Chipotle Chicken Salad

Call me an earthquake virgin.  As a relative newcomer to SoCal, I found myself a bit confused, not scared by yesterday's Easter earthquake.  While I felt the floor gently sway, it took me a few moments to decipher whether I was still feeling the effects of our Saturday Funday or whether we were having a very long earthquake.  During these moments of profound thought, I stood in the absolute worst place in our house: underneath our hanging pot rack, next to our cabinets full of glasses and plates.  Hmm, not smart.  Thank goodness most are safe and sound and chalking this up to a learning experience...including me!  Other than that, I enjoyed the sunny weekend with some good friends who drove down to visit and a big Easter brunch full of pancakes, sausage and kale (yes, kale!) with hubby.  He proclaimed we were probably the only people in America dining on kale during our Easter brunch.  Anyone want to prove him wrong?

After a long and eventful weekend I wanted to make something super simple for dinner tonight.  After rummaging through random cooking magazines on my bookshelf, I found a winner from a 2006 Cooking Light.  Can you say hoarder?  ha.  I have held on to this magazine for 4 years now, and am finally made something from it. Luckily, it was a winner of a recipe so I didn't have to feel like such a loser.  It's super simple to throw together and if you're feeling lazy, buying pre-cooked chicken will speed up the already speedy recipe.

**I have a great giveaway coming up later this week so check back in!**

Chipotle Chicken Salad
Cooking Light, 8/06

Dressing:
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2/3 cup light sour cream
1 tablespoon minced chipotle chile, canned in adobo sauce
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
4 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon salt

Chicken:
2 large chicken breasts
Creole seasoning
Kosher salt
pepper

Salad:
4 cups romaine lettuce, chopped (I used a mix of chopped spinach and romaine)
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup diced avocado
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can corn, rinsed an drained

1. Combine dressing ingredients in a bowl. Set aside.

2. Season chicken breasts with creole seasoning, salt and pepper to taste. Heat olive oil in a skillet and saute chicken on both sides until fully cooked through.

3. To make salad, combine all salad ingredients in a large bowl. Add chicken. Toss with dressing and serve immediately.

Grilled Salmon Salad with Sweet Citrus Vinaigrette

Back in grade school, I won the perfect attendance award not one but two grades in a row. As a child I was blessed with a strong immune system and really never, ever got sick....except for the one time I faked it to skip school. Luckily I've stayed pretty healthy into adulthood and have never gotten the flu despite being too much of a wuss to willingly subject myself to a flu shot.

This year, fueled by the flu media frenzy, I lined up with the masses and sat down for my first ever flu shot. Good news: it didn't hurt. Bad news: I'm sick now. boo.

I don't blame the shot - I know its a killed virus vaccine but I can't help but wonder at the bad coincidence. Ho Hum.

What does this have to do with a salad you might ask? Well, I admit not much though I did search for a recipe containing oranges to get my ever important Vitamin C dosage for the day. Wives tale or not I still overdose on Vitamin C when not feeling up to my grade school glory days of health.

Beyond the Vitamin C, this salad is heart friendly and chock full of other goodies: omega-3 fatty acids & Vitamin D from salmon, beta carotene & Vitamin A from spinach, and heart healthy olive oil. The flavors came together quite nicely and after a meal like this, I hope my immune system will get a kick in the right direction!

Grilled Salmon and Spinach Salad with Sweet Citrus Vinaigrette
Cooking Light

Sweet Citrus Vinaigrette:
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1/2 teaspoon honey mustard
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 garlic clove, minced

Salad:
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets
2 teaspoons black pepper
Cooking spray
1 package fresh spinach
4 oranges, each peeled and cut into 6 slices

1. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat.

2. To prepare vinaigrette, combine first vinaigrette ingredients in a large bowl and stir well with a whisk.

3. Drizzle lemon juice over salmon fillets; sprinkle with black pepper. Place fillets, skin sides up, on a grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 5 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness. Remove skin from fillets; discard.

