BLT Wrap with Avocado

This recipe takes the tradition BLT and shakes things up a big by exchanging normal bread to a Mission Carb Balance Tortilla and adding in avocado and Ranch dressing.  These make a delicious lunch, dinner, or even a nice option for tailgating before a baseball game.

BLT Wrap with Avocado

Ingredients:
8 strips of bacon
1 cup of raw spinach leaves
4 Roma tomatoes, diced
2 avocados, peeled and sliced
½ tsp. garlic salt
½ tsp. pepper
Ranch dressing ( I used Ken's)
4 whole wheat tortillas (I used Mission Carb Balance)

Directions:
1.)  Cook the bacon in a skillet until crispy, soaking up any extra grease with paper towels.  

2.)  Dice the tomatoes and slice the avocados, sprinkling garlic salt and pepper over them.  

3.)  Make a bed of spinach leaves on a tortilla, topping with bacon pieces, tomato, avocado, and Ranch dressing.  Roll tightly and enjoy!

Open Faced Tuna Salad Melt

One of my favorite items to pack in my lunches for work is tuna.  This recipe is a great way to change up the traditional tuna sandwich and by being an open faced sandwich, you'll save calories from an additional piece of bread.

Open Faced Tuna Salad Melt

Ingredients:
1 cup spinach leaves
12 slices of tomato
6 slices swiss cheese
6 slices of multi-grain bread
1 garlic clove, minced
1 package – 12 oz. tuna
½ tsp. pepper
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. Tabasco sauce
1 tsp. red wine vinegar
1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
¼ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup red onion, chopped finely

Directions:
1.)  Preheat the broiler to high.  

2.)  In a bowl, combine the red onion, mayonnaise, mustard, red wine vinegar, Tabasco sauce, salt, pepper, tuna, and garlic.  Stir to make sure all ingredients are coated.  

3.)  Top the slices of bread with cheese, broiling until bubbly.  

4.)  Arrange two tomato slices and 1/3 cup of the tuna mixture on top of each slice of bread.  Place the spinach leaves on top of each bread slice.

Lemon Spinach and Shrimp Florentine with Baked Cheesy Cherry Tomatoes

These two recipes compliment one another so well that they can share a post.  I used Dreamfield's Pasta and highly recommend it if you have never tried their line of products.  Dreamfield's only has 5 digestible carbs per serving.  It is a great option for those on low carb diets or diabetics and tastes terrific.  Any pasta can be substituted in this recipe though.

Lemon Spinach and Shrimp Florentine

Ingredients:
8 ounces of angel hair pasta
2 tbsp. butter
1 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tbsp. garlic, minced
1 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 tbsp. lemon juice
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
1 package spinach

Directions:
1.)  Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Drain well, set, aside, and keep warm.

2.)  In a large skillet, melt the butter. Then add the shrimp, garlic, and crushed red pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes or until the shrimp are cooked through. Add the cooked pasta, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and spinach. Cook until the spinach begins to wilt. Stir well to combine all the ingredients and serve immediately. This recipe serves 4 people.

Baked Cheesy Cherry Tomatoes with Herbs

Ingredients:
1 container cherry tomatoes, halved
1 tbsp. olive oil
Salt and pepper
½ cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. basil

Directions:
1.)  Chop the tomatoes into halves and arrange them on a baking sheet. Drizzle with the olive oil and salt and pepper the tomatoes to your liking.

2.)  Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese on top then with the thyme, oregano, and basil.

3.)  Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes.

Portobello Mushroom Pizza

This is one of my husband's favorite things that I have made.  It has many different variations and while I usually put bacon on them, it could easily be turned vegetarian by omitting the bacon.

Portobello Mushroom Pizza

Ingredients:
2 Portobello mushrooms, stems removed
2 tbsp. olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ jar of pizza sauce
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 onion, diced
4 strips of bacon, cooked and crumbled

Directions:
1.)  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2.)  With a damp cloth, wipe the Portobello mushrooms clean and remove the stems. Brush both sides of the mushrooms with olive oil and bake for 20 minutes, flipping halfway through.

