Cilantro Chicken Salad

So, I think you all realize how much I love coconut.  So, now it's time to move to my other favorite in life; Cilantro.  Cilantro is one of those love it or hate it foods. If you love it though, this chicken salad is a must-try. It's full of flavor, low on mayo, and goes together really quickly.

Cilantro Chicken Salad

Adapted from Skinnytaste.com

Makes 2 sandwich servings. Or serve in a hollowed out tomato!


7 oz cooked chicken breast, shredded or diced (Use leftovers or a rotisserie)
2-3 Tb light mayonnaise
1 small green onion, chopped 
2 teas lime juice
4 Tb chopped cilantro
salt and pepper
pinch garlic powder
pinch of cumin
pinch of Chile powder

Combine chicken, mayonnaise, scallions, lime juice, and cilantro. Season to taste with salt, pepper, garlic powder, cumin, and Chile powder.

Carrot Coriander Soup - Secret Recipe Club

Good Morning! Today is one of my favorite days of the month. Secret Recipe Club time! I was assigned a fabulous blog this month; The Gorgeous Gourmet! She is from South Africa, and has a wonderful variety of recipes. Her blog is clean and very attractive. If you click on the link, and it doesn't connect, try again on another computer. My computer at work doesn't allow me to go there, but I get to spend hours on her site at home! 

I had a hard time, as usual, picking my recipe.  The Pumpkin Fritters sounded really good...but I was out of pumpkin.  A lot of her recipes were similar to mine, and I was tempted to try hers to see which recipe I liked better, but ultimately I decided to try something new. I picked the Carrot Coriander Soup! 

I only made a change of adding more ground coriander.  Coriander is the seed of the cilantro plant, and this recipe uses both coriander and cilantro. The soup really needed more flavor, so I doubled the coriander.  I also added some heavy cream when serving.  The Gorgeous Gourmet mentioned doing this. This soup is light, and would be great with a grilled cheese sandwich!

Carrot Coriander Soup

The Gorgeous Gourmet

1 Tb oil

3 cups chopped carrots (they don't have to be cut too small because everything will be pureed)

1 onion, chopped

2 teas ground coriander

salt and pepper

1 liter (4 cups) vegetable stock 

1 cup fresh cilantro 

Heavy Cream to serve 

Heat oil in a large soup pan.  Add in carrots and onion, and cook until onion is translucent. Add in the coriander, salt and pepper, and the vegetable stock.  Bring to a boil, and simmer until the carrots are cooked through. Add in 1/2 cup chopped cilantro. 

Cool the soup slightly, and use a hand immersion blender or a stand blender to blend the soup. 

Serve warm, with the extra cilantro on top as a garnish.  Add cream to soup if desired.

Enjoy!

Sweet Pork Tacos with Cilantro Lime Slaw

I am in search of the perfect shredded pork recipe. While I am more in favor of a spicy pork, this pork hit the spot for it's sweetness. Topped with a fantastic cabbage slaw with Cilantro Lime Sauce, it just made the taste buds dance!

One note. I detest Dr. Pepper. I used Coke instead, which I moderately tolerate. Actually though, you really can't taste the soda in the recipe. I think the carbonation helps tenderize the meat, and also contributes towards the sweetness. Next time though, I think I'll cut down on the brown sugar, so it's a little less sweet.


Sweet Pork Tacos with Cilantro Lime Slaw
Makeit-loveit.com


Cilantro Lime Slaw 
*I changed the quantities and ingredients of this recipe.

1 package Cole Slaw or whole shredded cabbage (I was the only one who had this, so I did 1/2 shredded cabbage)
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup cilantro, chopped
1 teas minced garlic
1/4 teas Cayenne pepper, or a dash of hot sauce
1/2 teas salt
2 Tb Lime juice
1/2 teas cumin

Combine all but the cabbage in a food processor, and process until smooth. Mix desired amount of dressing with cabbage no more than 30 minutes before serving. (I don't think the leftovers would last long)


Roasted Sweet Pork

6 lbs Pork Shoulder/Butt (I used 3lbs and had enough for 2 adults and 3 kids with leftovers)
1 19oz can Red Enchilada Sauce
1 20 oz can Dr. Pepper or Coke
2 teas Chili Powder
1 teas Cumin
1 teas Salt
1 Garlic clove, or 1 teas garlic powder
1 1/2 cup Brown Sugar (I would reduce to 1 cup)
1/2 onion, chopped
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Trim the pork of any thick fat. Combine all ingredients except the pork in a bowl. Place the pork in a slowcooker, and pour the sauce over the top.  Cook on low for 8 hours, or on high for 6. Shred meat about one hour before serving, and continue cooking.