4. Toss spinach with vinaigrette to taste. Add spinach and oranges and serve immediately.

Strawberry Spinach Salad with Feta and Caramelized Onions

As summer comes to a close, I find myself wondering "how'd it get so freakin' hot here?!" San Diego, land of mild climes has become a perpetual hot box. Needless to say I haven't embraced any reunions with the kitchen. I dared to turn on the oven a few days ago and we paid the price after two consecutively sticky days.



While I will always be someone who just loves steamin hot food, salads have never seemed more appetizing. This is one of my favorites with you guessed it, feta cheese! (sorry Brittwilk!) Toss a few summer ripe strawberries with chopped spinach, feta, grilled asparagus and caramelized onions and you have yourself a cool meal that won't leave you sweating! We tried this with a little bit of Annie's Natural Shiitake & Sesame Vinaigrette.

Hope you all have a great weekend and a happy Labor(less) day! I'll leave you with a recent picture of our big puppy, Sadie, taken on a hike this morning. She looks happy, huh? That's because we're in the shade! :)



Strawberry Salad
recipe by hubby

1 small red onion, sliced
1 bunch of asparagus, cut into bite sized pieces
1 bag of baby spinach, coarsely chopped
1 pint of strawberries, sliced
1 small package of reduced fat crumbled feta (about 3oz)

1. Coat large nonstick skillet with cooking spray over medium heat. Slowly saute red onion slices until caramelized, about 20 minutes. Add asparagus and saute lightly. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

2. In a large bowl, toss chopped spinach, feta cheese, and strawberries. Add cooled veggies and toss with your favorite dressing.

Curry Crunch Chicken Salad with Naan

Though it could've been one of the hottest weekends in my San Diego memory, we successfully pulled off our move with only a few missing items: hubby's chess pieces, a few towels, and my laptop power cord. Last time we moved, we lost a whole box of Christmas decorations, so I consider this a success! :) I have always been more of a fan of Santa then chess anyway.

I'm loving the new kitchen, though I still feel like a guest in someone else's house. Since we are still in the midst of settling in and getting used to our neighborhood, eating out has become increasingly tempting. A little happy hour here, a few drinks there...Tonight, however, we were determined to cook our first meal, though we knew it had to be an easy one.

I found Rachael Ray's Curry Crunch Chicken Salad to be full of flavor and as I mentioned, very easy to pull together. I poached a few chicken breasts, though in a bind, you could also purchase a rotisserie chicken and shred it. Spiced with cardamom, curry powder, honey and a dash of cinnamon, the chicken salad takes on a uniquely sweet & spiced flavor. Best of all, grapes and toasted almonds add a nice crunch to each bite. Served with warm and toasty naan bread and a few sauteed garlic scallions, you have yourself a full meal.

I hope to have more yummy eats to share this week. Now that I have a gas stove and a Henry's right outside my door, I have no excuses! Have a great week!

Curry Crunch Chicken Salad with Naan
Source: Rachael Ray
1 cup plain Greek style yogurt
juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons curry powder
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon tumeric
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
ground cinnamon for sprinkling
2 tablespoons olive oil
kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
3 cups poached chicken, chopped
1 cup red grapes, halved
4 scallions, sliced thinly
1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted
4 naan breads (I purchased Naan from Trader Joes)

1. In a medium bowl, combine yogurt, lemon juice, curry powder, honey, tumeric and cardamom. Sprinkle with cinnamon to taste and whisk in olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

2. Add chopped chicken, grapes, scallions and almonds to the dressing and toss to coat. Serve with toasted/warm naan bread.

Asian Cucumber Quinoa Salad, attempt #2

Though I tend to be quite organized in most facets of my life, I am a little bit of a trainwreck when it comes to cooking. Like Leslie from Hungry Housewife, I lose recipes, omit ingredients (not on purpose) and leave the kitchen looking like a disaster zone once I've completed a meal.

I whipped up this salad one day after I decided I needed to eat healthier. One too many late night Papa John calls will do that to you. I blame the booze, not my good judgment.

Once I had thrown together a mish-mosh of veggies, grains and seasonings, gobbled down a spoonful and patted myself on the back for a job well done, I just as soon cursed myself, realizing that I hadn't written down a single thing that went into the bowl. Bad blogger!

