BLACK BEAN & CORN SOFT TACOS

This is a great dinner for the warmer weather we've been enjoying. I like to set it up as a "build-your-own-taco" bar, mainly because everyone in our family likes different ingredients. It's very easy if you just prepare everything in advance & put each ingredient in a separate bowl. Then you can pop the warm ingredients in the microwave (if you use one) to keep them hot without over-cooking.
Note: If using cast-iron skillet to heat tortillas, give the skillet plenty of time to pre-heat.

Serves 4

8 corn (or flour) tortillas (Mission brand is good.)
1 can black beans, drained & rinsed
2 tbls (more or less to taste) jalapeno peppers, minced
(gotta be Mrs. Renfro's brand! --See note below recipe)
1 Roma tomato, diced
1/2 tsp garlic salt, divided
1 cup frozen corn
1 tsp olive oil
1 small red pepper, seeded & cut into 1" x 1/4" slices
1/4 red onion, diced
1/4 tsp white pepper
1 1/2 cups shredded crispy lettuce, such as romaine
1 cup finely shredded cheese, such as Kraft's "Authentic Mexican Style" white cheese

Optional garnishes:
additional chopped tomato
chopped avocado
additional jalapeno peppers
sour cream

Cook corn in small amount of water until just done but still a bit crisp. Drain and set aside. Heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Add red onion & red pepper. Saute until onion is transparent and tender, about 7-10 minutes. Add corn, white pepper and half of garlic salt, and stir well. Set aside & keep warm.
Meanwhile, combine black beans, tomato, and jalapeno peppers in small saucepan. Add about 2 tbls water. Cook, uncovered, over medium-high heat until hot. Season with remaining garlic salt. Mixture should be moist but not soupy; keep warm. Do not allow beans to dry out; add additional water if needed.

For best results, heat the tortillas individually in a pre-heated dry skillet; cast iron is best, but non-stick will also work. Heat on each side until puffed & lightly browned. (If you want to prepare several at once, keep them in a warm oven after heating in skillet, wrapped lightly in foil or a dish towel. Watch them to make sure they do not dry out.) Fill each tortilla with 1 to 2 tbls each of the bean and the corn mixture. Top with shredded lettuce, cheese, and other garnishes, as desired. Fold tortilla in half. Serve immediately.

Note: Even if you usually do not like jalapeno peppers, try the Mrs. Renfro brand. They come pre-sliced in a 16 oz glass jar. They are really good: crisp, very flavorful, & spicy without being overly hot.

COLORADO CARROTS

Here's a carrot side dish with a tasty and unique blend of flavors. It's very quick to throw together, too!

Serves 4

6 to 8 carrots, sliced 1/4" thick
2 tbls brown sugar
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 tsp lemon pepper
1/4 tsp cumin
1/2 tbls butter

Preheat oven to 375˚. Spray a shallow baking dish with cooking spray. Place carrots in dish. Combine remaining ingredients; heat in microwave or on stovetop until brown sugar is dissolved and butter is melted. Pour over carrots in dish; toss to coat carrots. Cover dish and bake for 35-45 minutes or until carrots are tender.

Per serving:
Cals: 75
Fat: 1.7g
Chol: 4mg
Carbs: 14.9g
Fiber: 2.6g
Sugars: 10g
Protein: 1g

GRILLED HERBED CHICKEN

In keeping with the Herbes de Provence theme from the last post, here is an exceptionally simple chicken recipe. To ensure chicken is evenly-cooked & to lesson cooking time, cut each chicken breast in half (slicing parallel to the surface of the cutting board) so that each piece is approximately 1/4 inch thick.
2 large chicken breasts, each cut in half horizontally
1 tbls olive oil
1 tbls Herbes de Provence (more or less, to taste)
salt & pepper to taste

Preheat grill to medium. While grill is heating, brush chicken breasts with olive oil on 1 side. Sprinkle liberally with Herbes de Provence. Spray grill surface generously with nonstick spray. Place chicken breasts on grill, herbed side down. Brush top side of breasts with olive oil & sprinkle with Herbes de Provence. Close grill lid, and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until underside of chicken is golden brown. Flip chicken over, re-spraying grill grates if necessary. Cook an additional 2 minutes or so. Check for doneness: Chicken should be white on inside, and a sharp knife should easily pierce thickest part of chicken. Do not overcook. Remove chicken from heat & season with salt & pepper, if desired. You can also cook the chicken on the stovetop with the same ingredients.