3.)  While the mushrooms are baking, cook the bacon and sauté the garlic and onions.

4.)  Remove mushrooms from the oven and top with pizza sauce, sautéed toppings, bacon, and cheese. Broil until the cheese is melted and bubbly. This recipe serves two.

Balsamic Garlic Chicken

Using the partnership of Balsamic vinegar and garlic, chicken is given an amazing flavor.  By using the slow cooker, you not only have a meal ready after a long day, but the chicken is incredibly tender.  I served it with a side of Dreamfield's Penne, but I've also served it with brown rice.  Both are delicious.

Balsamic Garlic Chicken

Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 (14.5 oz.) cans diced tomatoes
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves
½ cup balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. rosemary
½ tsp. thyme
Salt and pepper

Directions:
1.)  Pour the olive oil on the bottom of the slow cooker. 

2.)  Add the chicken breasts, then salt and pepper each side of the chicken. 

3.)  Put the sliced onions on top of the chicken, along with all of the herbs and garlic cloves. Pour the balsamic vinegar over everything and top with the canned tomatoes. 

4.)  Cook on high for 4 hours. This dish is great served with brown rice.

Tex Mex Chicken Soup

Another delicious soup for you to enjoy.  This one combines my love of soup and avocado.  Yum!  It also uses the slow cooker, so toss the ingredients in and it is ready when you get home from work.  This was one that had lots leftover for lunches throughout the week.

Tex Mex Chicken Soup

Ingredients:

2 15-ounce cans of diced tomatoes, including juice
1 can black beans, drained
10 sweet yellow peppers cut into strips
1 small yellow onion, chopped into small pieces
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 -1 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon cumin salt and pepper
4 corn tortillas, sliced into 1/4 inch strips
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1/2 cup shredded Monterrey jack cheese
1 avocado diced and tossed with lime juice to prevent browning
1 lime, cut into wedges

Directions:
1.)  Place chicken in slow cooker.

2.)  In a separate bowl, combine chilies, garlic, onion, black beans, yellow peppers, tomatoes, 1/2 cup chicken broth and cumin. Blend and pour over chicken.

3.)  Cook on high for 3 hours. When chicken is tender, use 2 forks to shred. Adjust seasoning and add additional chicken broth if necessary.

4.)  Just before serving, add tortillas and cilantro to slow cooker. Stir and adjust seasoning to taste. Serve in soup bowls, topping each with shredded cheese, diced avocado and a squeeze of lime.

Tomato Basil and Parmesan Soup

Soups are probably my favorite thing to make.  I think that comes from how fun it is to combine ingredients that you have leftover and see what fabulous result comes of it.  Also, my love of leftovers plays a role and this recipe made enough for dinner and 3 days worth of lunch.  Even better, my recipe uses Greek yogurt rather than heavy cream.  Excellent!

Tomato Basil and Parmesan Soup

Ingredients:
2 28-oz. cans of diced tomatoes
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 tsp olive oil
2 cups of vegetable broth
1 cup of plain Greek yogurt
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 cup basil, chopped, loosely packed
2 tsp of oregano
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp. flour
salt and pepper to taste


Directions:
1.)  Over medium heat, add the olive oil to a large pot. Add the chopped onion and allow to cook until tender, about three to four minutes. Add in chopped garlic and cook for an additional two minutes. Pour in the two cans of tomatoes (juice and all) and the vegetable stock. Stir in the basil, oregano, sugar, and salt and pepper. Place the lid back onto the pot and allow to simmer ten minutes.

2.)  At the end, combine the flour and the yogurt in a small bowl. The flour helps the
yogurt not clump when it gets warm. Stir in the Greek yogurt mixture and Parmesan cheese until well blended. Garnish with chopped basil and grated Parmesan cheese if desired.

3.) Optional- I tossed some stale jalapeno cheddar bread in olive oil in a skillet and allowed it to crisp up.  Perfect croutons.