Turkey Pesto Wrap Recipe

This is a new recipe that was fabulous.  It is perfect for those hot summer nights when heating up the kitchen is impractical, or on a busy week day night.  They can be made the day before, and would be an excellent lunch item.

All you need to get started are a few items:  whole grain tortillas, pesto, fresh baby spinach, shredded cheddar cheese, turkey breast, and tomato.

Spoon some pesto into the middle of a tortilla, and spread out evenly.

Next place a layer of baby spinach on top.

Sprinkle on some cheese.

Layer on some turkey.

Add some tomato.

And start rolling.

I discovered placing the tomatoes a bit closer to the bottom of the tortilla and pulling them down as I rolled, helped it roll more evenly.

Slice in half, and serve with asparagus.  If you are feeling less veggie, tortilla chips and salsa would make an excellent side for this wrap, too.

Each wrap contains just 332 calories!  It seemed as if the cheese did not add much to the flavor to this wrap and could be omitted for less fat and calories.  If calories are not much of a concern, mozzarella or parmesan might be a better flavor option with the pesto.  Although one wrap with the asparagus and a glass of Pino Grigio was a satisfying meal for me, my husband required two wraps.

Prep Time:  10 minutes  Cooke Time:  0 minutes  Servings:  6 wraps

Ingredients

6 Mission Mutli-Grain Plus Flour Tortillas
6 tablespoons of Classico Pesto Sauce
1 cup fresh baby spinach
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
12 slices of turkey
1 tomato, sliced thinly into 12 pieces

Preparation

Evenly spread the pesto onto a tortilla.  Layer the ingredients in the order listed, placing the tomatoes near the bottom of the tortilla.  Starting at the bottom, roll the tortilla up tightly.  Slice and serve.  Asparagus compliments this wrap as would chips and salsa.  Enjoy.

Menu Planning Monday, Week of 7/19/2019

Monday:  Dinner Out
Tuesday:  BBQ Chicken Breast with corn on the cob and cole slaw
Wednesday:  Turkey Pesto Wraps with Asparagus
Thursday:  Hot Dogs with cole slaw
Friday:  Tacos with Margaritas
Saturday:  Grilled Salmon with Lentil Tabouli
Sunday:  Left over buffet

The Turkey Pesto Wraps and Grilled Salmon with Lentil Tabouli are new recipes.  If they are good, the recipes will be posted.  Hope you have a great week.

Slap-Your-Momma Grilled Chicken Burritos

This recipe was suggested to me recently, however it came with a warning:  these burritos are so good they will make you want to slap your momma.  Fortunately for my mom, she lives 500 miles away because these burritos live up to the reputation.

To get started line up your actors:

Pictured above is a lemon, sour  cream, mexicorn, spicy brown mustard, black beans, an onion, cilantro, shredded cheddar cheese, tortillas, and some cooking spray.

Now it is time to discuss chicken.  I frequently have cooked chicken in my refrigerator that I make in the crock pot, however this day, I did not.  So, I took some frozen, boneless, skinless chicken breast and cooked them in boiling water over low heat for about an hour. 

A rotisserie chicken would work, as would any cooked chopped chicken breast.  I like the slow cook methods of crock pot, or poaching because it makes the chicken easy to shred.

I like shredded chicken for burritos.

Okay, so enough about chicken, because it is possibly the least interesting part of this burrito.  Lets move onto the creamy cilantro dressing.  In a small bowl mix some sour cream, mustard, lemon juice, onion, and cilantro. What happens in this bowl is nothing less than real world magic.

Next, open and rinse the beans and corn.  For those of you with small kids, or kitchen elves as I like to call them, these are things that they can help with.  As proof, here are my elves:  one mixing the cilantro dressing, the other mixing beans and corn.

Okay, so maybe elf #2  was playing with a nectarine, but we were having a lot of fun making these burritos.

Back to the burritos!

So far, we have a bowl of delicious, creamy cilantro dressing, and bowl of beans and corn.  Grab some  shredded chicken, cheddar cheese, and tortillas.

Mix everything but the tortillas together in one bowl, and get ready to roll some burritos.