After another somewhat unhealthy streak of meals, I recreated my quinoa salad and diligently noted each tablespoon, teaspoon and cup that went into this hearty and tasty salad. I love the taste of sesame oil, but if you're not a fan I'd suggest using a little bit less as sesame oil tends to dominate the flavors. Otherwise, dig in like you've been eating too many sweets, pizza, and bread (ahem, ahem...speaking to myself). Quinoa salad is good for you!

As I'm working on getting more organized, I decided I also need to start petitioning Santa Claus for a Lowel Ego light. I took these photos on an overcast day and I hope they don't look too gloomy!

Have a good side dish? Check out October's Monthly Mingle, Sensational Sides, hosted by Ruth and Meeta.

Asian Cucumber Quinoa Salad

Dressing:
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons golden brown sugar
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoons toasted sesame oil (if you're not a huge fan of sesame oil, I'd suggest using 2 tsp)
1/2 teaspoon hot chili paste with garlic
1 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger

Salad:
1 cup quinoa, rinsed well
salt
1 tsp of olive oil
1.5 cups peeled, chopped cucumbers (seeds removed)
1/4 cup shredded carrots
1 cup grape tomatoes, cut in half
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tsp toasted sesame seeds

1. Combine all ingredients for dressing in a medium sized bowl. Whisk well and allow to stand
2. Place rinsed quinoa and 2 cups water in a medium saucepan. Add a dash of salt and olive oil. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 15 minutes. Allow quinoa to cool.
3. Combine vegetables in a large bowl. Drizzle with approximately 1/2 of the dressing.
4. Add quinoa and gently stir.
5. Drizzle salad with additional dressing to taste.
6. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

A Salad for One of Those Days

Though we're finally settled back in, it feels as if I can't actually settle in. I've been playing a nasty game of catch-up in all aspects of my life including blogging. Getting around to all my favorite foodie blogs has also been a bullet point on the to-do list , so I apologize if I haven't been around lately.

This salad is a perfect solution to my currently crazy life. Though it boasts a long list of ingredients, everything comes together quickly and the taste is unparalleled. In an attempt to boost our veggie intake, I've added lightly sauteed red peppers, romaine (for some nutritional value), and shelled edamame. To make the salad a little heartier, I threw in some soba noodles I found in the pantry. The noodles definitely make the salad, so I'd recommend throwing some in as well. Oh, and to give hubby a job and to take advantage of the beautiful weather, we decided to grill the chicken. The picture above is from our leftovers, so the ratio of ingredients has been cherry-picked a bit. Somebody in our house loves noodles very much so those are mostly gone :)

By the way, Martha is having a blog contest. Be sure to check it out!

Chinese Chicken Soba Salad
adapted from Ellie Krieger
4 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce, divided
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil, divided
1/2 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts or tenders
1 cup shredded carrots
1/2 cup red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 cup frozen shelled edamame
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 teaspoon water
1/2 head napa cabbage, thinly shredded (about 6 cups)
1 cup of romaine lettuce, thinly choppped
1 (8-ounce) can sliced water chestnuts
1 (11-ounce) can Mandarin oranges, 1/4 cup juice reserved
1/2 cup cooked soba noodles
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Dressing
1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced ginger
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 cup juice from Mandarin oranges
1 1/2 teaspoons chili-garlic sauce or chili sauce
2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted

Preheat grill.

Combine 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil, ginger and garlic and brush onto chicken breasts. Grill chicken until fully cooked through and no longer pink. Allow to cool. Shred chicken and set aside.

In a medium skillet over high heat, heat 1 tsp olive oil. Saute carrots, red pepper and edamame. Stir continuously and add oyster sauce. Add water and continue to cook for approximately 2 minutes or until vegetables have softened. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

In a large bowl, combine Napa cabbage, chopped romaine, sauteed vegetables, water chestnuts, Mandarin oranges, soba noodles,cilantro and shredded chicken. In a separate bowl, whisk together 3 tablespoons soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, ginger, oil, 1 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil, brown sugar 1/4 cup Mandarin orange juice and chili sauce. Pour dressing over salad and toss to combine. Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds on top.

