Margarita Chicken with Avocado and Mango Salsa

I think mangos are becoming the perfect summer fruit - so far I've made sorbet, ice pops and now this salsa.
I have another recipe for mango chicken stir fry which I plan to make in the near future. However, I'll happily make this dish several more times throughout the summer as it's delicious hot or cold.

I ate it with freshly cooked rice and grilled chicken straight from the BBQ. Sadly there weren't any left overs but I think it'll be perfect the following day mixed together and eaten cold - a great summer salad alternative. The salsa is so colourful and has a great texture and taste combination: buttery avocados, smooth and sweet mangos, crunchy red peppers, fresh tomatoes, citrusy limes and aromatic cilantro.

I don't have any tequila at present so I gladly used margarita mix to marinade the chicken. Perhaps in the future, if I want to drink a margarita, I'll hold back on the margarita mix and simply marinade the chicken in lime or lemon juice.

I always like to cut the chicken breast into pieces and skewer them instead of grilling whole breasts on the BBQ. I think smaller pieces of meat absorb more of the marinade, but this is just my preference.

Margarita Chicken with Avocado and Mango Salsa
Makes 4
Click HERE for a printable recipe card.

Ingredients:
Marinade
- 530g / 19oz chicken breast, chopped into bite-size pieces

- 120ml / 4floz margarita mix (I use skinny/light variety), non-alcoholic

- 30ml / 2tbsp lime juice

- 1/2tbsp red pepper flakes

- 5g / 1/4cup cilantro, fresh

Salsa

- 140g / 5oz avocado, chopped
- 185g / 6.5oz mango, chopped
- 140g / 5oz tomato, chopped
- 185g / 6.5oz red pepper, chopped
- 5g / 1/4cup cilantro, fresh and chopped
- 30ml / 2tbsp lime juice
- 15ml / 1tbsp olive oil


Method:
Place the chopped chicken breast in a bowl and add the margarita mix, lime juice, red pepper flakes and cilantro. Mix gently and refrigerate for 2-4 hours.

Once marinated, place the chicken pieces on to skewers and grill for approx. 20 minutes until cooked.

Whilst the chicken is cooking, make the salsa by adding the avocado, mango, tomato, red pepper, cilantro to a bowl and stirring in the lime juice and oil.

Serve with rice. ENJOY!
Click HERE for a printable recipe card.

Nutritional Information:

Avocado Hummus

First time using cannellini beans, also known as white kidney beans. I have a red kidney bean hummus recipe I want to make, but after discovering an avocado in the fridge, which needed eating, I decided to make this avocado hummus. It's a nice alternative to my other varieties of hummus / dips (including guacamole).

I didn't add any olive oil to this version of hummus as the avocado gives the dip a smooth and creamy taste. The avocado contains healthy fats, so there's no need to add more fat with oil. Cannellini beans are high in protein and fibre and low in fat. They are popular in Tuscan and other Italian cuisine. When combined with the avocado, this is a great macronutrient dip!

Avocado Hummus
Makes 5 (66g per serving)

Ingredients:
- 60g / 2oz avocado
- 425g / 15oz / 1 can cannellini beans (white kidney beans)
- 15ml / 1tbsp bean juice
- 60ml / 4tbsp lime juice AND/OR lemon juice
- 5g / 1/4cup cilantro, fresh

Method:
Drain the can of cannellini beans, retaining 1 tablespoon of juice.
Add all ingredients to a food processor and blend together.

Spoon into a container for storage.
Serve with chopped vegetables or baked corn tortillas. ENJOY!

Nutritional Information:

Curried Chicken Quinoa with Peas

A simple and quick dinner, this recipe uses a handful of ingredients (chicken, quinoa, peas, spices) but more vegetables can be added if desired (e.g. mushrooms, peppers, courgettes, celery). I also used canned chicken breast as I didn't have any fresh chicken defrosted. Unlike other quinoa dishes, I didn't cook it separately. The uncooked quinoa and water is added to the same saucepan and everything cooked together, allowing the quinoa to absorb the curry and chili spices.

Curried Chicken Quinoa with Peas
Makes 4
Click HERE for a printable recipe card.

Ingredients:
- 110g / 4oz onion, chopped

- 2 cloves garlic, chopped 

- 225g / 8oz chicken, canned or chopped into bite-size pieces

- 420g / 15oz / 1 can diced tomatoes (no added salt)

- 1tbsp curry powder

- 1/2tbsp chili powder 

- 1tsp nutmeg

- 170g / 6oz quinoa

- 480ml / 16floz water 

- 340g / 12oz peas

- ground black pepper

Method:
In a large pan sprayed with cooking spray, cook the onion and garlic for 5 minutes. Add the chicken and cook (if using raw chicken). Add in the diced tomatoes and spices.

Add the quinoa and 2cups water (480ml). Cover with a lid and simmer  for 10 minutes.