Rolling the burritos turned out to be a bit more challenging than I had expected.  I think this has something to do with the tortillas I used.  They were a whole grain tortilla, that was prone to cracking.  Although whole grain tortillas are the more healthy option, a flour tortilla would likely function better.  Start by placing a small amount of filling just below the center of the tortilla.

Flip the bottom half over, pulling the filling towards you, while folding in the sides.

Continue to roll the burrito the rest of the way.

Once all the burritos have been rolled, spray them with some cooking spray, and heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat.  Grill the burritos in batches, pressing down on them, for a few minutes on each sided until the inside becomes warm and melted, and the outside is brown and crunchy.

Top with some salsa and guacamole, and serve with some tortilla chips to make a beautiful, delicious meal.

Fortunately I had been fore warned about the effects these burritos could have on one's family, so I came to the table equipped with a helmet. No mommas were harmed in the consumption of this meal.

Here is the recipe as it was given to me.  Since I was using items already in the house, I used a light sour cream, and regular shredded cheddar.

Skillet-Grilled Mexican Burritos

 

Prep Time:  15 minutes Cook Time:  20 minutes  Servings: 8 to 10 burritos

 

CREAMY CILANTRO SAUCE

2 tsp. Dijon or Spicy Mustard

1 tsp. Lemon Juice

2 tsp. Chopped Onion

1/4 cup Cilantro leaves

1 cup Fat Free Sour Cream

 

Mix all ingredients in a bowl, and stir thoroughly.  Sit aside.

 

SKILLET-GRILLED BURRITOS

2 cups chopped cooked Chicken Breasts

1 (15 oz) can Black Beans, rinsed and drained (low sodium)

1 (11 oz) can Mexicorn

1 cup of grated fat free cheddar cheese

8 (8 inch) soft taco-size whole wheat tortillas, warmed

Vegetable Cooking Spray

 

Put all ingredients in a large bowl and add Creamy Cilantro Sauce.  Stir until thoroughly mixed.

 

Spread 3/4 cup of mixture just below the center of each tortilla.  Fold opposite sides of tortilla over filling, and roll up.  Coat burritos with cooking spray.

 

Coat a hot griddle or nonstick skillet with cooking spray.  Cook burritos in batches over medium heat, pressing gently with a spatula, 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until golden brown and cheese is melted. 

 

Salsa and Chips are a nice side serving, if desired.

Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are a favorite of mine.  Every time I find a new way to eat them, I get all sorts of excited.  Lately I have had a mild obsession with eating stuffed sweet potatoes for lunch.  It is fast, delicious, and one of those meals that knock out your veggie requirement for the day.

To start, get a medium sized (about 5 inches) sweet potato.  Wash, dry, and poke it with a fork.

Microwave on high for 5 minutes, or until the sweet potato is soft through out.  While waiting on the microwave, mix some black beans, corn, and salsa in a bowl.  I have been known to throw some peas, chicken, or rice into the mix, too.  Honestly it all depends on what is in the fridge on any given afternoon.

Part of what keeps the obsession with this meal going is the chipotle salsa.  I could eat this stuff all day long.  I'm choosy about the brand, but it is absolutely delicious.

Once everything is mixed, slice open the sweet potato, and mash down the inside with a fork.

Stuff as much stuffing into the potato as it will hold, and top with a dollop of guacamole or sour cream and enjoy.

Second to how delicious this is, is the fact that the entire meal is less than 300 calories!

Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Prep Time: 5 minutes  Cooke Time:  10 minutes  Servings: 1  Calories per Serving: 289

Ingredients

1 medium sweet potatoes 
¼ cup black beans
¼ cup corn
¼ cup salsa
1 tablespoon guacamole

Directions

Wash and dry the sweet potato, then poke several times with a fork.  Microwave on high for 5 minutes until the potato becomes soft through out.

While potato cooks  mix the black beans, corn, and salsa in a small bowl.

Cut open the cooked potato and mash the insides down with a fork.  Fill with the bean mix, and top with guacamole.

Sock Yarn to Socks: Here we go!

Not too long after Christmas I picked up this beautiful, green, hand painted sock yarn from Yarns, Ect...