Smoky Chipotle Pasta Salad

Today's post is going to be short and sweet, because after spending an enjoyable summer in D.C. I'm going home!! As you can tell, I'm quite excited.

Though I had initially been a bit reluctant (and a little bit of a brat) to give up my dreams of a sunny beach summer, I admit that leaving DC will be a smidge bittersweet. Returning to an urban area has reminded me of the joys of public transportation, eclectic & ethnic eateries, and of course, the ability to walk to a destination beyond my mailbox.


Beyond the perks of city living, life in the kitchen is sure to improve. I'm ecstatic to be reunited with my KitchenAid mixer, my pots & pans, and of course all of my baking tools. Having a little counter space never hurt either. I was getting burnt out on baking muffins week after week and using Tupperware, stock pots, or any other cylindrical object I could locate as my mixing bowls.

As I'm leaving for the airport in just a few short hours, I decided to do one last roundup of the kitchen and use the leftover ingredients lingering in the kitchen: 1/2 box of pasta, chipotle peppers in adobo sauce from the quinoa chili, 1/4 cup of frozen mixed veggies, some stray lemons and wilted cilantro, 1 clove of garlic and 1 link of sweet Italian sausage...a motley crew to be sure.

I thought of making a hot pasta dish, but instead settled on a pasta salad combining all of the ingredients above. It's truly a clear the pantry type of recipe, so feel free to modify with what you have on hand. If I were to make this again, I would use fresh corn as opposed to the mixed veggies. I'd also use cilantro that didn't look like it was on its last leg! The pasta tastes best at room temperature so that it stays nice & creamy.

Once I get settled back into the house, I'm sure I'll begin cooking up a storm and have plenty of recipes to share.

Smoky Chipotle Pasta Salad
2 cups uncooked pasta
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 -2 sweet Italian sausages (I only had one but would use two next time)
1/2 of a chipotle pepper in adobo, minced
1/2 cup frozen mixed vegetables or corn
1/2 cup mayonaise
1/2 juice of a lemon
1 teaspoon adobo sauce
1/4 teaspoon brown sugar
salt & pepper to taste
olive oil
handful of cilantro, chopped

1. Cook pasta per directions on box and drain
2. In a medium skillet, heat olive oil and saute garlic clove for 1 minute
3. Add in frozen vegetables and the chopped chipotle pepepr and stir. If needed, add a little water to help the veggies cook.
4. Once cooked, remove vegetables from the pan and cook the sausage in the same pan. Slice the sausage once browned & cooked until no longer pink, about 7-9 minutes
5. In a medium bowl, combine mayonaise, lemon, adobo sauce, brown sugar and salt and pepper.
6. Add veggies, pasta and sausage to the bowl. Toss gently and sprinkle cilantro on top.

Beat the Heat and the Deadline with Tuscan Fagioli con Tonno

Though I may be experiencing a sick case of writer's block, I love Grace's A Southern Grace so much that when she announced her roundup, I knew that even without much to say, I had to be there (or be square). Sorry, couldn't help it. I'm no longer nine years old, but I still find myself saying things like that all the time.

For much of the country, August rolls around and it's hot, sticky, sweaty, gross, and humid. You can obviously tell what I think of this month that's not quite summer, but not quite fall according to the clothing stores who begin selling sweaters in 90 degree heat. Well, to cheer up all of us cranky melting folk, Grace's Beat the Heat roundup calls for recipes that do not require any heat during the cooking process. I can't wait to see the roundup, and for those of you not in the know, you only have 2 more days to get yours in!
Though a never ending stream of no-heat recipes reside in my little imagination, time has gotten the best of me. When I've actually been cooking (not to be confused with cooking in my mind), I have repeatedly turned on the stove, oven and any other hot appliance I can find & cursed myself. I never learn.

