MOLÉ AMORÉ

photo cred: HERE

Oh, February! I love how you make it totally acceptable to cook with chocolate and other gratifying extravagances! In Life As She Does It’s affinity partnership with Oil Wife Life (Covenant Testing Technologies, #CovenantCares), I was given the challenge to create a recipe using Nutella. CHALLENGE. ACCEPTED.

Some people luh-huh-huuuv the chocolate-y hazelnutty delight, but I also know that some people seem to shame the blameless jar of wonder. Personally, I think that’s because they envision themselves tucked in a blanket on the couch on a dreary day, watching their favorite Hallmark Channel movie with nothing but a jar of Nutella and a spoon to keep them company. Well, you will receive no judgment from me!

Even though I am a low-carb girl that tries to eat as healthy as possible, I also believe in rewards and indulgences from time-to-time. I found this recipe to be a fantastic mix of both and let me just tell you - The Hubster and I were thrilled to have it! It is a rich and luscious, and just perfect for a chilly night!

So my challenge to YOU is to make it for your Valentine, and then get TWO spoons to share the rest of the jar for dessert!

CHOCO-NUT CHICKEN MOLÉ

i 1 small pkg boneless skinless chicken breasts, trimmed (of any extra fat or skin)

1 small pkg boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed

extra virgin olive oil (evoo)

sea salt

pepper

paprika

cumin

2 chipotle in adobe, chopped finely

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 small onion, chopped finely

1/2 cup marcona almonds, chopped coarsely

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp pepper

1 tsp allspice

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp fresh oregano, or 2 tsp dried

1 can rotel

2 tbs tomato paste

1/4 cup Nutella

1/2 bar unsweetened chocolate, chopped coarsely

3/4 cup chicken broth

Heat a large, dry skillet on high heat for two minutes (I use my cast-iron, of course!). Pour enough evoo to coat the bottom of the skillet and allow to heat another minute. While heating oil, season both sides of chicken with sea salt, pepper, paprika, and cumin by lightly sprinkling to coat. Lower heat to medium-high. Cook about three-to-four chicken pieces at a time in the skillet, careful not to crowd the pan, for about five minutes on each side, placing each batch on paper towel covered platter.

Pour about two tablespoons more evoo into the skillet, and add the chipotle in adobe peppers, garlic, and onion. Cook on medium-high heat for about five minutes, stirring occasionally. While the pepper mixture cooks, slice your chicken and set aside. Add marcona almonds and stir to combine. In a small bowl, stir together sea salt, pepper, allspice, paprika, cumin, and garlic powder, then add to the onion mixture and stir. Sprinkle with oregano and stir again.

Add rotel and tomato paste. Stir and let simmer one minute. Add Nutella, chocolate bar, and chicken broth and stir slowly. Cook and stir until thickened and smooth, about six minutes. Add the sliceed chicken to the pan, cover and simmer on low heat for ten minutes.

Sprinkle with a drizzle of sour cream, some cotija cheese, and serve over brown or cauli rice!!

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Left Chop

I was at my local grocery store that happens to carry whole-and-natural foods, and found the most beautiful turkey chops (which actually taste just like pork chops if cooked correctly) so I bought them.  When I got home, I saw I had leftovers that would make this meal something GRAND.  Check this out:  I had leftover roasted potatoes from dinner the night before, leftover unused red cabbage from salad that week , leftover onion and cilantro from a meal train meal, leftover chipotle in adobo sauce from fish tacos, and leftover cream sauce I made for the fish tacos as well.  Woo!  That's a-lotta-leftovers!!  But it was such a beautiful meal no one ever would have known......except I'm sharing the secret with you!

This image is © 2015 by Life As She Does It. Please link back or credit if any content or images are used.

SEARED TURKEY CHOPS WITH ADOBO CREAM SAUCE

one package turkey chops

extra virgin olive oil (evoo)

sea salt 

pepper

1/2 cup home-made cream sauce from fish tacos (or ranch dressing or sour cream with some seasoning)

2 chipotle in adobo peppers, chopped, with sauce

1 tbs butter

Sprinkle a pan (I use my cast-iron skillet, of course!) with enough evoo to cover the bottom and heat on medium heat for one minute.  Meanwhile, sprinkle the chops with sea salt and pepper on both sides.  Cook in pan for five minutes on both sides.  Remove from heat and let rest for a few minutes

This image is © 2015 by Life As She Does It. Please link back or credit if any content or images are used.

This image is © 2015 by Life As She Does It. Please link back or credit if any content or images are used.

While chops are resting, in the same pan the chops were cooked in and on medium heat,  add chopped adobo peppers and adobo sauce and cook about two minutes.  Add cream sauce and cook another two minutes until creamy and cooked through.  Add butter to smooth.  Turn off heat and let butter melt.  POUR OVER CHOPS AND BE PREPARED FOR HEAVEN IN YER MOUTH!!

NOTES: For less heat, use one pepper or just the sauce.  I just cannot STAND leftovers and couldn't let those two peppers go to waste!  It was perfect heat for us, but could be too much for others.  If so, add a little cream or more cream sauce.  Serve on top of the leftover roasted potatoes to make it magical.

This image is © 2015 by Life As She Does It. Please link back or credit if any content or images are used.

