Tarragon & Lime Cornish Hens

I don't make cornish hens often, in fact the last time I made them was when I made the Lemon Roasted Cornish Hens back in May 2012. I don't know why I don't make them more often as my family, especially the girls, love them. In fact they used to call them "little chickens" when they were younger, but now that they've matured, they've penned them "pre-teens" and since the U.S. Agriculture describes them as "young immature chickens" I guess I'd have to agree with their terminology.

Cucumber Yogurt Lime Dip

I mentioned when we were in Florida recently that we met up with my friend Jenn from My Daily Jenn-ism and her family for dinner one evening; who happened to be in Disney the same night we were there before heading out on their cruise. There were eight of us (4 adults, 3 kids and a teenager...because I  can't really call her a "kid" any longer when she towers over me!). Anyway, after several attempts to find a place to dine, we had no luck (or 2 hour wait times).

We were in the Downtown Disney area so we just started walking towards Pleasure Island and figured we'd just try places along the way, until we came upon this restaurant/pub called Paradiso 57, Taste of the Americas. None of us had ever dined there before, but after looking at the menu decided there was something for everyone AND they could seat the 8 of us immediately...bonus!

Jenn with her good friend Jose

We ordered some appetizers and drinks to start with (look at the size of their margaritas!) including their Chorizo and Beef Skewers (Spicy Chorizo Skewers, Marinated Beef Skewers, Chimichurri Pita Bread, Marinated Mushrooms with Citrus Yogurt Sauce). The Citrus Yogurt Sauce was delicious and really cut the heat from the spicy chorizo so I asked our waitress what was in it and she told me cucumbers, yogurt and lime. After we got home, I decided to experiment with this recipe for myself and it came out great. You can use this as a dip with tortilla chips or pita bread or use it as an accompaniment for grilled meat, chicken or fish.


Cucumber Yogurt Lime Dip
Prep Time: 10 minutes     Yield: 12 tablespoons       Servings: 1 tablespoon

Ingredients

• 1/2 c. Cucumber, peeled and small dice
• 1 c. Plain Nonfat Yogurt (I used Chobani)
• 1/2 Lime, zest and juice
• 1/2 tsp. Kosher Salt

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk together until creamy. Cover and refrigerate. Can be kept up to 3 days. 

Nutrition Facts

Calories 13, Carbs 1.2g, Fat 0g, Protein 2.1g, Fiber .1g, Sugar .9g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into Calorie Count and may not be 100% accurate. 

Enjoy! 

Honey-Lime Chicken Bites

 

My kids used to love chicken nuggets when they were younger. WAIT..Who am I kidding? They still do! Though long gone are the days where I used to have to purchase those Chicken Dino's now that their food palates have been expanded (THANK GOODNESS!). So every once in a while I find a new way to make them like I did with those Pretzel Coated Chicken Nuggets a while back that everyone loved. 

This time I decided to dip the chicken into a mixture of honey and fresh lime juice and zest; then coat them with some panko breadcrumbs and bake them for a healthier option. The kids LOVED these, including my 18 year old nephew who happened to stop by to mow our lawn the day I made these. He gave these Honey-Lime Chicken Bites a giant seal of approval. He also said that he would be willing to come by each week to be my taste tester and that his cousins were lucky. Gee, I hope they see it that way too! :) 

Anyway, the kids and I really liked these also. Eat them as a meal and serve them with a vegetable, side dish and salad or serve these as an appetizer. The choice is up to you!


Honey-Lime Chicken Bites
Prep Time:   15 minutes           Yield: 6 (36 pcs.)
Cook Time:  15 minutes           Serving: 6 pcs.
Total Time:   30 minutes

Ingredients

• 4-4oz. Boneless Chicken Breasts, trimmed and cut into approximately 36 pieces
• 1/4 c. Honey
• 1 Lime, zest and juice
• 1 c. Panko Breadcrumbs
• Cooking Spray

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
2. Combine the honey and lime zest and juice in one bowl and the breadcrumbs in a separate bowl. 
3. Dip the chicken pieces first into the honey mixture; then into the breadcrumbs. Place on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. 
4. Once all of the chicken is on the pan, spray the tops with cooking spray; then bake the chicken 12-15 minutes depending on the thickness of your pieces. Makes 36 pieces 

Nutritional Information (per piece)
Calories 31, Carbs 4.5g, Fat .2g, Protein 3.1g, Fiber .1g, Sugar 2.6g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into Calorie Count and may not be 100% accurate.