Our time in DC is coming to a close, and with that I've been trying to clear the pantry and refrigerator. Browsing around for possible ingredients, I made this quick and tasty lunch combining cannellini beans and tuna for what I'm hereby naming Tuscan Fagioli con Tonno. I apologize if you're Italian and I've somehow butchered your language. I just thought it sounded cool :) It comes together quickly and easily and spares you from turning on those dreaded appliances. Best of all, its another protein packed dish. Testament to my absentmindedness of late, I diced up a Roma tomato from the Farmer's Market to throw in, but forgot it. It's good with or without so you can decide!


Tuscan Fagioli con Tonno (Tuscan Beans with Tuna)
1 can Cannellini Beans, drained and rinsed
1 can Albacore tuna, drained and flaked
1/4 cup diced cucumber
1/4 cup diced tomato
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tsp olive oil (use good quality)
juice from half of a lemon
Kosher salt & fresh ground pepper
parsley (optional)
1/2 cup of baby spinach leaves

1. In a medium sized bowl, combine beans, tuna, cucumber and tomato.
2. In a separate small bowl, whisk together red wine vinegar, olive oil, and lemon juice.
3. Drizzle dressing over bean mixture and toss gently. Season with Kosher salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with parsley if desired.
4. Serve salad over bed of baby spinach leaves

Protein Mania: Summer Black Bean Quinoa Salad

Since the temperatures were once again above the 90s, we spent our weekend as tourists, hopping from one air conditioned museum to the next. As you may know, Washington, D.C. has an amazing collection of sprawling & ornate buildings, war and presidential monuments and a museums for just about any topic you could think of. Probably most famous is the collection of 19 museums of the Smithsonian Institution.

{Photo Courtesy of Edweek.org}

One of my favorite museums of the day was the National Museum of the American Indian, housed in an absolutely stunning building pictured above. Among the exhibits portraying the past & present life of Indians (Northern and Southern American) I of course, was particularly interested in the lifestyle, food and cooking artifacts.

Though certainly trendy at the moment, I learned that tiny quinoa once served as a staple food for the Ancient Incas, powering their armies and sustaining their communities as one of the three food staples (along with potato and corn). Historians believe the Incas worshiped quinoa as a sacred plant and deemed it "the mother grain." In today's world, quinoa provides a nutritional bouquet of vitamins, protein and contains all of the essential amino acids the human body needs. In fact, quinoa provides up to 16.2% of the daily recommended protein and more calcium than a glass of milk! Paired with black beans, you have yourself quite a protein combo.

Inspired by our trip, I decided to make some quinoa and have a taste of this ancient grain (which technically is not a grain, but a seed). I know, I'm probably one of the last food bloggers to try quinoa, but now is better than never, right? Overwhelmed by the amount of recipes available, I followed a cooking technique outlined by Gourmet Magazine that calls for the quinoa grains to first be boiled, then steamed in a fine sieve. Note to all novices, um...if you have a plastic sieve, you might want to re-think this step before proceeding. Um, not that I did this or anything.


I added red peppers and cucumbers to the original recipe to make for a very colorful and hearty salad, perfect for the summertime. I also halved the amount of butter and oil to cut down on fat and still think this was delicious. Quinoa has a similarity to couscous and for its nutritional value & ease in cooking, I will definitely be making it again and again. Once I decide to like something, it'll be on our menu for quite awhile :)

For those of you who like to be in the know, quinoa is pronounced "KEEN-wah," not "Que-in-oahh" as some near and dear to my heart like to say.

Since this salad is a protein-rich, low fat 'superfood' I'm sending this recipe over to the Healthy Cooking event hosted by Fun and Food and also the One D (One Dish) Salads roundup hosted by Archana's Kitchen.

As a last note, if you do visit the National American Indian Museum or any of the museums in the Mall, take a pit stop at the Mitsitam Cafe where you can be treated to quinoa. The Cafe boasts native cuisine from the Northern Woodlands, South America, Meso America, the Great Plains, and the Northwest Coast and Columbia Plateau. The food is delicious and a unique treat!

