Whole 30 Chicken Burgers with Eggplant over Arugula

Last summer, I discovered the Whole 30 way of eating. I did one successful Whole 30 that ended in September 2017. While eating Whole 30 meals, I realized how amazingly tasty healthy foods could be. I still try to eat Whole 30 compliant meals as much as I can (eggs, eggs, and more eggs), but have not gotten out the cookbook in awhile. I recently tried the recipe for these chicken patties with eggplant and it was so good!  The original recipe uses the grill for the chicken patties and eggplant, but I pan fried the chicken and roasted the eggplant. This meal was so filling and flavorful! The Whole 30 Cookbook has a recipe for homemade mayonnaise. I used a Whole 30 compliant mayonnaise (no sugar, soy free, made with avocado oil) and added in the fennel and garlic. The mayonnaise was amazing. After posting a picture of the meal on Facebook, many friends asked for the recipe, so I'm posting it here. Enjoy!

I made the decision that I am starting my next Whole 30 on July 18, 2018. Who wants to join me?

Recipe for Whole 30 Chicken Burgers with Eggplant over Arugula
INGREDIENTS:
For the mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 fennel bulb, trimmed, cored, thinly sliced and chopped
2 cloves of minced garlic
1/2 cup of Whole 30 Compliant Mayonnaise
For the Chicken Burgers
2 Tbsp. of dried basil
2 Tbsp. of minced roasted red peppers
1 tsp. of dried oregano
3/4 tsp. of kosher salt
1/2 tsp. of ground fennel seeds
 1 1/2 pounds of ground chicken (light and dark meat)
For the Eggplant
1 small or medium eggplant (l pound or less)
2 Tbsp. of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt
Black Pepper

For assembling
4 cups of Baby Arugula
Tomatoes on the vine, sliced thin
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Balsamic Vinegar


DIRECTIONS:
For the mayonnaise:
In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add in the fennel and cook for about 10 minutes, or until the fennel is softened and golden brown in color. Then add in the minced garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for one minute. Transfer the mixture to a small container and cool. Wipe out the skillet. Stir in the mayonnaise with the fennel and garlic. Cover with lid and chill in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Slice the eggplant into 1/2-inch thick rounds. Put the olive oil in a bowl and get a rimmed baking pan ready. Slick each side of the eggplant rounds with the olive oil and then place on the baking pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place in oven, cook for 10 minutes. Flip, and then sprinkle the other side with salt and pepper. Cook for an additional 10 - 15 minutes.

For the patties:
While the eggplant cooks, combine the dried basil, peppers, oregano, salt, and fennel seeds in a large bowl. Add in the chicken and mix well, using your hands, until well combined. Form mixture into 4 patties, about 3/4-inch thick each. In the same skillet you used for the fennel and garlic, heat oil over medium high heat. Add in 2 chicken patties (if your skillet is large enough, you can cook all 4 at the same time) and cook 6 - 7 minutes. Then flip and cook for an additional 4 - 5 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Remove from skillet and add in the rest of the patties and cook until done.

Arrange 1 cup of arugula onto four plates. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic. Top with roasted eggplant rounds and tomatoes. Add on the chicken patty and top with the fennel garlic mayonnaise. Yum! 

Recipe makes 4 servings.
Recipe Adapted from The Whole 30 Cookbook

Chicken Enchilada Soup

A few weeks ago, I came across the recipe for this soup on Facebook. One of my friend's family members had posted the recipe to her page, and it intrigued me. I looked over the ingredients and at first did not think that the soup was something that I would want to try. I had remembered my friend saying that she had tried the recipe and that her family loved it, so I went back and looked at the recipe again because I usually like the meals that she suggests. After reading the second time, I realized that the vegetable ingredients are pureed, and that the chicken and beans are then added in to the pureed mixture. I tried to imagine how it might taste and decided I wanted to give it a go, especially because it sounded like a healthy recipe. I'm so glad I tried it! I made the recipe last Saturday. I was shocked by how easy it was to make. The soup was thoroughly enjoyed by me, Greg, Wendy, and my parents. Even my father liked the soup, which was surprising, because it has onion and red pepper (he usually refuses anything with those two ingredients). The recipe makes a TON of soup, so we ate leftovers all week and nobody complained. Wendy really likes the soup too, which is great, because it is full of vegetables and protein. I served the soup with corn pudding (tomalito), avocado, Greek yogurt, Goya-brand pico de gallo, queso fresco cheese, and crispy tortillas. I know I will definitely be making this soup again very soon. I am super appreciative to my friend's sister for posting this amazing recipe on Facebook! I hope you enjoy this meal as much as we did.