I served this as burritos topped with the slaw and black beans.  I think the slaw added a nice fresh, crispy bite to the pork.  I'm using the leftovers in another great recipe coming soon!  You could also freeze the leftovers.

Enjoy!

Roasted Tomato Jalapeno Sauce on Sirloin Tips

I recently purchased a new cookbook with authentic Mexican recipes.  Very excited about this book, I decided to start with the Roasted Tomato Jalapeno sauce. One of the serving ideas was to serve in on top of Sirloin. Well, I'm okay with that!

The sauce is spicy with 2 whole jalapenos, and fresh with the taste of tomatoes. You can substitute canned tomatoes, but I don't think you'd get the freshness that way.



Roasted Tomato Jalapeno Sauce on Sirloin Tips 
Rick Bayless's Mexican Kitchen: Capturing the Vibrant Flavors of a World-Class Cuisine


1 pound tomatoes (2 large or 3-4 small tomatoes)
1-2 jalapenos, whole
2 Tb oil
1 small white onion, chopped finely
1-2 cloves garlic, chopped (This is my addition- the sauce needed a little more taste)
1 - 1 1/2 cups chicken or beef broth (If serving over sirloin, use the beef broth)
1 lb Sirloin, cut into bite sized pieces
Rice 
Cilantro

Grease a cookie sheet, and turn your oven broiler on to high. Wash tomatoes and jalapenos. Place them on the cookie sheet and put about 4 inches under the broiler. Roast for roughly 6 minutes, until the tomato skins bubble and blacken.  Turn over with tongs, and roast another 5-6 minutes until the other side is blackened as well. (I pulled the jalapeno's out after the first round of roasting).  Place the veggies in the freezer for 5-10 minutes to cool.

In the meantime, heat 2 Tb oil in a large saucepan.  When the oil is hot, add the onions and garlic, and saute for 8-10 minutes until soft.

Peel the tomatoes. Chop tomatoes and jalapenos finely, saving the juice. Place the chopped veggies and juice, including the cooked onions and garlic,  into a food processor or blender. Blend just a little to get big chunks, or process until smooth to use as enchilada sauce.  For this recipe, I left it chunky.  Turn the saucepan up to medium-high. When hot, pour in the sauce, and allow to cook until it's darkened and slightly thicker.  Stir often.

Cook your rice. 

In the meantime, start cooking the sirloin in another pan. Cook until brown. Add in half the sauce and cook until the sauce thickens more, and the meat is cooked through.

Serve the meat mixture over rice.  We added the extra sauce over the top to get more flavor.  Sprinkle with Cilantro and serve warm.

Enjoy!

Pineapple Cilantro Rice

When my Dad and Brother came to visit last month, it was a opportunity to try some recipes that I've been wanting to make. This rice was one of them. I paired it with the Crispy Coconut Chicken and it was the perfect side dish! And believe me, if Dad likes it... so will you!

The original recipe comes from the gals at Our Best Bites, but I changed it up a little. It's a recipe that is easily catered to fit your tastes. The rice can be any flavor, and you can add more or less of any of the ingredients.

Pineapple Coconut Rice with Lime and Cilantro

1 cup dry rice, cooked in 2 cups of water. I used Jasmine Rice- following the package directions, but you can use white, brown, neon pink... whatever you like the best!
2 TB butter
Juice from 1 large lime (You might need more. The rice absorbs the juice- taste as you go)
1-2 small cans crushed pineapple, drained
1/2 - 1 cup shredded coconut
1/4 - 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
Salt and pepper to taste

Cook your rice according to package directions. When done, add butter, and stir to melt. Add lime juice, pineapple, coconut, and cilantro. Stir to combine, tasting (a very important step!), and adding more ingredients if needed. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

Because of the nature of rice, sucking in every kind of juice in comes in contact with, you will want to serve this right away. If you don't, you might need to add some more lime juice. Otherwise, cook the rice, add the butter, and then mix in the rest right before serving.

Enjoy!

Southwest-Style Egg Rolls

My favorite "meal" at Chili's is their appetizer plate of Southwestern Egg Rolls. I confuse the waiter every time when I ask for those as my meal! Yes, they are fried, but they are also filled with veggies, and beans. Yum!

Southwest-Style Egg Rolls

2 TB Olive Oil
¼ cup Chopped green onion
4 cups fresh baby spinach
1 cup frozen corn
1 (15oz) can black beans, drained
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1 TB fresh lime juice
½ teas. Salt
2 teas. Ground cumin
6 oz Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1 (14oz) package egg roll wrappers
Vegetable oil for frying

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in onions, and cook until tender.

Stir in spinach, corn, black beans, and lime juice. Season with salt and cumin.

Remove from heat, and stir in cheese.

Place 1/4 cup of filling in the center of each egg roll wrapper. Fold in the sides, and roll egg rolls; dampen the edges with a small amount of water to seal.