I enjoyed this chicken on its own with a salad & some grilled veggies. My husband liked the chicken sliced over pasta. Any leftovers would be great for most any recipe calling for cooked chicken, as the spices are flavorful, yet mild. I think it would be great in a chicken salad or a chicken pot pie.

ROASTED HERBED ASPARAGUS

To celebrate Spring, here's a deliciously simple asparagus recipe. This is very similar to the Roasted Asparagus recipe that Monica posted last year
( http://balanced4fitness.blogspot.com/2009/06/roasted-asparagus.html ), but the spicing is different, and it cooks uncovered. Try both! This recipe utilizes Herbes de Provence, which you can find jarred by Spice Island at most any grocery store. --A unique blend of spices, I especially like the lavendar in the Herbes de Provence. Try it on chicken, fish, and veggies.

Note for trimming asparagus
If you've ever wondered exactly how much of the asparagus stem to trim, try this method that I read about in Cook's Illustrated:
Hold a piece of asparagus about mid-stalk in one hand. With the other hand, hold the stem end of the stalk; bend this end downward until the stalk breaks. It will break easily at just the right spot to avoid waste & to also avoid cooking the tough portion of the stalk.

1 bunch of fresh asparagus (approximately 1 lb.)
1 to 2 tbls olive oil
1 tbls Herbes de Provence
Kosher salt to taste

Preheat oven to 400˚. Rinse & trim asparagus; pat dry. Line a baking sheet with foil (optional). Arrange asparagus, all stalks facing the same direction, on baking sheet. Sprinkle with olive oil & toss gently; it is easiest to toss with clean hands. Scatter Herbes de Provence over asparagus & again toss gently. Spread asparagus out into a single layer, and sprinkle with salt if desired. Roast, uncovered, for 12-14 minutes until tender when pierced with fork. No need to turn asparagus while cooking.
Serve immediately.

Serves 4
Cal: 80
Fat: 6.9g
Chol: 0mg
Carbs: 4.4g
Fiber: 2.4g
Protein: 2.5g

ALMOND-CRUSTED CHICKEN

If you're in the mood for chicken w/a crunch, here's the recipe for you! It consists of just a few simple ingredients, yet it packs a flavorful punch. While the almonds are somewhat calorie-dense, they are also quite nutritious. Almonds are high in protein, iron, calcium, zinc, and monounsaturated fats, just to name a few nutritional perks. As a bonus, they taste great, too.
Try serving this dish with fresh green beans or asparagus and a salad--Yum!

1 1/4 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breast, trimmed of fat
2 tbls. olive oil
3 egg whites
2 oz. almonds, ground
kosher salt & coarsely ground black pepper, to taste

Place egg whites in one shallow dish or pie pan; place ground almonds in another. Slice chicken breasts into thin cutlets, approximately 1/4" or so thick. (Most chicken breasts will slice into 2 or 3 cutlets.) Meanwhile, heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat; do not allow oil to smoke. Dip each chicken in egg white & then coat 1 side of cutlet in ground almonds. Sprinkle non-almond side of cutlet with salt & pepper to taste. Transfer cutlets to skillet, non-almond side down. Gently press almonds into chicken. Cook chicken approximately 3-4 minutes, or until underside of cutlets are golden brown & edges of cutlets appear opaque & white. Carefully turn cutlets over, being careful not to dislodge almonds. Cook another 3-4 minutes, or until almond sides are golden brown & cutlets are cooked through. Test for doneness: tip of sharp knife should easily pierce thickest part of chicken. Remove cutlets to warm plate (Do not cover, or the coating will become soggy.). Scrape any remaining almonds from skillet & scatter over cutlets. Place in warm (not hot) oven if necessary--for no longer than 10 minutes; do not allow chicken to dry out.
I like this dish "as is"--I found it to be very tender & moist, but you may wish to serve w/a honey mustard sauce.

Serves 4
Per serving:
Cal: 387
Fat: 18g
Chol: 120mg
Sodium: 146mg
Carbs: 3.2g
Fiber: 1.7g
Protein: 49.7g