Recipe for Chicken Enchilada Soup

INGREDIENTS:
8 ounces of chicken or vegetable broth
1 1/2 pounds of boneless skinless chicken breasts
4 medium Russet potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and chopped
1 medium yellow onion, quartered
3 cloves of garlic, chopped in half
1 small red bell pepper, with seeds and removed, chopped
4 cups of butternut squash, cubed (time saving tip - buy it from the store already chopped for you)
1 can of diced green chiles
3 cans of great northern beans
8 ounces of tomato sauce
1 cup of full-fat Greek yogurt or sour cream
1/4 cup of your favorite taco seasoning
Toppings/Sides
Sliced avocado
Queso fresco cheese
Salsa/Pico de Gallo
Drizzle of olive oil
Full-fat Greek yogurt/Sour Cream
Baked tortillas (brush each side of a small flour tortilla with olive oil, sprinkle on salt on each side, bake at 375 in oven for about 4 minutes per side or until done to desired crispiness)
Corn pudding - can be served on the side or served as a topping

DIRECTIONS:
Put the broth, chicken breasts, russet potato, sweet potato, yellow onion, garlic, red bell pepper, butternut squash, diced green chiles in a large pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Once it comes to a full boil, reduce heat to medium and simmer, covered, for about 20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Use a slotted spoon to remove the chicken from the broth and set on a plate to cool. Turn the heat to the stove top off. Ladle soup about 2/3 full into a blender and puree each batch until smooth. Pour the pureed mixture into a large bowl. Once all of the soup from the pot is pureed, pour back into the pot. Stir in the Greek yogurt (or sour cream), tomato sauce, beans, and taco seasoning. Then use a fork to shred the chicken into smallish pieces. Add the chicken into the pot and stir. Put pot over stove top again and set on medium-low heat to warm through. Ladle soup into bowls and serve with desired toppings.

Recipe makes approximately 14 servings.

Recipe Adapted from: Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

I like things in my life to be fairly simple. That is why this slow cooker chicken tortilla soup recipe is a winner in my book. The soup itself requires barely any prep time at all. If you want to really save time with this recipe, you can opt out of doing the tortilla crisps, and just use store-bought tortilla chips instead. I think the tortilla crisps add a nice touch, though. Greg and I enjoyed the chicken tortilla soup for lunch and dinner last week. We topped it with avocado, sour cream, white cheddar cheese, and the tortilla strips. I found that the soup actually tasted even better after being in the fridge for about a day, since it gave a chance for the flavors to meld together even more. I will definitely be making this soup many times this fall and winter! I hope you will give it a try, too. Enjoy!

Recipe for Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

INGREDIENTS:
For the soup
5 cups of chicken broth
1 (29-ounce) can of diced tomatoes

1/2 cup of diced yellow onion
4 cloves of garlic, pressed (or 1 tsp. of garlic powder)
2 tsp. of cumin powder
1 Tbsp. of chili powder
1 tsp. of paprika
1/2 tsp. of ground coriander
A pinch or two of salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 1/2 pounds of boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 (14.5-ounce) cans of  black beans
2 cups of frozen corn
2 Tbsp. of freshly squeezed lime juice
1/4 cup of fresh cilantro leaves, torn (buy U.S. grown)

For the tortilla strips
4 8-inch flour tortillas
2 Tbsp. of vegetable oil
1/2 tsp. of ground cumin
1/4 tsp. of cayenne pepper
Salt

For topping
Chopped avocado
Grated cheese (we used sharp cheddar)
Sour cream (or full-fat Greek yogurt)
A few cilantro leaves

DIRECTIONS:
For the soup
Put the chicken broth, tomatoes, onion, garlic, and spices into the bowl of a slow cooker. Add the salt and pepper. Drop the chicken into the mixture, cover with the slow cooker lid, and cook on low heat for 6 hours (or until chicken is cooked and shreds easily with a fork).
Use a slotted spoon to remove the chicken from the slow cooker and transfer to a plate. Use a fork to shred the chicken into smallish pieces. Then add the chicken back to the slow cooker and stir in the beans, corn, lime juice, and cilantro. Cook for an additional 10 - 15 minutes. While it finishes cooking, make the tortilla strips.

