May 26, 2011

Chicken With Faux Pesto and Roasted Red Peppers Recipe

No matter how many quotes I remember or how many affirmations I write down every night... There's always this monster attached to my hips and guts and arms that won't go away.  I thought it would come off naturally once I'd become-- you know, perfect.  HAHAHAHAHA!!!!

"I'm so full of light and love, I can't fathom eating fried foods anymore."  Again, I say... HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

Folks, I LOOOOVE CRAP.  I will always love crap.  I love it.  I had zero desire to do this.  You know how when you're at rock bottom & you're like, "Monday's the day!  I am starting this diet & this time it's real!!!"  And you're flying high for three weeks until you crash face first into an entire pizza?  Yeah, I've got NONE of that going on.  I serve delicious deep fried food to craft beer drinking couples four times a week so NO...  this super buttery, rich, more-heavy-cream-please-and-eight-blocks-of-cheese French food lover's soul does NOT rejoice-- it weeps.

But alas, it's just time.  Maybe it's the acknowledgement that they just ordered summer tank tops for all of us at work (I don't even know skinny girls that like tank tops!?) .  Maybe it's that although I've gotten used to being on hurting feet thanks to 15+ years in the food industry, this new back pain is NOT something I feel like messing with and know extra pounds don't help.  But ultimately, I just feel it.  All the growing I've done the past three years, this is the last hurdle.  The BIGGEST hurdle of my life, mind you...  And being 13 pounds down (35 from the day I arrived in Chicago!), I feel really, really good and excited.  :)

So I started The 17 Day Diet if anyone wants to know the big secret.  But really it's all stuff you already know.  Eat healthy things & watch the weight disappear like magic!? NO WAY!!! 

The first 17 days of this diet are pretty dang restrictive.  Chicken, fish and vegetables are all that's allowed.  Plus two servings of low sugar fruits and two servings of 'probiotic' dairy (non-fat cottage cheese or non-fat yogurt).  And that's it! It's to cleanse you, cutting out all sugar and crap in a way that jump starts your metabolism.  You can eat constantly so it's not like you're fasting or anything.  But seriously, how many times can you eat vegetables with garlic & onions & soy sauce or have a salad with balsamic vinegar!??  You start dreaming of mashed potatoes and butter...

So I've had to get creative and come up with some super delicious things!!!  Introducing my favorite, thus far:

CHICKEN WITH FAUX PESTO AND ROASTED RED PEPPERS



 Say hello to Betty Basil Plant. 
She's the guest this week.  :)


INGREDIENTS (about 2 servings):

4-6 Basil leaves
1 1/2 cups of spring mix lettuce
1 huge honkin' garlic clove
1 tsp of olive oil
2 large spoonfuls of non-fat cottage cheese
2 chunk of roasted red pepper
2 raw boneless chicken breasts

To begin, throw the basil, spring mix, garlic and olive oil into a Cuisinart.  If you don't have a Cuisinart, feel free to just chop it up real good.


Then 'shmear' and cover three or four raw boneless chicken breasts with this faux pesto.   And really have at it!  It's mostly lettuce!  Throw the chicken in the broiler til the outsides get a little crispy and brown.  Then turn the heat down to about 350 until there's no pink inside.

Plate the chicken once it's done and cover it in cottage cheese, adding the roasted red pepper and VOILA!  It's reeeeeally delicious, you guys.  And hello!?  SUPER HEALTHY!!!  :)


I'd like to mention a couple things:

1)  I HATE COTTAGE CHEESE.  I THINK IT'S SOOOO NASTY!!! I don't in this recipe.  It's delicious & creamy!
2)  Make sure the jar of red peppers you buy has no sugar added & is low in carbs.  :)
3)  Feel free to add more basil or use more garlic to make it the way you like it.  Just don't over use the oil!
4)  If my chicken hasn't crisped up the way I want in the broiler, I'll throw it in the pan where I just cooked my veggies and sear it til it's nice & brown.  That works, too! 

Anyway, hope you guys try this one out.  Once you get the hang of it, it's super easy and again, it's truly delicious.  I wouldn't lie to you!!!  :)

HAPPY SPRING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  :)  :)  :)

Love,
MandiC.

2 comments:

Family of Food said...

Looks great! I can't wait to try it.

MandiCrocker said...

Thanks, Candy!!! :)