Enjoy!

Frozen Watermelon Cilantro Limeade

By Carrie Farias

Have you ever purchased a watermelon and cut it open only to find out that it is not sweet at all? This happens to me every now and then. In fact, Gabrielle was just telling me Friday night that whenever I have to take a fruit salad somewhere the fruit is sweet...make it home, not sweet. I guess it's just my luck. So a few weeks ago I purchased a watermelon such as this and it sat for days. No one would eat it! So instead of throwing it away (like I normally would have done), I experimented with a way to utilize it instead. 

This Frozen Watermelon Cilantro Limeade was so light and refreshing and the kids loved it! In fact, after I made this, it was gone the next day. Hubby was away on his business trip at the time so he didn't get to try it, but I promised him to make it again the next time I got an unsweetened watermelon on a hot day. I also snuck in a little rum in one of my drinks see how that tasted and it made a wonderful frozen alcoholic drink too. 

Grilled Pork Chops with Lime and Cilantro (Family Favorites)

Did you know that I have created and shared over 650 new recipes since I started this blog? In fact, this coming Saturday will be CEK's 2 year blogging anniversary! Many of the original recipes are no longer on the site, but you can find them in my cookbook available at many online retailers like Amazon, BN.com and IndieBound. 

 Carrie's Experimental Kitchen: A Collection of Mediterranean-Inspired Family Meals

The funny thing is that since I created all of these recipes, there are only a handful of them that I've made since. I know you might find that hard to believe that someone can have that much of a variety in their meal planning, but YES my family can attest to the fact that I've made something new almost every day for the last 2 years! They like my experiments and the first thing they do when they come home is look to see what I've made next; though sometimes they just crave a burger and fries or take-out pizza. It's all good. :)

So I decided that I would go back to the early days of CEK and pull out some of my family's favorite recipes from the cookbook, make them again and share the recipe with you each week in a new segment called 'Family Favorites'.  I will also include the Nutritional Information since these were not included in the book. 

For today's post, I decided to share the first recipe I ever published here on the blog for Grilled Pork Chops with Lime and Cilantro. I didn't even photograph it the first time and that's a good thing (my early photo skills were horrific!). I just love this recipe. The brining keeps this lean cut of meat moist and tender, and the lime and cilantro add an extra layer of freshness. Besides, it reminds me that summer is on its way! 

Grilled Pork Chops with Lime and Cilantro

4-4oz Boneless Pork Chops

3/4 Cup Water

2 Tbsp. Granulated Sugar

2 Tbsp. Kosher Salt

1 Tbsp. Fresh Cilantro, chopped

1 Tbsp. Fresh Lime Rind, grated

Juice from 1/2 lime

1 tsp. Garlic Powder

1 tsp. Fresh Ground Black Pepper

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, mix water, sugar, and salt until it dissolves. 

2. Add cilantro, lime zest and juice, garlic powder, and pepper, and whisk together until well blended. 

3. Trim any visible fat from your pork chop; then tenderize the chop using a meat mallet or the bottom of a glass. 

4. Add the pork chops and the marinade to a resealable plastic bag, and refrigerate no more than 2 hours. 

5. Remove the meat from the bag, discard the marinade; then grill the pork chops until the proper internal temperature is reached. (It all depends on the thickness of your chop and how you and your family prefer to eat it). Serves 4. 

