Family-Style Chicken Caprese Salads

Hi there! It’s been a minute since I have posted a new recipe so I’m really excited to get this one up today! I created this recipe way back in the summer when still pregnant with baby girl. I love my Chicken Caprese Salad Jars and, one night when in search for an easy summer dinner idea for me and my husband, I decided to make a deconstructed version of that and see how it would go. Turns out it was a hit! This salad is really easy to throw together and while it is simple, it is also full of flavor! My husband loves it every time we make it. You can bake or grill your chicken for this dish or you can do what I end up doing much of the time and use store-bought rotisserie chicken and shred it into the salad. You can also use your favorite store-bought balsamic vinaigrette, but I always end up whisking mine together from a few ingredients I always have on hand (recipe below). This has been a great go-to recipe for busy weeknights and, bonus, you can pack up any leftovers and store in the refrigerator for a salad for lunch the next day! I love this salad because it’s got most of your meal components in one bowl - protein, dairy, veggie, and whole grain. Sometimes I include quinoa in this salad (it is in the jars) but when I don’t we always have fresh bread with it (and may dip it in our leftover vinaigrette - yum!). Hope you enjoy this as much as we do!

Happy Fueling!

Taylor

family-style chicken caprese salad

Makes 2 to 3 salads

SALAD INGREDIENTS:

• 6 cups mixed greens

• 1 cup diced mozzarella cheese (I buy one ball of mozzarella and that makes at least 1 cup diced)

• 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes (typically about 1/2 a pint)

• 1 1/2 tablespoons jarred pesto

• 1 cup warm pulled rotisserie chicken (or bake/grill your own and shred)

• About 2 to 3 tablespoons Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing (store-bought or my recipe below)

• 6 leaves fresh basil, julienned or torn

BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE INGREDIENTS:

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

• 1 teaspoon honey

• pinch of salt

BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE DIRECTIONS:

1. Combine all ingredients in a small mixing bowl and whisk quickly to combine all ingredients.

2. Drizzle over your favorite salad or use as a dip for fresh bread and enjoy!

SALAD DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large bowl, toss the mixed greens with the Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing (you can use more or less dressing as preferred).

2. In a medium bowl, toss together the cheese, tomatoes and warm chicken with pesto. If chicken has been stored in the refrigerator warm it up for about 15 seconds in the microwave.

3. Top the mixed greens with the pesto coated chicken, cheese & tomato mixture.

4. Add torn or julienned basil to the top and serve!

The Best Grilled Steak Sandwiches

A couple of weekends ago Kyle and I had such a great time grilling out steaks with some friends. Everything about the evening was fun- the food, the conversation, the company and the game night that ended the evening! Then, it was a bonus because the following Monday we had pretty much everything we needed for these incredibly delicious and incredibly easy steak sandwiches! I don’t know about you guys but we just can’t let good steak go to waste. Actually, I really don’t like letting any food go to waste. However, I don’t want to eat it the exact same way on round two. I have learned that everyone has a leftover preference. I’ve learned that my husband’s family loves turning steak from the night before into steak & potato burritos the next morning. I know of other friends who love steak and eggs. Me? I love a warm and savory steak sandwich. I’ve made this a couple of ways over the years, but I have to say that this one is the best! I was seriously loving every. single. bite. of this sandwich! The flavors all combine perfectly and the spread that I whipped up pretty much seals the deal. I knew that my husband even liked it when he dipped the spoon back in the bowl to slather on a little more of that creamy spread (he is somewhat of a purist, especially when it comes to meat, and so sauces are something with which he is a bit hesitant).

This sandwich is so simple to make. I think I started pulling out the ingredients and cooking the other parts of the sandwich around 6:15 and we were sitting at the table by about 7. I pulled the steak out of the fridge to take some of the chill off. Then I broiled / roasted my red bell pepper just like I always do. You can find quick instructions on that here (or you can buy jarred roasted red bell pepper, of course). Then I heated some olive oil in the skillet and started to saute my mushrooms on medium heat, which probably took about 10 minutes or so. While those cooked on the skillet I was able to quickly whisk together the spread. I have been experimenting with garlic infused olive oil recently and so far am LOVING it! You can use fresh garlic in the sauce if you want, but, I think a tiny bit of the garlic-infused olive oil in the sauce is absolutely delectable and really makes the sauce what it is! After the mushrooms are done I removed them onto a plate and covered to keep warm. I then sauteed some white onions so Kyle could put them on his sandwich. You can definitely do that too if you want!

