Monday, May 25, 2009

Strawberry Chicken Panini

In case you haven't noticed, I can't get enough of strawberries while they're in season. With that in mind, I saw a delicious recipe for Strawberry, Pistachio and Goat Cheese Pizza which looked divine. I decided I wanted to switch things up a bit to add a protein and turn this into a sandwich to be more filling with a side salad to accompany it, which was a great weeknight meal!

Strawberry Chicken Panini

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, grilled and cut into strips
8 slices whole wheat bread
2 tablespoons butter
3 ounces honey goat cheese, crumbled
2 cups strawberries, sliced
2 cups watercress


Place a few slices of chicken on buttered bread and sprinkle with crumbled goat cheese. Cook on a preheated grill pan about 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Add strawberries and watercress to sandwich, slice and serve.

Peach and Honey Roasted Peanut Salad

8 ounces spring mix greens
3 peaches, sliced
1/2 cup honey roasted peanuts
1 large lemon, zest and juiced
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine greens, peaches and peanuts in a large bowl. In a small bowl whisk together remaining ingredients, then toss with salad. Enjoy!

Monday, May 11, 2009

Strawberry Goat Cheese Salad

This time of year is my favorite at the Farmer's Market. So many bright fruits and vegetables make their way to the stands, I tend to go a little nuts. Some fresh strawberries showed up a few weeks ago, so I decided to make a gentle salad highlighting them. I found a light and sweet honey goat cheese at HEB which I thought would be the perfect pair- it was!

Strawberry Goat Cheese Salad
16 ounces spring green mix
8 ounces sliced strawberries
11 pound chicken breast, grilled
3 ounces honey goat cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup pecan halves
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste

Toss greens, strawberries, chicken, goat cheese and pecans together in a large bowl. Whisk together oil, lemon juice and salt and pepper and toss in salad. Enjoy the fresh flavors!

Sunday, May 10, 2009

Cilantro Crusted Naragi

For my birthday, my friends and coworkers Ivette and Emily got me a Central Market gift card (and some nice white plates) so that I could get some fun new ingredients to play with and have a nice background for my blog photos. I've got some standard types of fish I usually purchase (salmon, tilapia, shrimp, etc.) so I wanted to try something new. The fishmonger recommended the Naragi so I took a chance. It was so juicy and flavorful, it was a great change!

Cilantro Crusted Naragi
2 pounds Hawaiian Orange Naragi

1 cup panko
1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro
Zest of one lime
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat a large cast iron skillet on medium heat and spray with cooking spray. Combine panko, cilantro, lime zest and salt and pepper. Dredge fish in the panko mixture so each side is thoroughly coated. Cook about 4 minutes each side in the skillet, so the center is still pink.

I served with mango salsa and rice with lime juice and salt and pepper.