*Nutritional Information per Serving: Calories 214, Carbs 9.1g, Fat 8g, Protein 24.5g, Fiber .8g, Sugar 7g 
*Calculations based on ingredients entered into Calorie Count and may not be 100% accurate. This recipe factors in all of the above bringing ingredients. Actuals may be significantly less as all of the marinade gets discarded and is not consumed. 

*Suggested Sides: Brown or White Rice with Baby Carrots in a Honey Lime Butter  

*For all of the main entrees in the cookbook, I also suggest side dishes that I've created that go along well with each recipe to help with your family meal planning.

Enjoy! 

Fiesta Turkey Meatloaf

I have NO idea what made me think of adding fresh limes to my ground turkey the other day, but I was certainly glad I did! The summer always make me crave foods that are light and refreshing and limes and cilantro certainly do the trick. I originally wanted to make these as burgers, but as soon as I was about to prepare them, we had this deluge of rain come down and I wasn't about to stand outside and grill them.  If you have some jalepeno peppers, add them as well to give it more of a kick! 

Fiesta Turkey Meatloaf
1 lb. 99/1 Ground Turkey
1/2 c. Tomatoes, chopped
1 tbsp. Red Onion, grated
1 Clove Garlic, minced
1 tbsp. Fresh Cilantro, chopped
1 Lime, zest and juice
1 tbsp. Canola Oil
1/2 tsp. Kosher Salt
1/4 tsp. Fresh Ground Black Pepper




Directions:
1. Mix all ingredients together, then form into a rectangle shape. 
2. Place in an oven safe baking dish and bake at 350 degrees for approximately 1 hour or until proper internal temperature is reached. Serves 6. 

Nutrition Facts per Serving

Calories 93, Carbs 2.6g, Fat 1.5g, Protein 18g, Fiber .7g, Sugar .5g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into Calorie Count and may not be 100% accurate. 

Enjoy! 

Shared at Thursday's Treasures 8/23/12

Pasta Salad with Avocado & Black Beans in a Goat Cheese Lime Vinaigrette

Last June, I posted this information from the California Avocado Commission about how to select and peel a fresh avocado. Since it's been a while and I do use avocados quite often in the spring/summer months, I thought I'd share these helpful tips with you once again. 

Selecting Fresh Fruit

The best way to tell if a California Avocado is ready for immediate use is to gently squeeze the fruit in the palm of your hand. Ripe, ready-to-eat fruit will be firm yet will yield to gentle pressure. Color alone may not tell the whole story. The Hass avocado will turn dark green or black as it ripens, but other varieties retain their light-green skin even when ripe. If you plan to serve the fruit in a few days, stock up on hard, unripened fruit. Avoid fruit with dark blemishes on the skin or over soft fruit.

Peeling a California Avocado

1. Start with a ripe avocado and cut it lengthwise around the seed. Rotate the halves to separate. 

2. Remove the seed by sliding the tip of a spoon gently underneath and lifting out. The other common seed-extraction method - striking the seed with a knife and twisting - requires some skill and is not recommended.

3. Peel the fruit by placing the cut side down and removing the skin with a knife or your fingers, starting at the small end. Or simply scoop out the avocado meat with a spoon. Be sure to sprinkle all cut surfaces with lemon or lime juice or white vinegar to prevent discoloration.

I had picked up some ripe Hass avocados on my latest shopping trip thinking I would make some guacamole over the weekend but never got around to it. So here I had two avocados, now overly ripe and deep brown in color, and needed to make something with them. I decided to make a salad, always a good choice, and throw in some of those black beans (down to one can now! lol). Now you're asking "Why the goat cheese?". Well, I also had purchased some of that on sale a couple of weeks ago and forgot about it and it was going to expire in a couple of weeks so I threw some of that in the dressing too. It made a delicately light and creamy dressing for this pasta salad and all of the flavors blended nicely for a wonderful salad. 