Cascade Yarns' Heritage is 75% merino superwash wool and 25% nylon:  I was determined to make myself a pair of luxurious socks.  However, other projects kept coming up, getting top priority.  There was the ballet sweater, the teddy bear, the baby hat, the wash cloths.  Oh how I went nuts making log cabin wash cloths for a while!  Every time a project was complete, I'd go to my yarn bin, pull out the sock yarn and say, "Okay, today is the day," then I'd hold it, love on it a little, then put it away.  I have now been sitting on this yarn for six months.  Perhaps I'm hoping if I sit on it just long enough it will eventually hatch into a pair of beautiful, luxurious socks in just my size.

The truth is, this yarn scares me to death.  Not only is it the most beautiful yarn I've owned, it is so very fine.  And then there are the sock needles:  so tiny!  I'm frightened of turning this gorgeous, hand painted yarn into a disaster.  So, I avoid it.  I make a few more wash cloths, another hat, and use up the last bit of cotton yarn in my stash. Yesterday when I went to the yarn stash, and said, "Self, today is the day,"  it made it out of the bin and onto the kitchen counter.

By the end of the evening, and many expletives later due to knots and tangles, it was a ball.

Since there is no time like the present to face one's fears, as putting such matters off indefinitely cannot be healthy, cast on has commenced.

Wish me patience, as it will be needed!

Veggie Subs Recipe

Be forewarned, this is a ridiculously large sandwich.  That being said, it is delicious, and packed full of veggies.  The whole family will eat it, and when I'm feeling particularly ambitious, homemade french bread is divinity.  This is the perfect solution at the end of one of those days when you realized you've consumed no veggies.

Start by slicing a small red onion, and put it into a large bowl.

Next, slice up  1/4 of a large red bell pepper and add it to the bowl.

Slice 1/2 of a green bell pepper and add it to the bowl.  This is where things start to get pretty.

Grab a couple of large portabello mushroom caps, wipe them down well with a wet paper towel, and remove the stems.  Then take a minute to admire them, for they are truly magnificent.  

Once your admiration is complete, slice them, and add them to the bowl.

Next in a separate bowl, whisk together 1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 tablespoon cider vinegar, 1 teaspoon chopped garlic, 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon coarse ground pepper, and 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning.  Add this to the bowl and toss.

 Let this sit for a few minutes while you preheat the oven to 400°, then sautee them over medium heat in a large skillet until the mushrooms are brown, and the veggies slightly soft.

While the veggies are cooking, shred some Monteray Jack cheese.  The pre-shredded  stuff just doesn't melt right, so take the time to put a block to the grater and you won't regret it.

To assemble the subs, take two small french loaves and cut them in half.  Next, cut the halves in half to make sub-like rolls.  Stuff the veggie mix into the bread and top with cheese.  Place the subs into the oven about three to five minutes to melt the cheese. Serve it with some baked chips, and call it a meal.

Veggie Subs

Prep Time:  15 minutes  Cook Time:  15 minutes  Servings:  4

Ingredients

1 small red onion
1/4 red bell pepper
1/2 green bell pepper
2 large portabello mushroom caps
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon coarse ground pepper
2 to 4 ounces shredded Monteray Jack cheese
2 small french loaves

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°.

Slice the vegetables and place them in a large bowl.  Mix the oil, vinegar, and seasoning in a separate bowl, then toss with the vegetables. 

Sautee the vegetables over medium heat until the vegetables are tender, and the mushrooms brown. 

Cut the french bread in half to make four sub rolls, and stuff each with the vegetable mixture and top with cheese.

Bake sandwich for three to five minutes until cheese is melted.

Mango Breakfast Smoothie Recipe

This fast and delicious smoothie is refreshing way to start the day.

Mango Breakfast Smoothie

Prep Time: 5 minutes  Cook Time: NA  Servings:  2

Ingredients

1 cup non-fat vanilla Greek yogurt
1 medium banana
2 Tablespoons ground flax seed*
1 cup frozen mango chunks
1 ounce mango nectar* *(Trader Joe's)
1 cup unsweetened almond milk

Preparation

Place all ingredients in a blender and mix well.  Use additional almond milk to achieve desired consistency.  
Enjoy.

*Almonds make a great substitute for flax seed.

**Orange juice makes a good substitute if mango nectar is not available, however the resulting smoothie will be less sweet.