Summer Black Bean Quinoa Salad
Adapted from Gourmet Magazine, July 2007
1 cup uncooked quinoa
2 teaspoons grated lime zest
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
pat of butter, melted (use a tablespoon if you dare!)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon sugar
1 can (14.5 oz) black beans, drained & rinsed
1/4 cup diced red pepper
1/4 cup seeded & diced cucumber
1 roma tomato, chopped
1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro

1. Rinse quinoa in a fine sieve, rubbing grains and washing until water runs clear. Do not skip this step as unwashed quinoa is bitter.

2. Cook quinoa in a medium saucepan of salted boiling water, uncovered for 10 minutes. Drain quinoa in sieve. Place about 1-2 inches of water in sauce pan and heat until simmering. Place sieve over pot and cover with dish towel & lid. Steam for about 10 minutes. Remove pot from heat and remove lid. Let stand, covered with dish towel for about 5 minutes. Put pat of butter in pot and set aside to melt.

3. Whisk together lime zest, juice, olive oil & sugar. Add red peppers, black beans and tomato to warm pot. Drizzle with the lime mixture and toss gently. Add cilantro and drained quinoa. Fluff with a fork to combine. Cover with lid and allow to sit for 30 minutes.

Mango Crab Salad Wonton Cups (baked & healthy!)

Wife's day off!

I was treated to an absolutely wonderful lunch, courtesy of hubby. It's not often that he gets down and dirty in the kitchen, but when he does, I'm not disappointed. These delightful & crunchy cups pack a flavorful punch: wonton skins are baked in mini muffin tins and filled with a delicious salad of crab, mango, celery, wonton and scallions.

Though the original recipe calls for jumbo lump crabmeat, we did a few quick calculations at the grocery. Splurge on yummy looking crab OR fill our empty gas tank with oh, about 3.5 gallons of gas? Next time, we'll make sure not to drive on empty and go with the lump crab meat as we imagine they'd make this already yummy recipe that much better.

The baked Mango Crab Salad Wontons are courtesy of an Ellie Krieger recipe from her new book, The Food You Crave: Luscious Recipes for a Healthy Life. While I'd sometimes like to give Ellie a swift slap to wake her out of her monotone voice coma, I really do enjoy her recipes. We've had great success with all the ones we have tried so far, and I hope to post more soon. In the meantime, enjoy & have a wonderful weekend. Thanks, hubby for a delicious lunch

Oh, I suppose I should provide an update as well. Our little vegetarian experiment is over. It all ended with a tofu curry dish that may have sent hubby over the edge (a little tofu overload). It was fun while it lasted! :)

Because this dish relies on mango for a sweet contrast to the crab salad, I'm entering it into Meeta's Monthly Mingle which is Mango Mania this month. Visit What's For Lunch, Honey? for more details.

Mango Crab Salad Wonton Cups
Courtesy of Ellie Krieger

For the Wonton Cups:
Cooking spray
18 wonton wrappers, thawed if frozen (we used potsticker wrappers)
2 teaspoons canola oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
For the dressing:
1 teaspoon lime zest
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoons salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons olive oil
For the salad:
1/2 pound lump crabmeat, picked over (we used flaked crab but I suggest trying with lump)
1 stalk celery, finely diced (we omitted the celery)
1/2 cup finely diced mango
1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Sweet Chili Sauce (optional)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Spray 2 mini-muffin tins with cooking spray.
Brush the wonton wrappers with oil, and place each wrapper into a section of a mini-muffin tin. Gently press each wrapper into the tin and arrange so that it forms a cup shape. The wrapper will overlap itself and stick up out of the cup. Sprinkle with salt and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until browned and crisp. Remove from the tin and allow wrappers to cool.

Meanwhile whisk together the zest, lime juice, salt, pepper, and pepper flakes. Add the oil and whisk until well combined.

In a medium bowl, toss together the crabmeat, celery, mango, scallion and cilantro. Add dressing and toss to combine. Fill each cup with the crab salad. Top with a dollop of sweet chili sauce if you like!

