many you want)
already prepared and cooled refried Black Beans
Tooth Picks
already prepared Guacamole for topping

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400. Place tortillas on microwave plate and heat in microwave long enough so they aren't stiff. Spoon about 1/4 cup of Black Beans onto a tortilla, near one edge of tortilla. Fold in the two sides envelope fashion, then roll up, fasten with a tooth pick and then transfer to pyrex pan.  Repeat the same process with however many you wish you prepare, brush the top with very little oil. Bake for about 20 minutes or until crispy and brown. Garnish with avocado, you can obviously add other topping such as shredded lettuce, tomato and salsa.

Easy Quesadilla

Ingredients:

1 Whole Wheat Tortilla 

few leaves of Spinach

Mozzarella Cheese

1 Avocado 

Cooking Spray

Directions:

Heat a non stick griddle and spray light coat of cooking spray. 

Take tortilla and add slices of mozzarella to one half of the tortilla, add however many leaves of spinach you desire. Fold the other half of tortilla over and transfer it to the griddle. Once you notice the cheese melting, using a spatula flip the tortilla to the other side and allow to cook, about 2 minutes. remove and top with sliced avocado 

(24day) Black Bean Soup-Chili

If you are worried about this being spicy, don't worry! My 4 year old who has never tasted anything spicy ate it perfectly well! This dish is definitely going to be a regular here in my home!

Ingredients:
Vegetarian/Vegan- prepare ground meat substitute or protein substitute 
Ground Turkey
1 Onion, chopped
Whole Green Chili -seeded and chopped, however many you choose
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 Roma Tomato's- chopped
1tbsp Chili Powder
1tbsp Ground Cumin
2 cup beef broth or tablespoon of vegetable broth mixed with 2 cups of warm water
2 cans of low sodium black beans, rinsed and drained

Garnish- chopped green chives and cilantro

Directions-
In large pot (dutch oven) brown the ground turkey, onion, green chili and garlic over medium-high heat for about ten minutes or less, stirring occasionally.

(I cooked the ground meat separately)

Add tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, and broth. Stir and allow to simmer uncovered for 15 minutes

Mix in the black beans and cook until thoroughly heated, about 10 minutes

 

presto we are done! 

garnish with chopped green chives and cilantro  

(24day) Chicken with fresh Thyme and Mild Curry powder

The recipe is simple just like the title, I promise!

Ingredients:

2 Chicken breast or however many you want to prepare
Salt and Pepper
Mild Curry powder
Fresh Thyme or dried whichever you prefer
Canola Oil cooking spray

Directions:
Thaw your chicken prior to cooking. fire up the grill! in my case plug it in and allow it to heat, I have a george foreman I LOVE it!
As the grill is preheating, season your chicken on both sides with salt, pepper and curry-only add the curry to one side i find it to be really strong, once the grill is hot enough spray both sides of the grill with cooking spray, and add the chicken to the grill then add the sprigs of fresh Thyme (or dried) on the top of the chicken pieces, rotating sides occasionally. Allow to brown and cook thoroughly, I always cut through a piece just to make sure there is no pink in the center.

You may always prepare this in the pyrex pan in the oven as well, preheat to 400 degrees and cook for 45 minutes.