Pasta Salad with Avocado & Black Beans in a Goat Cheese Lime Vinaigrette
1/2 Box Barilla Piccolini Mini Zucchini & Spinach Wheels Pasta
2 Ripe Hass Avocado, pitted and chopped
1-15oz. Can Black Beans, rinsed
1 Large Plum Tomato, diced
2 Scallions, chopped
Prepared Goat Cheese Lime Vinaigrette

Cook pasta according to package directions, drain and let cool, then add to a large bowl. Add the avocado, beans, tomatoes, scallions and prepared vinaigrette and mix well. Makes 8 cups

Goat Cheese Lime Vinaigrette
1/4 c. Crumbled Goat Cheese
1 tbsp. Fresh Cilantro, chopped
1 Lime, juice only
1/4 c. Distilled White Vinegar
1/4 c. Canola Oil
1/2 tsp. Garlic Powder
1/2 tsp. Kosher Salt
1/4 tsp. Fresh Ground Black Pepper

Whisk all ingredients together until they are well combined. 

*1/2 Cup Serving Nutritional Information: Calories 119, Carbs 15g, Fat 4g, Protein 4g

*1 Cup Serving Nutritional Information: Calories 237, Carbs 30g, Fat 9g, Protein 8g

Enjoy!

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into MyFitnessPal and may not be 100% accurate.

Black Bean and Corn Salad

As I'm writing this post I have to laugh because one of my dear foodie friends Bia, from Rich and Sweet, has just posted almost the exact same recipe on her Facebook page....Great minds indeed! I also wanted to post this today because today is National Picnic Day and what goes better at a picnic than a salad! (though it does seem a little early in the year for it here on the East coast). 

I'm still trying to use up those 12 cans of black beans I purchased a couple of months ago and was looking for a salad to go with a new BBQ rib recipe I was experimenting with (recipe to follow!) and thought a nice black bean and corn salad would go nicely. Because fresh Jersey corn isn't in season yet, I opted for the frozen kind but I can't wait to make this recipe again using the butter sugar corn (my favorite blend) when it's in season. This salad was deliciously light and was a big hit. Even my little one, who usually doesn't eat anything that has the word "bean" in it, loved it! 

I also found a great website called MyFitnessPal, thanks to my friend Patty, to help track nutritional information. You can even use it to look up certain restaurant items as well. Just type in Chili's Salad for example and it will give you a list with all of the nutritional information...awesome app! I'm using it myself to log my daily calories (and it's FREE..sorry Weight Watchers, not going to pay the monthly fee any longer!)

And for those of you eyeing up my new Sangria pitcher in the background, I purchased it at Chef Central and it's amazing! Not only is it pretty, it also has a "pinched" spout so that the fruit doesn't come toppling out when you try to pour it into the glass. 

Black Bean and Corn Salad
1-15oz. Can Black Beans, rinsed and drained
2 c. Corn 
1 Roma Tomato, finely chopped
2 Scallions, chopped
1 Lime, juice only
1 tbsp. Fresh Cilantro, chopped
1 tbsp. White Vinegar
3 tbsp. Canola Oil
1/4 tsp. Garlic Powder
1/2 tsp. Kosher Salt
1/4 tsp. Fresh Ground Pepper

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve. Serves 8 (1/2 cup servings).

Nutritional Information:
Calories 130; Carbs 17g; Fat 6g; Protein 4g 

Shared at Amee's Savory Dish Fit and Fabulous Fridays 8/3/12

Shared at This and That Foodie Friends Linky Party 8/3/12

Shared at Weekend Potluck 8/3/12

Enjoy! 

Raspberry-Lime Grilled Pork Chops

Do you remember me talking about my recent trip to Disney and how I found a store with wonderful herbs, spices and teas from The Spice and Tea Exchange? Well, while I was there, I also picked up some of their Raspberry Sugar. My first thought was to use it in baking, maybe in my Raspberry Linzer Tarts, but then decided I'd use it in a marinade instead. When I started this blog last April (yes, my 1 Year Blogiversary is right around the corner!), my first recipe was for Grilled Pork Chops with Lime and Cilantro and I didn't even have a picture of it (I guess I'll have to make it again because they were incredible!). Now that the weather has taken a turn for the better, it's time to start firing up the grill again so I thought I'd experiment with this sugar in another type of brine and it paid off. Though, they were a little pink prior to cooking, they did turn to their normal color once grilled and the flavor was AMAZING!  