In a large heavy skillet, heat enough vegetable oil to cover egg rolls over medium-high heat. Working in batches, carefully place egg rolls in hot oil, and cook until golden brown. Remove to paper towels.

You can also BAKE the egg rolls for a healthier version. To bake:
Preheat the oven to 425˚ F. Lightly oil a baking sheet with cooking spray. Place the sealed egg rolls on the baking sheet seam side down and spray the tops of the egg rolls with cooking spray. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until lightly brown, turning halfway through baking.

I made some of my Cilantro-Lime Dressing to dip these in, and it was perfect!
Well... almost. I would add 1 mashed Avocado to the dressing next time!

Eat with salsa, and a bed of lettuce or leftover spinach!

Cilantro Parsley Pesto

I love fresh Cilantro. Remember my Garlic fetish? It's worse with Cilantro. I would wear Cilantro as a scent. I think I ooh and awe over the smell of cilantro more than the smell of chocolate!

I also love Pesto. It's such a wonderful, variable food. So, why not do a Cilantro Pesto?

I took it one step further, when I saw this recipe from OurBestBites. They did a Pork Tenderloin with Chimichurri. The pesto in this recipe is so amazing that I literally crave it.

The recipe for the Pork tenderloin can be found on their site.

Here, I want to share the recipe for the Cilantro Parsley Pesto.

Big bunch of Parsley
Big bunch of Cilantro
Oregano*
2 T Fresh lime juice
1 T red wine vinegar
3 T chopped Garlic
1 T salt
1/4 t black pepper
1/4 t red pepper flakes
1/4- 1/2 C Olive Oil
Pine Nuts or Almonds sprinkled in

*Fresh Oregano is best. Use 1/2c. Otherwise, you may use 1TB dried Oregano

Now, ready for the hard part? :)

Chop Cilantro and Parsley. It is OKAY to include the stems!
Place the herbs in a food processor, with the rest of the ingredients, EXCEPT for the oil and red pepper.
Pulse several times, and place mixture in a bowl. Stir in red pepper flakes and Oil by hand. You can use less or more Oil, depending on what consistency you would like!

Chill for at least 1 hour to allow tastes to meld.



Now, what to do with this delightful concoction?

You can follow the link above and use it as a marinade on Pork.
You can spread it over chicken.
You can eat is as a dip with French bread.
You can mix it with Ranch Dressing and use on a salad.
Mix in soups, pasta sauces, or on pizza for added zest!
This freezes well! Make tons and freeze for later!

Stock up on fresh cilantro and parsley! You will want to make this over and over again!

Lime Cilantro Chicken

A few days ago, I posted a great recipe for Cilantro Lime dressing. Today's recipe is for the great looking chicken in the photo! Paired with the dressing, this is a fabulous meal!

Lime and Cilantro Chicken
(Original Recipe found HERE, but changed to fit my families' tastes!)

Enough skinless, bonesless chicken breasts, cut into strips, to feed your family
Juice of 2 limes (can also use the zest for an extra kick)
2 TB Sugar
2 teas. dried Oregano
1/2 teas. Cayenne
1 teas. ground Cinnamon
2 teas. Cilantro
Vegetable Oil

Mix all the ingredients except for the chicken in a large bowl. Add chicken and set aside to marinate for 30 minutes.

Heat vegetable oil in a large frying pan. Add chicken and cook until done.

Here's the fun part! What to do with the chicken?
1. Salad! Add the chicken to a salad, and be sure to use Cilantro Lime Dressing over the entire thing!
2. Make burritos! We made ours with black beans, chicken, salsa, guacamole, sour cream, and cheese.
3. Add onions and peppers to the pan to make Fajita's!

What can you come up with? My husband took one bite of this chicken and said "WOW!" This is a keeper in our house for sure!

Cilantro Lime Dressing

I found this amazing recipe on Rara Bakes.
It's a great food blog! Check it out today!

This dressing is similar to the salad dressing at some Mexican places like Cafe Rio and Bajio. Pour it over your salad, or any Mexican dish.
Easy to make, fabulous to eat!

Creamy Lime Cilantro Dressing

1 packet Hidden Valley Buttermilk Ranch Dressing Mix
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup buttermilk OR 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar plus enough milk to make 1/2 cup
1 lime
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup roughly chopped cilantro
1/4 cup green salsa

Put dressing mix, mayonnaise, and buttermilk in the blender. Juice the lime into the blender. Peel the garlic cloves and then grate them using the small end of a cheese grater. Add to the blender. Add cilantro and green salsa.

Blend until everything is well-combined and then refrigerate for several hours before serving.

Easy, right? And best of all, it's sooo yummy!

Look for my next recipe post- some fabulous chicken that pairs perfectly with this dressing!