Mango and Black Bean Salad with Sesame Shrimp...and some Kitchen Mistakes

Many great things in life have been created by mistake or unintentionally. Take the potato chip, for example. Legend has it that potato chip inventor, George Crum, was a chef at the Moon Lake Lodge in Saratoga Springs, New York. One diner complained that Crum's French fries were too thick for his liking and sent the fries back. Out of spite, Crum decided to irritate the guest by producing fries too thin and crisp to skewer with a fork. The plan backfired as the guest loved them and other diners began requesting Crum's potato chips.

Other unintentional creations? Ice cream cones, chocolate chip cookies, gooey butter cake, and yes, even America's favorite: Viagra.

Where am I going with this? Well, if you can only imagine, I recently botched a recipe as a result of a 'cut and paste error.' You see, I usually bring my laptop into the kitchen with me, but after one too many spills, errant crumbs, and sticky fingers, I've decided to start jotting recipes down or printing them out, lest I lose my laptop to grease splatter. After realizing that I used the salad dressing ingredients for the shrimp marinade, I figured it was too late and continued on anyway. Like many great inventors, I found my creation to be a delight anyway. BTW, this is tongue and cheek- I obviously don't consider myself to be the great George Crum's protege :)

The following recipe for Mango Black Bean Salad with Sesame Shrimp is a perfect dish for the summertime. It's light and refreshing, with a sweet and spicy zing added by lime, sugar and red pepper flakes. I added a little corn for extra color, and extra cilantro because I love it so much. Hubby suggested trying the dish with avocados next time, so if you have some on hand, give it a whirl.

Oh, and if you make this dish, you'll of course notice the ingredients for the shrimp marinade are the same as the dressing ingredients...therein lies my mistake :) Though the end result was tasty shrimp, it may be just as easy to simply season and marinade the shrimp with some olive oil, garlic & salt and pepper.

Mango Black Bean Salad with Sesame Shrimp
4 servings

Shrimp Marinade

1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined (I used less, but only because I ran out!)
1/2 teaspoon fish sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (adjust according to desired heat level)
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
2 teaspoons olive oil for

Salad
1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 large cucumber peeled, seeded and cut into chunks
1 small-medium mango peeled, and cut into chunks
1/2 cup corn (fresh or frozen - thawed)
1-2 green onion stalks, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons sesame seed, for garnish

Dressing
juice from one lime
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (or 6 tablespoons) rice vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon fish sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (adjust according to desired heat level...remember, you can always add more later!)
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced

1. In a medium bowl, combine shrimp, fish sauce, sesame oil, sugar, ginger, red pepper flakes, garlic and sesame seeds. Cover and place shrimp in refrigerator until ready to cook, up to 2 hours.

2. In a small bowl, create the dressing by whisking together lime juice, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, olive oil, fish sauce, sugar, red pepper flakes and ginger.

3. In a separate large bowl, combine black beans, cucumber, mango, corn, green onions and cilantro. Pour dressing over mixture, toss to coat well, and set aside.

4. In a nonstick skillet, heat 2 teaspoons olive oil over medium heat. Saute shrimp until cooked thoroughly, turning once, about 2-3 minutes. Top the salad with the sauteed shrimp, sprinkle with sesame seeds and enjoy.

Spiced Shrimp with Black Bean, Corn Salsa and a side of Cilantro Coconut Rice

Last night's dinner reminded hubby and me of vacation. We're not sure if it was the coconut rice that added a tropical flair, the spiced shrimp reminding us of summers, or if we're just very stressed. It's certainly been a long week for us with him attempting to overcome a deathly flu during finals, and long & tiring work hours for me. Yesterday wasn't any better, but luckily this dish came together so quickly that even a stressed out me could put it together. If only I had made a pina colada to go along...