The next time you decide to grill out steaks, make sure to grill a little extra so that you can enjoy these sandwiches for one of your dinners to follow. It has carbohydrate, veggies, and protein all in one bite. It’s filling, it’s satisfying, it’s nutritious, it’s delicious and I hope you find the time to give it a try!

Happy Fueling!

Taylor

THE BEST GRILLED STEAK SANDWICHES

Makes 2 sandwiches

INGREDIENTS:

For the Sandwiches:

• 4 slices of sourdough bread

• Already grilled steak (about a couple of ounces per sandwich, or however much you want!)

• 1 large Portobello mushroom, sliced into about 1/4 inch-thick slices

• 1 medium red bell pepper, roasted & skin removed (see easy instructions here. Or you can buy jarred already roasted bell peppers at the store)

• 1/2 cup of packed spinach

• Dill Aioli

For the Dill Aioli:

• 1/4 cup nonfat Greek yogurt

• 1 tablespoon mayonnaise

• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon garlic-infused EVOO

• 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill

• 2 teaspoons of lemon juice

• sprinkle of salt (1/8 teaspoon or less)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Follow the directions here to slice and roast your red bell pepper.

2. While your bell peppers roast, heat about 2 teaspoons of olive or canola oil in a medium skillet on medium heat.

3. Add mushrooms to the skillet and cook for about 10 minutes until the mushrooms begin to sweat and become fork-tender.

4. Transfer the cooked mushrooms to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.

5. Your peppers should also be done at this point. Once peeled, keep sealed in foil or covered on same plate as the mushrooms to keep warm.

6. Reheat the steak in the oven or in the microwave (about 1 minute in microwave)

7. Whisk together all of the ingredients for your Dill Aioli

8. Toast the sourdough bread.

9. Now it’s time to assemble the sandwiches! To assemble each sandwich:

   1. On one slice of bread spread about 2 to 3 teaspoons of the aioli.

   2. On the other slice add your spinach, followed by slices of your steak, followed by about half of the sliced roasted red peppers followed by about 4 mushroom slices.

10. Press your sandwich together and enjoy!

Salmon Nicoise Salad

Hello, friends!  It's been quite a while since my last post.  This season has been a packed one that seems to have flown by.  I was super excited to get away this Memorial Day weekend.  Kyle and I took a trip to the ranch, which meant no phones or computers or social media - just family, exploring, reading, writing and grilling.  It was just the right balance of exploration and rest. We navigated our way along streams that opened to fresh pools of cold water surrounded by the greenest grass (a very unique find in the Texas - New Mexico desert) and we made ourselves at home on the large rocking chairs that lined our front porch with plenty of reading and writing material in hand (& morning visits from our peacock friend, which you know about if you saw my IG post, ha).  Given the time and lack of technology, I got to catch up on all of my fun reading, brainstorm new recipes and articles, and start making progress on recipes I have been wanting to post for some time now.

As summer is quickly approaching, I thought getting my Salmon Nicoise Salad up would be a good first step.  It's fairly simple to throw together and, although a salad, it is hearty enough for a filling and satisfying weeknight or weekend dinner.  Not only is it simple and filling but wild salmon is also reaching its peak season as we speak, making it a perfect time to give this recipe a try!  Parts of this salad can also be prepped ahead of time, which is great if you're making this for company and want more time to talk and hang out vs being in the kitchen. I'm excited to finally get this recipe up and here it is - my Salmon Nicoise Salad.  It's recipe that friends and family have enjoyed these last few months and I think you will enjoy as well!

Happy Fueling!

