Blackened Chicken, Cilantro Lime Quinoa, Roasted Beets, Grilled Carrots

Monday night we had a very healthy and delicious dinner!  (At least it would have been delicious if I could have eaten it all while it was hot but that's tough to do with a toddler).  August in Houston is a time when we really hate to use our oven if we can help it so this meal was all prepared on the stove top or on the grill.  I am going to do something I usually don't do - post original recipes.  These are all great recipes on their own.  I only made a couple of small modifications to the blackened chicken but not enough to make note of!  I stumbled across the recipe for the blackened chicken one evening and we have had it a couple of times now.  You must make the avocado sauce to go with it as it is really what makes it stand out.

You'll notice that half of the plate is vegetables.  This is the new way we have been trying to eat - adding more alkaline foods to our diet - which means more vegetables.  The simple way to do it is to try to incorporate vegetables into every meal - preferably half of your meal.   For example, at breakfast we always put spinach in our Shaklee protein shakes.  Additionally, I take a handful of Shaklee's Alfalfa Complex with every meal as alfalfa is alkaline and has so many minerals due to it's deep roots.  I have never had so much energy (and at a time when I have been struggling to get enough sleep)!

Blackened Chicken with Cilantro Lime Quinoa:
http://www.sarcasticcooking.com/2012/03/15/blackened-chicken-and-cilantro-lime-quinoa/

Roasted Beets on the Grill:
http://www.livestrong.com/article/448873-how-to-roast-beets-on-the-grill/

Grilled Carrots with Cilantro and Lime:
http://www.acouplecooks.com/2011/07/grilled-carrots-with-lime-and-cilantro/

Chicken with Herb Roasted Tomatoes

So sorry for the month long sabbatical!!  My intention has been to post a recipe weekly but life was a little crazy in July.  My son Noah finally started sleeping through the night regularly at 13 months (he's now almost 16 months), however my husband and I have had a tough time sleeping through the night again!  Lately we are dependent on Shaklee's Stress Relief Formula and Gentle Sleep Complex.  Both of them work wonders but it still isn't a fun experience.  Anyway, I have several recipes I have been meaning to post so I'm getting this one out there tonight!

This recipe originates from Bon Appetit magazine.  I simplified it a bit and have to say that it is an excellent dish to make for your spouse on a date night in as it surpasses many restaurant experiences!  Don't shy away from trying this because of the number of steps.  You will not be disappointed you tried it!

 Ingredients:

•  1.5 pounds cherry tomatoes
• 6 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 2 Tablespoons McCormick garlic and herb seasoning (original recipe called for herbes de province but I really can't imagine the recipe tasting as good as it does with the garlic and herb)
• 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 pound organic chicken breasts
• 1 small shallot, minced
• 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
• Parsley, to taste (I used about 1/2 teaspoon on each plate)
• Tarragon, to taste (I used about 1/2 teaspoon on each plate)
• Salt and Pepper

Steps: 

1. Preheat oven to 450.  Combine tomatoes, 2 Tablespoons olive oil, and the garlic and herb seasoning in a large bowl.  Season with salt and pepper; toss to coat.
2. Heat 1 Tablespoon olive oil in a large oven-proof skillet until oil shimmers. (I used enamel-coated cast iron)
3. Carefully add the tomatoes to the pan.  Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast for about 10 minutes.  (The tomatoes should burst when you test them).  
4. Transfer the tomatoes back to the bowl they were mixed in previously.  Add the Worcestershire sauce to the bowl as well.
5. Pound the chicken out and season with salt and pepper.
6. Meanwhile, using the same pan from the oven (be careful to use an oven mitt so as not to burn yourself!), add 2 Tablespoons olive oil and heat over medium high and add the chicken.  The chicken should begin to brown.  Cook it for about 4 minutes on each side.  Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and allow it to rest.
7. Add the remaining Tablespoon of olive oil to the same skillet on medium heat and add the shallot.  Stir until fragrant (about 1 minute)
8. Add the 2 Tablespoons of red wine vinegar, scraping the brown bits from the pan to add to the flavor.  
9. Add the tomatoes and their juices to the pan and stir.
10. Slice the chicken and divide among plates.
11. Spoon the tomatoes and sauce over and garnish with parsley and tarragon.

 Comments on Ingredients:

• Shallots are small, round vegetables related to the onion. Shallots resemble garlic in that their structure is composed of cloves and they also have a bold flavor and strong smell.  Shallots are rich in vitamin A and Potassium.
•  Tomatoes are widely known for their outstanding antioxidant content, including, of course, their oftentimes-rich concentration of lycopene. Researchers have recently found an important connection between lycopene, its antioxidant properties, and bone health.  Tomatoes are also widely known for their benefit to heart health but only recently are researchers beginning to identify some of the more unusual phytonutrients in tomatoes that help provide us with these heart-protective benefits.