The shrimp is nicely spiced with chili powder, garlic and cumin before being sauteed with corn, black bean, salsa, and lime. I was a little weary of the amount of chili powder used since I'm a weakling with spicy foods, but rest assured that if you use a milder salsa, it tempers the kick and I didn't notice any spice at all. The cilantro coconut rice was a perfect accompaniment - lightly flavored and sticky - just how we like our rice! Sorry for the lack of rice photos, but we gobbled this up too quickly. There's no time for photos with hungry, stressed out folk. :)

Spiced Shrimp with Black Bean, Corn Salsa
(adapted from Cooking Light)

1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 1/2 pounds uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, divided
1 1/2 cups frozen whole-kernel corn, thawed or fresh corn, when in season
3/4 cup bottled salsa
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
Olive oil cooking spray

Preparation

1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and spray lightly with olive oil cooking spray. Combine first 3 ingredients in a large bowl. Add shrimp; toss to coat.
2. Add shrimp; sauté 3 minutes - 5 minutes, or until shrimp is opaque. Do not overcook. Add 1 tablespoon lime juice. Remove shrimp from pan. Add corn to pan; sauté 1 minute. Stir in salsa, cilantro, and beans; cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated. Stir in 1 tablespoon lime juice and add shrimp back to pan. Toss shrimp with bean and corn.
   

Cilantro Coconut Rice
Courtesy of Rebecca from CLBB

1 tsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
3/4 cup rice
1/2 cup light coconut milk
1 1/4 cup water
1 tsp kosher salt
juice of half a lime
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1. Heat oil in saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic, saute for 30 seconds. Add rice, and stir to coat, saute for 1 minute or so. Add coconut milk, water, and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes or until liquid is mostly absorbed. If rice does not appear fully cooked and water has evaporated, add a tablespoon or two of additional water. Once cooked, remove from heat, and remove cover, add lime juice and cilantro, stir and cover. Let stand for 5 minutes or so.

Chicken Greek a Tikka Salad Wraps with Parsley Feta Pesto

Whew...what a name! I saw these on Rachael Ray's show and was instantly intrigued and sold on her fusion between Greek & Indian food. The chicken is marinated in a yogurt and coriander spice marinade and then grilled, while the accompanying salad contains many of the typical Greek salad goodies - feta cheese, kalamata olives (though I omit these because of personal preference) and a light vinaigrette. This has become one of our all-time favorite meals. While Rachael serves this as a salad with pitas on the side, we prefer to spread the thick parsley feta pesto on Mediterranean flat bread, and make wraps. Either way, this is an absolutely fresh and delicious dish! If you're not in the mood for making the pesto, this would be equally as delicious with some hummus or tzatzki sauce.
Since hubby is finally getting over his flu and regaining his appetite, I've been cooking up a storm. More to come!

Chicken Greek-a-Tikka Salad with Parsley-Feta Pesto
Adapted from Rachael Ray

4 flat breads or pitas (I prefer Trader Joe's Mediterranean flat bread)
1 cup plain yogurt
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning (Rachael uses grill seasoning, but I only have Old Bay)
2 tsp minced garlic
2 to 2 1/2 pounds white meat chicken, cubed into bite size pieces
1 heart romaine lettuce, chopped
2 vine ripe tomatoes, chopped
1/2 seedless cucumber, chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped
3 ribs celery, chopped
1/4 cup red pepper, chopped
1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives
1 lemon, juiced
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Salt and pepper

Parsley Feta Pesto:
1 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
3/4 cup feta crumbles, divided
1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon coarse black pepper
3 tablespoons chopped walnuts
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Metal skewers or bamboo skewers soaked in water

Preheat a grill pan to high heat. Heat a toaster oven or oven to 250 degrees F.
Wrap breads in foil and place in oven to warm.

Combine yogurt and next 5 ingredients (coriander to garlic). Coat chicken in mixture then thread meat onto skewers. Brush grill pan with oil and grill meat 5 to 6 minutes on each side or until cooked through and browned.

Combine chopped lettuce, chopped veggies, olives and hot peppers on a large platter or in a serving bowl. Dress the salad very lightly in lemon juice and extra-virgin olive oil and salt and pepper. Top with 1/4 cup feta cheese crumbles.

Place all ingredients, including the remaining 1/2 cup of feta for pesto in the food processor except extra-virgin olive oil. Turn processor on and stream in extra-virgin olive oil. If your food processor does not have this option, pulse in 1 tbsp of olive oil at a time.

Remove bread from oven and spread with the pesto. Place grilled meat on salad platter and serve, allowing guests to make their own wraps.