Raspberry-Lime Grilled Pork Chops
4-6oz. Center Cut Boneless Pork Chops, trimmed
Prepared Raspberry-Lime Brine Marinade


Add the pork chops and marinade to a resealable plastic bag. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours, then remove 15 minutes prior to grilling to allow meat to come to room temperature. Grill meat until the proper internal temperature is reached. Serves 4. 


Raspberry-Lime Brine Marinade
3/4 c. Water
1.5oz. pkg. Raspberry Sugar by The Spice & Tea Exchange
1 tbsp. Raspberry Preserves, seedless
2 tbsp. Sea Salt
1 Lime, zest and juice


Whisk together all ingredients until the sugar and salt have dissolved. 


Enjoy!






*I was not compensated in any way by this product. The opinions shared are my own. 

Grilled Chicken in a Lime Frost Sea Salt Brine

I'm warning you now, the next few recipes will have lime in them as I made them all together for dinner on the same night. :) I like to have the same flavors with my side dishes and vegetables so that it complements the main course of the meal. For those of you that follow me on Facebook, THIS is the meal I made that had everyone drooling on Tuesday night. Along with this chicken, I also made Twice Baked Lime Sweet Potatoes and Lime Roasted Zucchini and Shallots. I'll have these recipes posted for you by this weekend. 


While we were in FL last week for the competition, we were fortunate enough to have two days of "free time" beforehand.  And since we were in Orlando, we visited Mickey and friends at Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Chef Mickey and Downtown Disney. While shopping in the marketplace, I noticed some new selections in their cooking store. They now had an entire wall dedicated to sea salts, rices, teas, etc from The Spice and Tea Exchange Company. We don't have one of these in our area yet so I took my time and of course, lifted every lid imaginable to sniff out the new products. All the while, my brain was in overload with all of the wonderful things I could experiment with for each and every one of their product line. So, I reined myself back in and only purchased a couple of items to try out and took their card so that I can order online (which you can do here!). 


I love marinating chicken (and pork) in a brine then grilling it. I normally only make this type of marinade in the summer but since it was close to 60 degrees this week, I couldn't wait! It was wonderfully light and extremely moist. The flavor of lime really shined through but if you don't have the flavored sea salt, you could also use regular sea or kosher salt. 

Grilled Chicken in a Lime Frost Sea Salt Brine
4-6oz. Boneless Chicken Breasts
3/4 c. Water
2 tbsp. Granulated Sugar
2 tbsp. The Spice and Tea Exchange Lime Frost Sea Salt
1 Lime, zest and juice


Trim any visible fat from the chicken then add to a resealable plastic bag. In a small bowl, whisk together the water, sugar, salt, lime zest and juice until the sugar and salt have dissolved. Add it to the bag of chicken and seal. Refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours then grill to the appropriate internal temperature. Serves 4. 


Points+=6-7pts (7 includes all of the sugar but you discard 90% of it after marinating)


Enjoy!

Pin It

Shared at Amee's Savory Dish 3/2/12

Coconut & Lime Breaded Pork Cutlets

I can honestly say one of the best things about having this blog (and there are many!) is the many other styles of cooking I get to see each and every day. Each of them are talented in their own rite and I love learning about new products and styles of cooking. For example, I've heard of Grapeseed oil before, but I never used it personally until I heard it mentioned on a fellow bloggers Facebook page, Lauren Kelly, Certified Nutritionist.  According to Lauren, Grapeseed oil is packed with polyunsaturated fats, which studies have shown helps lower cholesterol. It has a mild, neutral flavor like canola oil and has a hight smoke point, which means it can be used at higher temperatures unlike olive oil.  Studies have even shown that the antioxidants in grapeseed oil even help prevent against certain cancers and heart disease. So on my last shopping trip, I picked up a bottle, which was about the same price as the Canola Oil I usually buy, and tried it out on these pork cutlets. They were very good and had a light, refreshing flavor. It was hard to tell a taste difference with the coconut and lime flavors but the breading browned nicely and the oil wasn't burning, causing that smokey flavor an oil sometimes gets if left on the heat for too long. So thank you Lauren for the great tip and I can't wait to try it out in salads as well! 