MEXICAN CABBAGE

extra virgin olive oil (evoo)

red cabbage, sliced chunky

leftover onion, chopped (about one onion)

leftover cilantro, chopped (about 1/2 cup)

sea salt

pepper

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp chili powder

In a heavy pan, sprinkle enough evoo to cover the bottom of the pan and heat on medium heat for one minute  Add remaining ingredients and cook for about five-to-ten minutes, or to desired consistency.  

NOTES: Serve alongside chipotle chops and leftover roasted potatoes for an amazing experience.  TRUST ME.

Chicken Dance

This image is © 2015 by Life As She Does It. Please link back or credit if any content or images are used.

I feel almost BAD about telling you how delicious and how extremely EASY this dinner was!   It tastes like you slow cooked these babies, but truthfully, it is so easy you will have time to do a happy dance!  You would think that's why I named this post what I did, but it was actually in reference to the salsa on the chicken.  Eh.  Either way - you'll be happy you made this for dinner!

SALSA CHICKEN

1 pkg chicken thighs

sea salt

pepper

1 small jar salsa of your choice

shredded cheddar cheese

Season chicken thighs with sea salt and pepper on both sides.  Divvy up the salsa among the chicken, plopping it on top of each one.  Sprinkle with cheddar cheese.  Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.  Yep.  That's it.

NOTES: I served mine with roasted broccoli because I'm the low-carb girl, but you could always cook up some Spanish rice to go with it.  I also use organic chunky salsa from the natural foods section of my local grocery store.  

Flaco Taco!

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SO!  Flaco Taco Breakfast Casserole.  In Spanish, that means Skinny (Taco Breakfast Casserole).  I made it for the Worship Team one Sunday morning, and it got pretty rave reviews, and that's a tough (or should I say spoiled?) crowd!  ESPECIALLY if the word 'skinny' is in it, hidden as it may may (try to) be behind a Spanish word-blanket.  

FLACO TACO BREAKFAST CASSEROLE

1 small pkg ground turkey

1 pkg your fave taco seasoning 

extra virgin olive oil (evoo)

1/2 small onion, diced

cooking spray

1 dozen eggs

1/4 cup milk

1 tomato, diced

1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped coarsely

4 tortillas, chopped into about 1/2-inch pieces (I used organic low-carb to help the "skinny"!)

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 tbs cumin powder

1 tbs paprika

sea salt

pepper

This image is © 2015 by Life As She Does It. Please link back or credit if any content or images are used.

Preheat oven to 400.  In heavy pot (I use muh cast iron Dutch oven, of course), sprinkle enough evoo to cover the bottom and heat on medium.  Once heated, place ground turkey and onion in, and cook through.  Add your favorite taco seasoning with a splash of water and mix well (see notes).  Turn off heat.  Spray a 9x13 baking pan with cooking spray (see notes).  Into the pan, add your eggs, milk, tomato, cilantro, tortillas, cheddar cheese, cumin powder, paprika, and sea salt and pepper to taste.  Mix WELL by scrambling it all together with a fork until liquid is smooth and other ingredients are distributed evenly.  Bake in your preheated oven for 25 minutes.

NOTES: Try to find the taco seasoning with no MSG or chemicals.  If you can't locate organic or (real) all-natural, you can mix a tablespoon each of cumin, paprika, chili powder, onion powder, and garlic powder, and then a teaspoon of sea salt and black pepper.  I try to use organic ingredients whenever possible for clean-eating, and my cooking spray is included.  I buy the organic evoo local store brand.  It's fairly-priced, too!  If you want - and I think you do -  you can garnish with some sour cream and hot sauce.  WOO!

Mexi-CAN Chalupas

This image is © 2015 by Life As She Does It. Please link back or credit if any content or images are used. 

There should be a Chalupa Crush Wednesday on social media....because I am crushing on THIS!!  I USUALLY have a two-week grocery shopping list and meal planner, but for some reason since we got back from New York, I have been VERY out-of-sorts!  So fast and easy is what's for dinner lately, and this DEFINITELY fit the bill!  

CHALUPAS

1 pkg tortillas

3 pkgs ground turkey

2 cans refried beans

1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped coarse

1/4 head small purple cabbage, sliced fine

1 head Romaine lettuce, sliced fine

8 grape tomatoes, diced fine

8 green onion, diced

diced avocado, sprinkled with a little lime

2 jalapeno, seeded, diced fine

3 pkgs taco seasoning

1/2 cup water

sea salt

pepper

garlic

cumin

extra virgin olive oil (evoo)

Sprinkle enough evoo in heavy pot or Dutch oven, cook turkey meat on medium-high heat, and sprinkle the top with sea salt, pepper, cumin and garlic, mixing and then cooking until browned.  Meanwhile, in a saucepan, heat refried beans and chop all your veggies.  Once the meat is browned, add taco seasoning and water (see notes), and let sit a minute or two to absorb the liquid and flavor.  While it is resting, heat enough evoo in a heavy skillet to cover bottom.  Add a drop of water; once the water sizzles, add your tortillas (see notes) and brown on both sides.  Stack your tortilla with your beans, meat, veggies and cheese.

NOTES: I use organic ingredients whenever possible, but it is not always available.  For the taco seasoning, I simply made sure there was no MSG, synthetic ingredients, or preservatives.  The tortillas I use are low-carb, but you can use the tortillas of your choice!  This was a big batch of meat, but it made dinner for four, and lunch for The Hubster AND me for the next day!!

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