Lemon and Garlic Chicken Bake

Lemon and Garlic Chicken Bake

In keeping with the Italian theme (I have a couple others up my sleeve still too), I thought I would share this version of my chicken baked in foil recipe.  Since my son loves everything lemon, and enjoyed the orange and fennel chicken I cooked a few days prior, I decided to try this. It seems like there are lemon chicken recipes popping up all over social media as well, so I know it is a popular combination, and I remember a delicious version my mom made as a kid, so I was hoping to recreate that flavor.  If you slice the lemon thin enough, the pieces become so tender you can eat them whole like I did, and the garlic just soaks up the lemon juice (and oils) as well.  I served this dish over mung beans (a Dr. Oz favorite), cooked with bell peppers, capers and sun dried tomatoes.  It was like a flavor explosion in my mouth, and one of my favorite dinners I have had in awhile.  So grab some lemons and go!

Cilantro and Lime Dressed Salad with Polenta Croutons

Cilantro and Lime Dressed Salad
with Polenta Croutons

If you are like me, there are nights when you want a wonderfully delicious dinner, but don't want to slave away in the kitchen for hours.  This simple meal takes care of that by using store cooked chicken and bagged salad as the base for a healthy homemade meal you can serve up as your own.  Rotisserie chickens are a quick, convenient and inexpensive way to add quality protein to your diet without a lot of extra work.  I pulled apart the chicken earlier in the day and while the polenta was broiling in the oven, quickly reheated the chicken on the stove with some lemon juice, so that every bite tasted as if the chicken had been marinating for hours.  Obviously a simply dressed salad with fresh organic vegetables is a fantastic base for any nutritious meal, but sometimes you need a little more than vegetables and protein.  That is where the organic polenta comes in. A perfect, gluten free source of carbs, the polenta roasts up into crunchy and chewy croutons unlike any you have ever tasted before.  My son and my husband couldn't get enough of them and I cannot wait to try them again with all sorts of other dishes. So get cooking!

Lemon Chicken Quesadillas

Lemon Chicken Quesadillas

This is a delicious twist on the typical Mexican chicken quesadilla, using low fat cream cheese and Parmesan cheese, which in addition to being delicious, is also high in calcium, protein and low in lactose.  I used left over chicken from my Lemon and Garlic Chicken Pasta so the chicken itself is already full of flavor, but you could easily use any type of cooked chicken, veggie chicken, or even white beans. It is simple to put together, takes mere minutes to cook and tastes ridiculously gourmet.

Lemon and Garlic Chicken Pasta

Lemon and Garlic Chicken Pasta

Nothing is easier than throwing a few ingredients into a crock pot, stepping away for an afternoon and having a delicious dinner waiting for you.  I don't often cook meat since I prefer to get my protein from vegetable sources, but I know my meat loving son and husband appreciated this meal.  Two of my favorite flavors are lemon and garlic and this dish is heavy on both, and not much else.  It could easily be served over rice, or with a side of potato or just on top of a salad, minus the sauce.  It makes a lot as well, so unless you have a large family or group to feed, you will definitely have some chicken left over to use in another recipe later in the week. ( http://www.poconopabulum.com/2013/11/lemon-chicken-quesadillas.html )

Creamy Lemon Spaghetti

Creamy Lemon Spaghetti

There are very few meals that everyone in my family will eat.  Taco night is always a hit because my daughter loves to eat soft whole wheat tortillas filled with cheese. Pizza can be hit or miss depending on the type and my kids' mood, and macaroni and cheese is usually safe, although the homemade version sometimes bothers my daughter.  But spaghetti, or more recently all pasta, is a favorite for everyone.  My picky daughter may not eat it with anything on top, not even butter, but still, I can make one meal, serve a few vegetables on the side and please everyone. 

When it comes to pasta, I believe simpler is better.  Some of my favorite dishes are nothing more than spaghetti, olive oil, garlic, tomatoes and basil, occasionally with some canned tuna thrown on top.  Super easy and nutritious.  My son has always liked lemons, and like me as a child, he even sucks on lemon wedges if I let him.  So I try to incorporate lemon flavored dishes on a regular basis and this one definitely fits the bill.  It has very basic ingredients, but a lot of flavor and can be made in about 30 minutes or less. Usually recipes for lemon cream sauce include at least a cup of heavy cream, or sour cream, but this recipe is considerably lighter.  Do not be afraid of the half and half (you could probably get away with whole milk as well) because without some fat or richness, the meal will not be as satisfying, leading you to want to eat more later.   It is great as a stand alone vegetarian dish, with some vegetables on the side, or served alongside a nice piece of grilled chicken or fish.