Tuesday, May 23, 2017

Chicken Fajitas

This is an easy and fun meal for any time of the year. I just grab the freshest vegetables, onions and some seasoning and we're all set!

Chicken Fajitas

1 1/2 lb chicken
2 or 3 bell peppers
1 large onion
2 tbsp Original Seasoning Blend
2 tbsp Olive-N-Grape Persian Lime Olive Oil
1 tbsp Olive-N-Grape Hot Chili Olive Oil

Optional for topping and serving:
2 tbsp chopped green onions
1 tbsp chopped cilantro
sour cream
6-8 warm tortillas
salsa fresca
shredded lettuce
shredded cheese

Slice the chicken, onion and peppers into thin strips or small pieces. Heat the combined oils to medium high heat and add everything. Sprinkle with the seasoning blend and cook. Stir frequently until the chicken is no longer pink inside, 6-8 minutes.



That's it. Assemble as you like, this is fantastic over tortillas with salsa and lettuce. It's also great served in a bowl with rice. Have fun!

Monday, May 15, 2017

Spring Pea Pasta

I set out to make Lemon Pesto Pasta the other night. I cook the pasta and reach for the pesto, only to find that I was completely out! Oops. Happily, I think on my feet in the kitchen and grabbed a leftover piece of grilled chicken and some Parmesan. I had a bag of fresh peas in there too, waiting for something else, so I re-purposed them. I don't miss the pesto one bit.

Spring Pea Pasta

1pkg Lemon Pasta
1 grilled chicken breast, chopped or shredded
8oz fresh spring peas
1/4 cup pasta water
1 tsp butter
dash of black pepper
2-3 tbsp fresh grated Parmesan
1/4 cup Olive-N-Grape Parsley Olive Oil
1 lemon, for serving


Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and cook the pasta al dente, rinse and set aside. Steam the peas in a microwavable safe bowl, or on the stove top until crisp tender.

In a small bowl, whisk the reserved pasta water with the butter, Parmesan and Olive Oil. In a serving bowl, turn out the pasta and combine gently with the peas and chicken. Toss the sauce with the pasta, making sure to coat everything.

Serve with a squeeze of lemon on each serving.


Thursday, May 4, 2017

New Pasta Trials

We recently got in some really amazing one-pot meals. They have a great variety and are easy to make. They boast easy clean up and great taste. How could it go wrong?

Most of the ones we carry are also Vegan, so it's an easy meal to have on hand if you are or someone you know is Vegan.

This week, I made 3 different ones to see how they turned out and give you my impressions. Here you go!



First up, The Spaghetti with Herbs



This is a nice dish. It calls for 3 1/5 cups of water and it really means 1/5 not 1/2. The pasta is smooth and the flavor is rich and tomato-y. It suggests adding some sesame seeds, I suggest roasted veggies too.


Next, Trofiette Pasta with Basil Pesto


The question is, how can a Vegan Pesto be creamy? The answer is, don't drain your pasta. The silky starches from the cooked pasta, combine with the herbs to make this pesto sauce have a really great mouth-feel. The flavor is bright and the pasta is this cute wiggly shape that reminds me of moustaches. It also has sunflower seeds in it and I love their crunch, but there's never enough of them. It suggests Parmesan Cheese additions and I agree. I also suggest a couple tablespoons of unsalted sunflower seeds just because.


This leaves the Fregola with curry & raisins for last.


Okay, this one took a bit longer to cook than the directions said. The water just would not absorb! However, I think you should only cook it as long as the directions say, because it actually absorbs more as it cools (making leftovers a solid block). This isn't a curry like Indian curry. It's very mild and I ended up drizzling it with Olive-n-Grape Hot Chili Oil. I love the little nuggets of pasta, they're very fun, but I think this one needs the most additions. After the picture, I tore up some spinach to add in and extra raisins as well. I think this would be great with some browned sausage tossed in as well and maybe a few diced tomatoes.

These were so much fun. I can't wait to try more!