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Posts Tagged ‘cilantro’

  1. Cilantro Lime Chickpea Salad

    June 1, 2011 by erinRD

    Happy June!!

    I love summer.

    Bonfires and cook outs, beaches and sunshine, vacations and bean bag games, warm breezes and cool salads….

    Cilantro Lime Chickpea Salad
    Adapted from Oh She Glows

    2 (15 oz) can chickpeas drained and rinsed
    3 cups spinach
    1/2 cup sweet onion, chopped finely
    Juice from 2 limes
    1 cup fresh Cilantro
    1 teaspoon sugar (or to taste)
    2 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
    2 garlic cloves
    1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
    1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
    1 teaspoon kosher salt + ground pepper

    Directions:
    1. In a food processor, add the spinach and pulse a few times until chopped very small. Add the processed spinach, drained chickpeas, and chopped onion into a large bowl.


    2. In the food processor (no need to rinse the bowl!), add the lime juice, cilantro, mustard, sugar, garlic, cumin, and oil. Process until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.


    3. Pour the dressing on top of the spinach chickpea mixture and stir well. Add salt and pepper to taste. Let stand for about 10 minutes to let the flavors develop. Makes about 4 1/2 – 4 3/4 cups. Serves 8 at about 1/2 cup per serving.

    Nutrition Notes: Spinach, beans, onions – this salad is packed with nutrition and flavor!

    Taste Test: I could eat chick peas on a daily basis – they my favorite. The musard added a ton of flavor and the onion gave a good crunch. This salad was easy to make and doesn’t contain any dairy so it’s safter to bring to a BBQ if you’re going to leave it out at room temperature.

    Happy Summer!!

    What’s your favorite bean?

    Category Uncategorized | Tags: ,,,,, | 2 Comments

  2. Cilantro Lime Bulgur

    April 14, 2011 by erinRD

    Cilantro Lime Bulgur


    1 cup bulgur wheat
    2 cups water
    1 lime, juice of
    2 cups water
    1 teaspoon salt
    3 Tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro
    4 teaspoons canola oil

    Directions:
    1. Boil 2 cups of water and add the bulgur. Remove from heat and let sit for about 20 minutes. Drain bulgur in a strainer, pressing with the back of a wooden spoon to squeeze out as much water as possible.
    2. In a medium bowl, combine chopped cilantro, lime juice, rice and remaining oil and toss with bulgur until completely mixed. Serves 2.

    This recipe was originally made with rice, so I just subbed in bulgur for a different taste and texture with more of a nutritional punch!! Enjoy!

    Category Uncategorized | Tags: ,, | 3 Comments

  3. Cilantro Lime White Bean Dip

    March 25, 2011 by erinRD

    Happy Friday!

    It’s supposed to be a cold weekend around Chicago, so hopefully we will be able to get out and get a hike in or something.

    My girlfriends Heather, Patti and Jess are coming over on Saturday night for a girls night in! Wine, cheese, chocolate and good laughs are all in order. Every time we do that I wonder why we don’t do it more often.

    I am making some cheese crisps (recipe coming soon) and I might whip up another batch of this:

    Cilantro Lime White Bean Dip
    Adapted from How Sweet It Is

    1 (15 ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
    1 clove of garlic, minced
    1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
    2 teaspoons cumin
    1 teaspoon lime zest
    1 lime, juiced
    1/4 cup olive oil
    salt and pepper to taste

    Directions:
    1. Combine beans, cilantro, cumin, lime zest, juice and garlic in the food processor and blend until mixed.


    2. With the processor on, stream in olive oil until desired consistency is reached, about a good 3-4 minutes to make it super creamy.


    3. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Makes about 1 cup. Serves 8 – serving size 2 Tablespoons.

    Nutrition Notes: The main ingredient is white beans, so that makes this dip high in protein and fiber! LOVE those beans!

    Taste Test: This dip was tangy and delicious with pita chips or homemade corn chips! It was so easy to make and I usually have all these ingredients on-hand! I think it would also be fantastic with some avocado — but everything is better with avocado! :)

    Enjoy your weekend!

