spring dinner

Red-Leaf Salad with Roasted Sweet Potatoes

| Kissablelipsbymikaila

Serves: 4
Prep: 15 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 2 sweet potatoes, peeled & cut into 1-inch chunks
  • 1 medium red onion, quartered
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • course salt & ground black pepper
  • 1 package (10 ounce) frozen cut green beans, thawed
  • 1/3 cup walnuts
  • 1 cup plain low fat yogurt
  • 2 Tablespoons white-wine vinegar
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 head (10 ounce) red-leaf lettuce, torn bite size

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 450°F.
  2. On large rimmed baking sheet, toss together sweet potatoes, onion, and oil, season with salt & pepper. Roast until sweet potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.
  3. Add green beans and walnuts to sheet; toss. Roast until green beans are tender, about 5 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together yogurt, and garlic; season dressing with salt & pepper. 
  5. Top lettuce with roasted vegetable mixture; drizzle with dressing.

Sauteed Veggie Burritos

| Kissablelipsbymikaila

Ingredients:

  • 1 Tablespoon Olive oil
  • 2 cups long grain rice
  • 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
  • 2 whole limes, juiced and zested
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
  • 2 whole zucchini, chopped
  • 1 whole yellow squash, chopped
  • 1 can corn
  • 1 bell pepper, diced
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • salt to sprinkle
  • 1 can seasoned black beans (I used non seasoned and still had great flavor)
  • 6 whole burrito-sized flour tortillas
  • 2 Roma tomatoes, diced
  • 1 cup grated cheese (ex. Monterey Jack or Cheddar)
  • Optional toppings: salsa, sour cream, guacamole, extra cilantro, hot sauce

Directions:

  1. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add rice and stir around for 2 minutes. Pour in chicken broth and juice and zest of 1 lime. Bring to boil, then reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 20-25 minutes until all the liquid is absorbed. Stir in the juice and zest from the remaining lime, then stir in the cilantro. Set aside.
  2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté onions and bell peppers for 3 minutes. Add in squash and sauté for additional 3 minutes. Add corn and black beans and sauté until heated through. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  3. Warm the tortillas in the microwave for 30 seconds. *I find it helps to add a damp paper towel on the top of the tortillas while warming in microwave.
  4. To assemble the burrito, lay out each tortilla on your work surface. Spoon on rice, then sprinkle on sauteed veggies. Top with chopped tomato, cheese, and any other topping you’d like. Tuck in the sides, then roll the burrito up as tightly as you can. Cut in half and chow down!

*If you substitute the chicken broth in the rice with vegetable broth it will be vegetarian!

Pesto Chicken, Tortellini, and Veggies

| Kissablelipsbymikaila

Ingredients:

  • 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
  • 1 lb chicken breasts or thighs boneless and skinless, cubed
  • 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes drained of oil, sliced
  • 1 lb asparagus, ends trimmed and cut in half
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 cup tortellini uncooked

Directions:

  1. In a large skillet heat 1 tablespoons olive oil on medium heat.
  2. Add cubed chicken for 5-10 minutes, turning a couple of times until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken from pan onto plate.
  3. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil, asparagus, sun-dried tomatoes, and salt & pepper, to taste. Cook on medium 5-10 minutes until asparagus is cooked through. Remove vegetables to plate with cooked chicken.
  4. Cook tortellini according to the package instructions, drain.
  5. Add cooked chicken back to the skillet. Add Basil pesto. Stir to coat.
  6. Add cooked tortellini, halved cherry tomatoes, and asparagus mixture to the skillet with the chicken. Stir to combine. Add more pesto if desired.
  7. Serve and enjoy!

Sautéed Zucchini and Corn over Ravioli

| Kissablelipsbymikaila

Ingredients:

  • 2 Tbalespoons unslated butter
  • 1 large or 2 small leeks, halved & sliced crosswise into very thin half moons and washed well (after cutting)
  • Course salt & pepper, to taste
  • 1 medium zucchini or yellow squash
  • 2 ears corn, kernels removed
  • 2 Tablespoons heavy cream or half & half
  • 1/4 chiffonade of basil
  • Store bought ravioli (I used mushroom ravioli for the picture above)

Directions:

  1. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until foamy. Add leek and season with salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until leek is translucent, about 2 minutes. Add zucchini and corn and cook until tender and color is bright, about 2 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, cook ravioli in a large pot of boiling water, to package directions.
  3. Stir in cream and basil and season with salt and pepper. Serve over ravioli.

~Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart Cooking School book