Chicken Picatta

Hi. I'll skip the small talk and get straight to the Chicken Picatta. You're welcome.

Chicken Picatta

(4 servings)

4 chicken breasts, thinly sliced (about 1/2 inch thick)

1/3 Cup lemon juice

1/2 Cup chicken broth

6 Tablespoons butter

4 Tablespoons olive oil 

1/4 Cup capers, rinsed 

1/4 Cup fresh parsley, chopped

Salt & pepper, to taste

About 1/2 Cup of flour (for dredging)

1. Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Dredge the pieces in flour and shake off the excess flour.

2. Heat the olive oil and 4 tablespoons of the butter in an extra large skillet over medium-high heat. 

3. When butter is melted add the chicken pieces and cook on each side for about 4-5 minutes (cooking time will vary depending on your skillet, stove and the thickness of your chicken).

4. Remove chicken pieces from skillet and place on a plate (NOT the plate you will eat from, as the chicken is not yet done cooking).

5. Add the lemon juice, chicken broth and capers to the skillet and bring to a boil. 

6. Place chicken pieces into the pan, cover, and simmer over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes until chicken is cooked through.

7. The chicken is done! Place on a platter or on your plate.

8. Sauce time! Add the last 2 tablespoons of butter to the skillet and stir for about 30 seconds.

9. Drizzle the sauce over each chicken piece and garnish with freshly chopped parsley and thin lemon slices.

Bon appetit!

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Questions? Feedback? I would love to hear from you! Leave a comment below or email me at HTGAWC@gmail.com

Roasted Salted Almonds

I tolerate raw almonds because they are healthy and filling. But I really love my almonds roasted (and salted, please).

I buy a 3-pound bag of raw almonds from Costco and use it for all my almond needs; like making my Crunchy Cranberry Almond Granola, portioning into serving sizes to have as a snack, and roasting for an even better snack. 

Here's a simple recipe for roasted almonds...

But first, a couple things about this recipe:

1. **UPDATE!** I modified this recipe. The recipe you see below is the modified version.

2. I use a cake pan because it's easier to toss the almonds when I remove them from the oven, plus layering the almonds in a cake pan helps prevent them from sneaking to the outer areas of a large cookie sheet and burning.

3. I prefer to use coconut oil (I prefer to use coconut oil for almost everything!), but you can use any type of cooking oil.

Roasted Almonds

2 Cups raw almonds

2 Teaspoons coconut oil

1-2 Teaspoons fine salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheight. Place almonds, salt and oil into bowl and stir to combine. Place almonds into cake pan. Bake for 15 minutes, removing pan from oven every 5 minutes to stir. Almonds are done when they become darker in color. You will also be able to smell a nuttier aroma when they're done (although the coconut oil tends to mask the nutty aroma of the roasted almonds). Remove from oven and transfer almonds to a paper towel on a cool surface in order to allow the almonds to stop cooking and also drain excess oil. Add more salt if needed.

7 Rice Cake Hacks: a Week of Fun & Healthful Snacking

Let's be honest, plain rice cakes are boring. But they're a great base for a host of toppings. The possibilities are endless!

 

Here are 7 of my favorites:

What do you put on YOUR rice cakes? Share your rice cake hack pics on Instagram by including #ricecakehack in the caption of your post. 

Happy snacking!

Vibrant Vegan Salad

I love a big, colorful, flavorful, fresh salad. You just can't go wrong with a bunch of your favorite vegetables. This is great to enjoy before your entree (fill that belly with vegetables first to prevent you from over-indulging on other less-nutritious foods). Or eat this filling salad as your entree. It's guilt-free, packed with nutrients, and your body and taste buds will love it. Use whatever dressing you like if you're not a fan of olive oil and lemon juice.

Prepare this tonight for lunch tomorrow!

 

Vibrant Vegan Salad

Romaine, chopped

Red cabbage, chopped

Orange bell pepper, chopped

Yellow bell pepper, chopped

Tomato, chopped

Green onion, chopped

Avocado, chopped 

Roasted pepitas

Fresh parsley 

Dressing (olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste)

Don't worry about measurements, just use what you like, and feel free to add more of your vegetables for an even more nutritious meal! I don't believe there's such a thing as too many vegetables. The more the merrier! The avocado, pepitas and olive oil are great sources of fat and protein to make this salad a complete meal.

 

Enjoy!