Coconut & Lime Breaded Pork Cutlets
4-6oz. Center Cut, Boneless Pork Chops
1c. Flour
1 c. Panko Breadcrumbs
1c. Flaked Coconut
1 Lime, zest and juice
2 Eggs
1/4 c. 2% Milk
Grapeseed Oil, for frying


Trim any fat from the pork chops then cut horizontally into 1/4" thick slices (approximately 2 per chop depending on the thickness) then pound to thin out using a meal mallet so that they are uniform in size. Prepare three separate bowls. One for the flour. The second, combine the eggs, milk and lime juice. And the third, combine the breadcrumbs with the coconut. First dip the meat into the flour, then the egg mixture, then into the coconut breadcrumb mixture. Heat a large saute pan with approximately 1/4"-1/2" oil until it is very hot. Gently add the cutlets, browning on each side until they are cooked through and golden. Drain meat on paper towels to remove excess oil then serve. Makes 8-10 cutlets. 


Enjoy!

Pin It

Roasted Chicken with Fresh Pomegranate, Lime and Cilantro

If you follow me on Facebook, this is the roasted chicken I made last night for dinner. It had such a refreshing flavor and the kids LOVED the pomegranate seeds. 

They had never tried pomegranate before and got a kick out of pulling the seeds away from the membrane. It's actually quite easy if you've never done it before yourself. Cut the top of the pomegranate in half about halfway down, then break it apart with your fingers. I found it easier to place in a bowl with a little water. The seeds drop to the bottom while the fleshy part floats to the top, making it easier to separate. Just be careful..pomegranate juice STAINS, so you might want to put on an apron or an old shirt. :) Also, don't be afraid if your little bird is pink while marinating. It will turn to this golden brown color once roasted. 

Roasted Chicken with Fresh Pomegranate, Lime and Cilantro
3-4lb. Roaster Chicken, insides removed

Marinade
1/2 Fresh Pomegranate, seeds only (about 1 cup)
1 Lime, zest and juice
1 tbsp. Fresh Cilantro, chopped
1 Clove Garlic, minced
1/3 c. Canola Oil
1/2 tsp. Kosher Salt
1/4 tsp. Fresh Ground Black Pepper
1 c. Low Sodium Chicken Broth

Add pomegranate seeds to a blender and pulse. Strain the mixture to remove all of the seeds with a sieve. Add the juice to a bowl and whisk in the lime zest, lime juice, cilantro, garlic, oil, salt and pepper. Add the chicken to resealable bag and pour in the mixture. Seal the bag and coat the chicken. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Place chicken in a roasting pan, add the chicken broth then bake chicken at 350 degrees until proper internal temperature is reached, basting the chicken every 20 minutes to achieve the golden color. Let rest 15 minutes before slicing. 

Enjoy and GO GIANTS!...Sorry, I couldn't resist! :)

Spinach Salad with Fresh Beets & Avocado in a Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette

I always try to buy at least one new item that I've never purchased or made before each week while shopping and this week it was beets. Don't get me wrong. I've eaten them while dining at restaurants and had the childhood family favorite of Pickled Beets, but I've never once made them myself. So during this week's trip to the vegetable market, I picked one up. I wasn't quite sure what to do with it until I got to the grocery store and they had some avocado on sale because it was fully ripened. I decided to make this spinach salad with both ingredients and being that I had already purchased some cilantro this week, I also needed to use that up as well...hence, the Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette. I thought it was delicious and the beets took on the flavors of the combined ingredients and made this salad a terrific and filling lunch. 