    Category Uncategorized | Tags: ,,,, | 2 Comments

  4. Pork Carnitas with Cilantro Lime Brown Rice

    February 10, 2011 by erinRD

    Happy Hump Day! We have made it half way through the week! Can I get an Amen!?

    So, I have a confession. I have been majorly slacking on the whole running thing lately. My 8K race is in 2 months, which doesn’t seem to bad but I have yet to surpass 4.5 miles EVER in my life. This race is just shy of 5 miles. I received an email today from CARA (Chicago Area Runners Association) saying they have a training program scheduled to start the beginning of March. Maybe I will sign up for that. I would really love to meet someone to run with! It’s supposed to warm up this weekend so hopefully some of this snow will melt and I’ll be able to run outside once again.

    In other news, I made this recipe for Superbowl Sunday and everyone seemed to love it!

    Pork Carnitas
    Adapted from Gina’s Skinny Recipes

    2.5 lb pork shoulder blade roast, lean, all fat removed
    6 cloves garlic, cut into sliver
    1/2 Tablespoon roasted cumin
    1 Tablespoon adobo seasoning
    1 Tablespoon onion flakes
    1 can (15oz.) low sodium, fat free chicken broth
    2-3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (to taste)
    2 bay leaves

    Directions:
    1. Season pork with salt and pepper. In a medium sauté pan on medium-high heat, brown pork on all sides for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.


    2. Using a sharp knife, insert blade into pork, cutting small holes and insert garlic slivers. Season pork generously with cumin, adobo and onion powder all over.


    3. Pour chicken broth in the crockpot, add bay leaves and chipotle peppers. Place pork in crock pot and cover.
    4. Cook low for 8 hours. After 8 hours, shred pork using two forks and combine well with the juices that accumalated at the bottom. Remove bay leaves and adjust salt and cumin to taste.
    5. Let it cook another 15-30 minutes.
    6. Serve with Cilantro Lime Brown Rice (recipe below) and serve with veggies:

    ————————————————————————————————-

    Cilantro Lime Brown Rice
    Adapted from Gina’s Skinny Recipes

    1 cup extra long grain brown rice
    1 lime, juice of
    2 cups water
    1 teaspoon salt
    3 Tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro
    4 teaspoons canola oil, divided

    1. In a small heavy pot, add rice, water, 1 teaspoon oil and salt. Boil on high until most of the water evaporates.
    2. When the water just skims the top of the rice, reduce to low and cover about 15 minutes. Shut off flame and keep covered an additional 5 minute.
    3. In a medium bowl, combine chopped cilantro, lime juice, rice and remaining oil and toss until completely mixed.

    Nutrition Notes: This meal covers almost every food group. Make sure to bulk up on the veggies and this meal is pretty healthy!

    Taste Test: The combo of the meat and the rice were so delicious! I didn’t even need a tortilla, I just mixed all the goodness on my plate and loaded it with veggies. The husband had 5 tacos. Need I say more? :)

    Category Uncategorized | Tags: ,,,,, | No Comments

  5. Chicken Tikka Masala

    January 28, 2011 by erinRD

    I have decided to run the Shamrock Shuffle this year. It’s an 8k (just shy of 5 miles) run in Chicago and this year it’s on April 10th. I thought this would be the perfect motivation to keep up my running through the long winter months here in Chicago. I swear, it seems like winter lasts longer and longer each year. I just can’t wait until the ice melts outside so that I can get back to running outside. The treadmill is sucking the life out of me. Although I am thankful that I don’t have to go to the gym to run. I can just hop on it at home and catch up on some of my favorite shows!

    So it was 3.35 miles done today and it felt awesome!

    At least someone is loving this snow.

    What else is there to do in this weather than cook? :) Let’s get to it!

