Asian Brown Rice Salad

3 c cooked brown rice

1/2 c chopped red pepper

6 thinly sliced green onions

1/2 chopped cilantro

1/4 c slivered or sliced almonds

1/2 - 1 c mandarin oranges

2 c cooked, chopped chicken breasts

1/2-3/4 c low fat Asian salad dressing (Newman's Own Lowfat Sesame Ginger)

Toss heated rice with all other ingredients. Serve warm.

Thanks Christine!!! I ate my leftovers for lunch and I wish I had some for dinner, too!

Chicken Pesto Lasagna

The following recipe came from a brand new cookbook that just came out called Bliss. The author/chef's name is Joy Bouck and she is from Farmington, UT. She is one of the nicest people! The minute you meet her, you feel like you are best friends. Check out her website http://www.joyinthekitchen.com/ . Her cookbook is darling and full of yummy things.

Chicken Pesto Lasagna
3 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
9 - 12 lasagna noodles
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
2 16 ounce containers cottage cheese
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups prepared pesto sauce (see below)
3/4 cup toasted pine nuts

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Spray 9 x 13 inch casserole dish with non-stick spray

In a blender, puree cottage cheese and the eggs together until smooth.

cook the lasagna noodles to al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water. Spread a thin layer of pesto sauce on the bottom of the pan, then layer the noodles, pesto sauce, chicken, cottage cheese mixture, cheeses, and pine nuts. Repeat until all the noodles are gone, and end with cheese and pine nuts sprinkled on top.

Cover with non-stick foil and bake for 30 - 45 minutes, or until the lasagna is hot and bubbly all the way through.
Remove from the oven and let stand for 5 -10 minutes before serving.

Pesto Sauce
2 cups packed fresh basil
2 cloves garlic
2 tsp sugar
1/2 cup lightly roasted pine nuts
3/4 cup grated Parmesan
1/3 cup EVOO
1 tsp salt

In a food processor*, add all ingredients, leaving Olive oil (EVOO) until the last. Blend until it is the desired consistency that you want. If you want thinner, add more olive oil.

*You may also use a blender

Caribbean Tacos

This is another borrowed recipe from my friend Angie McReaken who found it on the Enlightened Homemaker's Blog. It feels healthy and is a bit distant from the original taco. I love the sweet of the mango, or in this case the peach, and the crunch of the cabbage. The lime adds an extra zing, also.

I cooked my chicken in the crockpot (another lesson Angie has taught me), drizzled with olive oil and some sea salt and fresh ground pepper. Put it on high for 3 -4 hours. The chicken comes out so moist and tender, and then I shred it with 2 forks, while it's hot. It shreds so fast!

Caribbean Tacos
4 Tbsp Honey
3 Tbsp Fresh Lime Juice
1 Tbsp Oil
2 tsp Chili Powder
1 - 1 1/2 lbs cooked & shredded chicken

Mix the honey, lime juice, oil and spices. Toss in the chicken.

I quadrupled this recipe for our dinner group and used 8 lbs of chicken. Next time, I might want to times the flavoring by 5.

I bought the fresh made tortillas from the Neighborhood Walmart on 193 and sent the following fixings:
Shredded green cabbage
Avocado
Fresh cilantro
Sliced grape tomatoes
Shredded lettuce
Diced peaches (mango substitute)
Homemade Salsa (recipe to follow)

In the feedback, let me know if you had enough tortillas and the fillings (I counted and scooped the chicken but it didn't look like that much in the bag). What did you think of the peaches vs mango? Did your kids eat it? (my kids did, without some of the fillings and with the leftover cheese and sour cream from Jodi's meal yesterday). Are there any other fillings you wish I would have sent? And any suggestions for a side dish - I felt like all the fillings were sides, hence the sherbet.

"Chili's" Salsa
14.5 oz. Rotel* (mildest)
14.5 oz. Diced peeled tomatoes
1/4-1/2 c. Diced sweet onion
3/4 t. Garlic salt
1/4 to 1/2 t. Cumin
1/4 t. Sugar
Juice of 1/2 Lime Cilantro
3-4 Roma tomatoes diced

You can put it in your food processor for Chili's consistency or leave it chunky or do 1/2 & 1/2

The *Rotel is a can of tomatoes and chiles, I have never noticed this brand before, but there they were - in the tomato section, like they've always been there.