Add the peas and cook for another 5 minutes, or until the water has been absorbed.

Add ground black pepper and serve. ENJOY!

Click HERE for a printable recipe card.

Nutritional Information:

Nutty Carrot Balls

This recipe was sent to me by a good friend. As I recently used walnuts in my Mint Chocolate Brownie recipe, I was keen to use them again. This is another no-cook, all natural recipe that uses nuts, dried fruit and vegetables, plus no added sugar! The nutty carrot balls make perfect snacks and as they don't contain any chocolate/cocoa (surprisingly), they are a tasty alternative to my previous recipes.

Also, walnuts are a great source of omega-3 fatty acids. Dr. Frank Sacks from the Department of Nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health explains 'We need omega-3 fatty acids for numerous normal body functions, such as controlling blood clotting and building cell membranes in the brain, and since our bodies cannot make omega-3 fats, we must get them through food. Omega-3 fatty acids are also associated with many health benefits, including protection against heart disease and possibly stroke. New studies are identifying potential benefits for a wide range of conditions including cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, and other autoimmune diseases such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis.'

There are two major types of omega-3 fatty acids: One type is alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which is found in some vegetable oils, such as soybean, rapeseed (canola), and flaxseed, and in walnuts. ALA is also found in some green vegetables, such as Brussels sprouts, kale, spinach, and salad greens. The other type, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), is found in fatty fish.

I often eat flaxseed in my morning porridge. It's also easy to add to smoothies and mix into yogurt. Recipes with spinach and kale can also be found on my blog.

Nutty Carrot Balls
Makes 12
Click HERE for a printable recipe card.

Ingredients:
- 60g / 2oz walnuts
- 56g / 2oz cashews
- 200g / 7.2oz carrots, chopped
- 120g / 4oz dried apricots, chopped
- 5g / 1tbsp ginger, chopped
- 1tsp cinnamon
- zest of an orange (optional)
- 18g / 2tbsp sesame seeds

Method:
In a food processor, blend the walnuts and cashews until finely ground. Set aside.

Blend the chopped carrots into a pulp. Set aside.

Blend the chopped dried apricots into a sticky paste.

In a bowl, mix together the ground nuts, carrot pulp and apricot paste. Add the ginger, cinnamon and orange zest. Stir to combine all ingredients and then roll into 12 balls.

Cost with sesame seeds and store in the fridge. ENJOY!

Click HERE for a printable recipe card.

Nutritional Information: 

Mint Chocolate Brownies

Similar to my Almond Cocoa Balls, these brownies are no-cook and use walnuts instead of almonds. The mint / peppermint extract creates a delicious minty taste (I love mint chocolate). I got the recipe from the Chocolate Covered Katie blog.

I've never used walnuts in baking/cooking before - preferring to use almonds and cashews - and was interested to see a nut comparison. The University of Michigan Health System created a whole guide to the different varieties of nuts. It's very informative!

Although nuts have a high fat content, their healthy fatty acid profile, together with their high protein, vitamin and minerals, makes a serving (28g/1oz) a nutritious and healthy option - as long as the nuts aren't covered in salt!

When compared to most traditional brownies that contain, flour, dairy, sugar and eggs, this version is a great alternative. With only 5 ingredients, it's simple and easy to make. A Starbucks Chocolate Chunk Brownie has 14 ingredients, with the first and largest component being sugar, followed by chocolate, wheat flour, eggs, oil, more chocolate, more sugar (brown rice syrup), butter, cream, water, salt, baking powder, natural flavor (?), and maltitol (sugar alcohol)!

The nutritional information for these mint chocolate brownies is below. Whilst I admit each brownie isn't equal to a Starbucks brownie (84g), even half of a Starbucks one still has more calories, fat, carbohydrates, sugars, cholesterol and sodium. My version has more fiber and protein which is great for satisfying hunger and still tastes chocolaty and sweet; perfect for my sweet tooth!

In addition, I reserved the warm water I used to soak the dates as it was sweet and fruity. I will add a spoonful to my morning porridge instead of honey. It will also be ideal for smoothies, ice cream or stirred into non-fat Greek yogurt.

Mint Chocolate Brownies
Makes 10 brownies
Click HERE for a printable recipe card.

Ingredients:
- 120g / 4oz walnuts
- 160g / 6oz dates, dried
- 1tsp vanilla extract
- 25g / 5tbsp cocoa powder, unsweetened
- 1/4 - 1/2tsp mint / peppermint extract

Method:

Chop the walnuts or blend in a food processor.

Soak the dates to soften and then add to the food processor along with the walnuts, vanilla extract and cocoa powder.

Add a few drops of mint / peppermint extract, adding more as desired  (I use 1/2tsp).
Form into squares, balls or bars. Refrigerate for a few hours until the brownies are firm. ENJOY!

Click HERE for a printable recipe card.

Nutritional Information: