After going to Cancun in November, we have stayed home for a while. We'll have more to chat about after I go to Vegas in February for work, Kyle and I go to Indiana and Chicago in March, Kyle goes to Orlando, FL for work in April, and then we go back to Cabo in June with Mom and Dad.
In the meantime, I thought I'd list a favorite meal of ours every now and then. Recently, we've had this favorite dinner dish. It is high protein, lots of veggies, and super easy to make. It's from the book The Sonoma Diet Cookbook by Dr. Connie Guttersen. Thanks to Mom for the cookbook! Check it out...
What you need:
- 2 cups fresh green beans, cut into thirds
- 1 TBSP olive oil
- 1 pound skinless boneless chicken, cut into 1 inch pieces (I've found the smaller the better, since this is the size you are biting on)
- 1 TBSP oregano or thyme (doesn't have to be fresh, a sprinkle out of the spice jar will do the trick)
- 2 cups sliced yellow squash and/or zucchini (we like to add 3 cups - it's yummy)
- 1 15-oz can of white kidney beans (drained and rinsed)
- 1/4 cup chicken broth
- 6 cloves garlic, minced (again, a sprinkle from the garlic spice jar will do the trick)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 TBSP chopped fresh basil or parsley (again, the jar is good too)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
What to do:
1. Cook green beans in covered saucepan in a small amount of salted boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain, then rinse in cold water to stop the cooking. Set aside.
2. Heat olive oil in very large skillet for chicken. Mix chicken pieces and oregano (before or after you put the chicken in the skillet.) Cook chicken for 5 or 6 minutes in skillet until no longer pink. Remove chicken from skillet so you can use skillet again (or get another large one out).
3. Add cut-up squash to skillet (after you removed the chicken). Cook squash over medium heat for 3 minutes (so it isn't crunchy anymore). Stir in everything else you have -chicken, green beans, white kidney beans, chicken broth and garlic. Bring chicken broth to boil. Add tomatoes, basil, salt and pepper. Cook for 1 more minute or until heated through.
Eat! Yum!
A few changes Kyle and I have made...
We like squash and zucchini, so we add extra. After you make this once, you'll see lots of stuff you want to add or take out.
We also add a can of black beans. This is a recipe where whatever else you have in the kitchen can go in the skillet...just make sure it is a big skillet. Also, I buy the chicken broth that comes in the large rectangular box, almost like a 1/2 gallon milk carton, because a lot of the recipes from this book use chicken broth as a base, and you can close the lid and put it back in the fridge. Better than buying a can of broth each time.
The chicken is also really good on its own in a salad.
Enjoy! More favorites to come later.