Spinach Salad with Fresh Beets & Avocado in a Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette
4c. Fresh Spinach, rinsed and stems removed
1 Fresh Beet, cooked (see below) and chopped
1/2 Avocado, chopped
1/2 c. Grape Tomatoes, halved

In a bowl, gently tear spinach leaves into bite sized pieces. Next, add the beets, avocado and tomatoes. Add the dressing right before serving. Serves 2. 


Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette
1 Lime, juice only
3 tbsp. Canola Oil
1 tsp. Fresh Cilantro, chopped
1/2 tsp. Kosher Salt
1/4 tsp. Fresh Ground Black Pepper
1/4 tsp. Garlic Powder
1/2 tsp. Sugar

In a small bowl, whisk all ingredients until well blended. Add to prepared spinach salad when ready to serve. 

How to Cook a Fresh Beet
Place beet(s) in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil and let simmer until fork tender; approximately 30-45 minutes depending on the size/quantity. Let cool and peel skin then slice or chop. 

Points+=9 pts.

 
Powered by eRecipe.com


Linked to Amee's Savory Dish Fit & Fabulous Friday's

Basil Lime Pecan Pesto Stuffed Pork Chops

I had purchased quite a large bunch of basil and honestly forgot I had it when I saw it all hiding in my refrigerator. Usually, when I get that much, I rinse it off, let it dry then freeze it. So when I took pork chops out for dinner this particular day, I wasn't sure what I was going to make with them but knew it would include something with basil. And...apparently lime since my daughter cut off a piece of one the night before then left it unwrapped. I was also running out of eggs, so I used up my liquid egg whites but you can certainly use whole eggs if you prefer. I decided to make a pesto out of these ingredients. I have to say that these pork chops, though it may seem a little odd eating green food, tasted incredible. They had a citrusy tang but the pecans also gave it a bit of sweetness. 

Basil Lime Pecan Pesto Stuffed Pork Chops
4 Center Cut Boneless Pork Chops
4 tbsp. Prepared Basil Lime Pecan Pesto(see below)
1/2 c. Liquid Egg Whites
1 c. Panko Breadcrumbs
Canola Oil Cooking Spray

Trim any visible fat from the meat and make a slice horizontally in the center of the pork chop; careful not to cut all the way through. Spread 1 tbsp. of the pesto into each pork chop, stuffing it in to the open slit. Next, dip your meat into egg whites,  then into the breadcrumbs. Place a rack on a baking sheet and add your breaded pork chops. Spray with cooking spray and bake at 350°F for approximately 35-40 minutes (depending on the thickness of your pork chops). Serves 4.
Points+=9 

Basil Lime Pecan Pesto
1 1/2 c. Basil, tightly packed
1 Lime, zest and juice
1/4 c. Pecans
1/2 c. DiGiorno Three Cheese Blend (Parmesan, Asiago and Romano), shredded
1/4 c. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 tsp. Kosher Salt
1/4 tsp. Fresh Ground Black Pepper

Add all ingredients in to a food processor and pulse until well blended. Makes 8 tbsp. 
1 tbsp Pesto=3 Points+

Enjoy!

Lime & Cilantro Roasted Cauliflower

Can you tell the them of last week's menu items yet? Yes, it's lime and cilantro...again. I did, however, make this delicious cauliflower the same night I made the chicken thighs so this dish complemented my meal very well. I love roasting cauliflower, it gives it such a great flavor and for me, allows me to eat it as I won't any other way! 

Lime & Cilantro Roasted Cauliflower
1 Large Head of Cauliflower, core removed and florets cut and rinsed under cold water
1 tbsp. Fresh Cilantro, chopped
1/2 Lime, zest and juice
1 tsp. Garlic Powder
3 tbsp. Canola Oil
1/4 tsp. Kosher Salt
1/4 tsp. Fresh Ground Black Pepper






Add all ingredients in to a bowl and mix well until all of the cauliflower has been coated. Place in a 9"x9" baking dish and bake at 400°F for 45 minutes, turning occasionally.  Serves 6. 


Points+=3


Enjoy!