Once tortilla strips are finished, ladle the soup into bowls and top with grated cheese, sour cream (or full-fat Greek yogurt), chopped avocado, and tortilla strips.

*If you make the soup later in the day like I did, ladle the soup into airtight containers and store in the fridge. Reheat in a pan over medium-low heat on the stove top. I actually found that the soup got even better leftover because the flavors melded together more in the fridge! 

For the tortilla strips
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly oil a baking sheet with Misto or Pam.  In a small bowl, stir the oil and spices together. Brush each side of a tortilla lightly with the oil mixture (about 1/2 tsp.per side - you will not use all of the mixture). Then stack the flour tortillas together on a cutting board and cut into desired sized strips.. Put the strips in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet and sprinkle salt over top. Place in oven and cook until crispy, about 10 - 15 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheet until ready to use. Any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for a few days.

Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe makes approximately 8 servings.

Chicken Tortilla Soup recipe adapted from: Cooking Classy
 Tortilla Strips recipe adapted from: Food.com

Maple and Mustard Palate-Pleasing Chicken

I came across this chicken recipe several weeks ago on a blog called "Witty in the City." I thought it sounded really good, and I wanted to make it, but every time I planned to, something else would get in the way of the dinner plan. I finally made it a few days ago, and it was just as tasty as I thought it would be. It seriously was so easy to prepare, and Greg absolutely loved it. The original recipe is called "man-pleasing chicken," and although that seems like an appropriate name, I decided to call it palate-pleasing chicken, because you don't have to be a man to enjoy this chicken! To be honest, I actually didn't get to have the maple and mustard chicken for dinner. I bought bone-in chicken thighs, and didn't realize that one pound of the meat would only be two pieces of chicken. Greg has been teaching an evening sailing class this week, so I decided to let him eat it when he got home from work for two nights in a row, rather than make it one dinner for the two of us. I did get to sample it when it was fresh out of the oven, and I really did have to stop myself from eating it all. I hope Greg appreciates what a nice wife I am! If you are looking for a quick (45 minutes) and easy meal to serve, try this chicken recipe. It is totally savory, comforting to the soul, and delicious. I think it would taste great with some mashed sweet potatoes and a green vegetable, or with white rice and a vegetable (I served it with carrots). When Greg was eating it last night, Wendy was eating her dinner, and he let her try a piece. She ate it, her eyes got wide, and we swear she shouted out "Mmm, it's good!" Not only will you love this chicken, but your kids will probably love it too. Enjoy!

Recipe for Maple and Mustard Palate-Pleasing Chicken

INGREDIENTS:
2 pounds of bone-in chicken thighs
Salt and pepper
3/4 cup of Dijon mustard
1/3 cup of pure maple syrup
1 1/2 Tbsp. of rice vinegar
1 1/2 Tbsp. of fresh rosemary

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. While the oven is heating, prepare the sauce. In a smallish bowl, mix together the Dijon mustard, maple syrup, and rice vinegar. Set aside. Line a baking dish with foil. Place the chicken thighs in a single layer into the dish. Salt and pepper the chicken. Then pour the sauce over the chicken, and use a fork to gently turn the chicken in the sauce so it gets pretty coated. Put the chicken thighs into the oven and cook for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees using an instant-read meat thermometer. Halfway through cooking, carefully spoon some of the sauce in the dish over the chicken and rotate your baking dish. Once finished cooking, remove the chicken from the oven and immediately sprinkle with the rosemary. Let cool for a few minutes, then serve with your favorite sides. 