    Chicken Tikka Masala
    Adapted from My Bizzy Kitchen

    1/2 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
    1/2 cup nonfat, plain Greek yogurt, divided
    1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
    4 tsp ground cumin, divided
    1 tsp ground cinnamon
    1 tsp cayenne pepper
    1 tsp black pepper
    1/2 tsp salt
    1 Tbsp butter
    1 tsp minced garlic
    2 tsp paprika
    1/4 tsp curry powder
    2 dried Ancho peppers
    15 oz. canned tomato sauce
    1 small jalapeno, cut in half, seeded and chopped
    1/4 tsp Sriracha chili sauce
    1/3 cup cilantro, chopped (for garnish)

    Directions:
    1. Mix 1/4 of yogurt with the diced chicken, lemon juice, 2 tsp. cumin, cinnamon, cayenne, salt and pepper. Let sit for an hour.
    2. Melt butter and add jalapeno pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons ground cumin, paprika, curry powder, sriracha sauce and stir for 2 minutes, until nice and fragrant.
    3. Add chicken and cook for five minutes. Add tomato sauce and dried chiles and simmer for 15 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked.
    4. Remove from heat, stir in remaining 3 ounces of Greek yogurt. Garnish with cilantro and serve over brown rice.

    Nutrition Notes: The recipe also calls for a good dose of cayenne pepper, which is made from the dried pods of chili peppers. This smokey flavored red powder has been known to decrease inflammation, increase circulation, aid in digestion, relieve pain, help with skin conditions like psoriasis, relieve headaches, overcoming fatigue and restoring stamina and much more.

    Taste Test: Spicy! Ancho peppers are the dried version of poblano peppers, so they aren’t too spicy but it’s the cayenne and sriracha that make this dish spicy so just adjust the seasonings to your taste. You can find ancho peppers in the ethnic section of most grocery stores. I love the Indian flavors in this dish but it’s not for the faint of heart. So prepare your taste buds, get out your glass of milk and enjoy!

    Category Chicken | Tags: ,,,,,,,,,,,,, | No Comments

  6. Black Bean, Avocado and Corn Salad

    January 27, 2011 by erinRD

    If you live in Chicago, check out Door to Door Organics. I’ve tried other organic delivery services and so far this is the best one that I’ve tried.

    • You can see what produce is coming if you log into your account on their website. I love this. With other services I never knew what I was getting which made meal planning and grocery shopping at the store more difficult.
    • You can substitute (up for 5 items for the small box). So if you need more of one fruit or vegetable you can change your order. I love this!
    • They offer add-ons. So if you want something else delivered, they have anything from dairy to meat products! All organic and some local.
    • You can put your order on hold, change to a bigger or smaller box as you need or skip an order. I love the flexibility.
    • Pay as you go. No need to pay ahead of time…which can be daunting and difficult on the wallet.
    • Look online for a $10 off your first order coupon!

    I got everything in the picture below for about $35. All organic and mostly local.

    Yesterday I explained all the great things about black beans. So I decided to make some salmon last night and to accompany it….

    Avocado, Black Bean and Corn Salad

    1 15oz. can black beans, drained
    1 15oz. can low-sodium corn, drained
    2 avocados, chopped
    1 lime, juices
    1 Tablespoon cumin
    Salt and pepper to taste
    optional: cilantro, green onion, tomatoes

    Directions:
    Combine all ingredients into a bowl and serve! How easy is that!

    Nutrition Notes: This salad is packed with fiber and good fats (monounsaturated). It does not use oil so this cuts down on the fat and calories. Did you know avocado has more potassium than a banana? Avocados also provide nearly 20 essential nutrients, including fiber, Vitamin E, B-vitamins and folic acid. They have been shown to help lower cholesterol, regulate blood pressure, decrease the risk of heart disease and protect against breast cancer to name a few.

    (Source)

    Taste Test: This is refreshing and light. I love lime juice and the addition of cumin gives it a perfect smokey flavor. You could easily use this as a taco topping. Enjoy!

    Category Salad, Vegetarian | Tags: ,,,,,,, | No Comments