Taylor

SALMON NICOISE SALAD

Serves 3 - 4

INGREDIENTS (for Salad):

• Two 6-ounce salmon filets

• 1/8 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste

• Pepper, to taste

• 1 medium lemon, sliced into 6 thin slices

• 2 medium sweet potatoes, diced (about 4 cups diced raw)

• 2 teaspoons olive oil, to cook potatoes

• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced lengthwise

• 1/2 pound fresh green beans, ends trimmed

• 1/4 cup Kalamata olives (drained of juice)

• 2 tablespoons capers (drained of juices)

• 3 cups mixed greens

• Champagne Vinaigrette - see recipe below

INGREDIENTS (for Dressing):

• 4 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)

• 2 tablespoons Champagne vinegar

• 1 teaspoon honey

• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

DIRECTIONS:

Dressing whisked!

Olive mix & greens tossed together with dressing and added as base of dinner plate

Layer roasted sweet potatoes, steamed green beans & flaked salmon to dish. Serve with the roasted lemon slices.

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper and place both salmon filets on baking sheet.

3. Sprinkle salmon filets with a pinch of salt and cracked pepper (<1/8 teaspoon salt on each).

4. Top each salmon filet with 3 slices of lemon, covering the length of the filet and set salmon aside.

5. Line separate large baking sheet with parchment paper (may need 2 - see step #7).

6. In a large mixing bowl, toss together the sweet potatoes, 2 teaspoons of olive oil and 1/8 teaspoon of salt.

7. Spread the potatoes out onto the large prepared baking sheet (use 2 baking sheets if the pan gets too crowded).

8. Place sweet potatoes in the preheated 400 degree oven on the top rack and cook for about 35 minutes, flipping the potatoes about 15 - 20 minutes into cooking. If cooking potatoes on bottom shelf, turn or stir about 10 minutes into cooking to prevent burning on one side.

9. While potatoes cook, add capers, olives, tomatoes, and mix greens to a bowl and set aside.

10. Now start the green beans.. Fill a medium pot with about 1/2 - inch water and bring to a boil. Add the steamer basket to the pot followed by the green beans. Cover the pot and allow beans to steam about 5 minutes. After the beans have cooked, turn the burner off but leave beans in the basket covered to stay warm.

11. When the potatoes have about 15 minutes left, add the salmon filets to the oven and cook for another 15 - 20 minutes (cooking time of salmon will vary. A general rule is to cook the salmon 10 minutes for every inch thickness).

12. While the salmon & sweet potatoes cook, make the dressing by whisking together all dressing ingredients. Or add to a small jar and shake really well!

13. Add about 1 tablespoon of the dressing to the greens-caper mix and toss to combine.

14. After the last 15 minutes, remove the sweet potatoes from the oven and turn the oven on broil, cooking just the salmon filets about 1 more minute. The lemons will brown and caramelize slightly. Remove from the oven.

15. Now that all items are cooked, to a dinner plate: Place 1/2 salad mix. Add 3/4 cup green beans to one side of plate. Add 3/4 cup of sweet potatoes to another side of plate. Flake the warm salmon in the middle.

16. Serve with the remaining dressing, caramelized lemon slices and warm crusty bread.

17. Enjoy!

NUTRITION NOTES:

Green Beans:  folate, vitamin C, vitamin K, vitamin A

Sweet Potatoes:  beta carotene (vitamin A), vitamin C, B vitamins, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, manganese

Lemons: vitamin C

Dressing:  monounsaturated fat, vitamin E

Salmon:  omega 3 fatty acids, protein, B12, selenium

Spinach:  vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, folate, iron

FUN NUTRITION FACTS - SALMON

Did you know what the different types of salmon mean?  I didn't really until recently when I asked the man at the fish counter about it and then read an article on it in my new Cook's Illustrated magazine.  Yes, knowing the difference between these can play a role in what you choose from a nutrition perspective, but it may also help your friend or family member like salmon!  Salmon can certainly be a fishier fish, but some varieties are more mild than others.  Here is a brief rundown of what I now know....

WILD SALMON (Coho / King / Sockeye) - leaner, tougher, a stronger flavor

FARM RAISED (Atlantic / King salmon) - milder flavor, more omega-3's (fattier fish), a softer, flakier texture (some say "buttery").

Want more details on the salmon varieties?  There's a good overview here. (Thanks Cook's Illustrated!) or here (thanks Food & Nutrition magazine)!