Recipe Source: Witty in the City, originally from the I Love Trader Joe's Cookbook

Tarragon Chicken Salad

This chicken salad was served at my wedding almost 7 years ago. The last 7 years have really flown by. They say that if a couple has been married for 7 years that their chances of staying together increases dramatically. I hope that is true for me and Greg. We have had a lot of ups and downs in our years of marriage, but I feel that we are always moving forward and for the most part, improving our lives together.

Last weekend Greg's parents, aunt, and uncle came into town for a short visit. The men were in charge of communicating and making the plans, and if you know men, you know that they are not good communicators and not great planners. I had planned on making everyone lunch on Sunday, but on Saturday afternoon I found out that the group wouldn't be able to do lunch.  I had already bought tons of croissants and other ingredients for chicken salad sandwiches, so I decided to make the chicken salad anyways. I chose to make the tarragon chicken salad because it looked easy and because I remembered how much I had liked it on my wedding day. It is hard to believe I haven't had it since then! This recipe is great to make for a crowd (or to make so you have lunch for a week straight - like we did) and you can serve it over lettuce or in a sandwich. We love it on croissants with some romaine lettuce. Enjoy! 

Recipe for Tarragon Chicken Salad

INGREDIENTS:
3 pounds of boneless chicken breasts

1 1/2 cups of heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup of Greek Yogurt (or sour cream)
1/2 cup of mayonnaise
3 stalks of celery, diced
2/3 cup of walnut pieces
1 Tbsp. plus 1/2 tsp. of dried tarragon leaves
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Arrange the chicken breasts into a casserole dish in a single layer and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Pour the cream over the chicken. Put the casserole dish into the oven and cook for 30 - 40 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through (cuts easily, no pinkness in the middle, internal temperature registers to 165 degrees on instant digital meat thermometer). Remove the chicken from the oven and allow it to cool.

Shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces and place into a large bowl. Mix together the Greek Yogurt (or sour cream) and mayonnaise in a small bowl and add into the chicken. Mix well with a fork. Add in the diced celery, walnuts, and tarragon. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Taste, and add in more tarragon, salt, and/or pepper, as desired.

Serve over lettuce, or make it into sandwiches. We love this chicken salad on croissants with a few leaves of romaine lettuce.

Recipe makes approximately 8 - 12 servings. 

Recipe from the Silver Palate Cookbook

Shredded Mexican Slow Cooker Chicken (like Cafe Rio)

Please visit my new website, Make It and Bake It with Beth, for this Shredded Mexican Slow Cooker Chicken recipe. 

Easy Chicken Risotto with Caramelized Onions

Last weekend my husband very graciously volunteered me to make a meal for one of our neighbors. Wasn't that nice of him? Just kidding, I was happy to make a meal. Our neighbors have been our second Home Depot since we started these home renovations forever ago. If Greg needs anything, he just goes over to Don's house, because Don has almost everything! We are lucky to have such awesome and generous neighbors. Anyways, I chose to make this risotto dish for Don and Rita because it makes a lot, it is comforting, and it is delicious. They told me it was one of the best things they have ever had! I've made this risotto many times before, and I was actually shocked that I had never posted the recipe on the blog. In the past, I actually cooked the chicken - but I decided to cheat this time. When I stopped in the grocery store to pick up the lemon and parsley, I saw the cooked rotisserie chickens and they called my name. Let me tell you, it made things SO much easier when I made the meal, and I think I will always "cheat" when I make this risotto. This risotto is fairly easy to make and it is absolutely amazing. It is definitely one of my favorite winter time meals. If you have never made risotto at home but have always wanted to, I suggest you try this recipe. Enjoy!

Recipe for Easy Chicken Risotto with Caramelized Onions

INGREDIENTS:
For the caramelized onions:
2 1/2 tsp. of olive oil
1 yellow onion, very thinly sliced
1/4 tsp. of granulated sugar

For the risotto:
One fully cooked rotisserie chicken (make it easy - purchase at your grocery store)
6 cups of chicken broth
4 Tbsp. of unsalted butter, divided
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 cups of Arborio rice
1 cup of dry white wine (I used cooking wine)
3/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
2 tsp. of freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 Tbsp. of chopped parsley
Freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:
Make the caramelized onions first. Put the olive oil into a large skillet and set over medium heat. Add in the onions and sugar to the skillet and toss to coat. Cook the onions, stirring frequently, until they are golden brown in color. It takes about 12 -15 minutes for the onions to caramelize. Transfer the onions to a bowl or plate and set aside.

