Things are finally starting to get back to normal around here. I've just felt....jumbled....for the past month or so since we found out about my dad's cancer. Jumbled and distracted.
Luckily now I'm starting to get back into my normal routine: working out vs. being lazy, eating healthily vs. not caring what I eat, being productive vs. distracted, etc. One of the major aids in helping me get back on track has been Google Calendar. It helps me soooooo much to have things written out and have a "plan" for each day.
Anyway, onto the food!
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First up: Chicken & Black Bean Tacos
The chicken filling was made in the slow cooker, which I hadn't used in a looooong time.
In the morning I tossed 3 chicken breasts (frozen), about 1/2 cup of green salsa, 1/4 cup of chicken broth, 1/2 teaspoon chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon of smoked paprika, 1/2 teaspoon of cumin, juice from half a lime, and a can of black beans in the slow cooker and cooked on low for 8-9 hours. When I got home I took out the chicken and shredded it and then put it back in and mixed it up.
At that point it looked like this:
Then we filled our taco shells & tortillas (I couldn't decide between soft or crispy tacos so I had one of each) with the chicken/black bean mixture, shredded cheese, plain greek yogurt (in place of sour cream which had molded), avocado, salsa and another squeeze of lime juice.
I just heated up a bag of frozen veggie mix for the side dish.
This dinner was a HUGE hit and completely satisfying. I love love love adding the black beans to the chicken filling because it makes the meat stretch further AND it adds more protein and other great nutrients.
The chicken & black bean filling would be a great topping for taco salads too!
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Then there was this Orange Pork Teriyaki Stir Fry that I threw together, taking inspiration from the Mongolian grills that are popping up all over the place these days.
The meat was thinly sliced pork chops, cut into chunks. Here's how I did it:
First I cooked the pork pieces in a teaspoon of sesame oil until mostly done. Then I added chopped baby bok choy to the pan and continued to stir fry until it got tender.
Then I added half a bag of these to the pan:
Frozen Stir Fry Veggies
Plus about 1/4 cup of this:
Orange Teriyaki Marinade
(I know, I know. Technically it's a marinade, but I didn't think ahead on this so I used it as a sauce. )
I also added a teaspoon of chopped fresh ginger and a bit of salt & pepper. Then I just let it all cook together until the frozen veggies were heated through.
For the final step, and as a last minute idea, I added half a can of mandarin oranges to the dish. I served it over brown rice.
It turned out to be quite tasty and it really did remind me of the food you would get at a Mongolian grill.
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This last one is an oldie but a goodie: Alex's Turkey Meatballs with Whole Wheat Spaghetti
Yum Yum!! Hope you're all doing well!
Tell me what's new in your lives....I'm feeling out of touch with the blog world! I'm slowly catching up on Google Reader but it's still a beast!
I'm glad you're back to being yourself... I know sometimes it feels nice to sit back and be lazy because something has stirred you, but it's always great to get back into your routine and BE yourself. I think that point for me is when I get my strength... whether I have to MAKE myself be myself and be strong or it just happens on its own. *hugs* I know this is really hard... just remember, God is the ultimate Physician.
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