Put the chicken broth into a fairly large saucepan and set over medium high heat. Allow it to come to a simmer while you start the risotto. Put the 2 Tbsp. of butter into a Dutch oven and set over medium heat. When the butter melts, add in the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds. Then add the Arborio rice to the pot and stir to coat with the butter. Cook and stir until the grains are translucent around the edges, about 2 - 3 minutes.

Add in the wine to the pot and stir. Cook, stirring the entire time, until the wine is fully absorbed - about 2 minutes. Stir 5 cups of the simmering broth into the rice (save the remaining broth for later and keep it over medium low heat so it stays hot or turn off heat and then bring it to a simmer just before the risotto is finished cooking). Reduce the heat  on the rice to medium-low, cover the pot, and simmer for 15 - 20 minutes. Stir two times during the cooking. The risotto is done when almost all the liquid has been absorbed.

Add 1/2 cup of the hot broth to the risotto and gently stir until the risotto becomes creamy, about 3 minutes. Add in the Parmesan cheese and stir. Remove the Dutch oven from heat, cover, and let sit for 5 minutes.

While the risotto is resting, shred the chicken into small pieces. If you had the chicken in the fridge, zap the shredded chicken on low in the microwave until it is warm. Then stir the chicken and the caramelized onions into the risotto. Set the pot back over low heat. Add in the rest of the butter, the lemon juice, and the parsley and stir well. Grind some freshly ground black pepper over the risotto, if desired. Serve immediately.

Recipe Adapted from: Annie's Eats

*Recipe makes about 8 servings - the risotto is also great leftover (just zap for about a minute in the microwave). Store in an airtight container in the fridge. 

Restaurant-Style Chicken Fajitas

Please visit my new blog, Make It and Bake It with Beth, for the restaurant style chicken fajitas recipe. 

White Chicken Chili-Soup

I hope everyone had a very nice Thanksgiving holiday. I have really enjoyed my extra days off from work. I am sure that everyone probably ate way too much on Thanksgiving, and the foods that they ate were pretty gluttonous. That is why I am choosing to post this recipe for this chili-soup, because it is a healthy & delicious meal! I call this a chili-soup because it really is a cross between the two. It is not too chunky or too soupy, it is just right! My friend emailed me this recipe last year from All Recipes. I have made it a few times, and it never disappoints. It is packed full of delicious flavors - including cumin, cilantro, and lime. The recipe makes at least 10 servings, so it is really good for leftovers. Make sure to top it with your favorites - I chose to top mine with grated cheddar cheese, avocado slices, and tortilla chips. Enjoy!

Recipe for White Chicken Chili-Soup 

INGREDIENTS:
3 Tbsp. of Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
5 (5 - 6 ounce) skinless & boneless chicken breasts, cubed
2 large yellow onions, chopped
6.5 cups of chicken broth
2 (4 ounce) cans of diced green chiles
2 tsp. of garlic powder
1 Tbsp. of ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp. of dried oregano
1/2 tsp. of cayenne pepper
A dash or two of salt
2/3 cup of fresh cilantro leaves
4 (15.5 ounce) cans of cannelini beans
Juice of 1/2 lime
Toppings: cheddar cheese, sliced avocados, tortilla chips, sour cream
DIRECTIONS:
Heat the olive oil in a large pot set over medium-high heat. Put in the chicken pieces and chopped onion and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add in the chicken broth, green chiles, garlic powder, cumin, oregano, cayenne pepper, salt, and cilantro. Allow the mixture to come to a boil and then immediately reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 - 20 minutes. Add in the beans and simmer for another 5 minutes. Make sure that the chicken is cooked all the way through (I usually take a piece out and cut into it with a knife to make sure the inside is not pink, that way I know it's done). Turn the heat off and then squeeze in the lime juice. Stir soup, and season to taste. Serve each bowl of soup with your favorite toppings.

Recipe Adapted from: All Recipes