Skinnytaste

Roasted Red Pepper and Prosciutto Stuffed Chicken Breast

2013-05-21T10:20:00.001-04:00

Chicken breast stuffed with melted cheese, roasted red peppers, prosciutto and baby spinach. Words cannot describe how good this is, and it's really not complicated to make.

I just returned from a four day weekend to Disney in Orlando with my family. It was both work and play, and it was really nice to get away for a few days to spend some quality time with my youngest daughter Madison and my husband Tommy. We stayed at the Grand Floridian which was beautiful and had so much fun in the parks. On our return seeing the devastation that just took place in Oklahoma deeply saddens me and once again reminds me just how fragile life can be – my prayers and thoughts are with Oklahoma today.

Just a quick note on the chicken; I couldn't eat two pieces after I photographed this. One piece with a side salad was plenty for me, but my husband who has a bigger appetite found two pieces the perfect amount. For the side salad I just tossed romaine lettuce, cucumbers and tomatoes with a little olive oil, apple cider vinegar, salt and pepper.

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Superfood Triple Berry Chia Pudding

2013-05-15T14:00:00.002-04:00

I LOVE chia pudding! And what can be easier than throwing a few chia seeds into a mason jar with some fresh fruit and almond milk and giving it a good shake! Side note: please excuse the manicure.

If you've never tried chia pudding, I highly recommend picking up some chia seeds and Blue Diamond Almond Breeze almond milk and give it a try. Chia is a super food; an excellent source of omega fatty acids, has more antioxidants than blueberries and it's full of minerals, calcium, protein, vitamins and fiber. Plus it is low in calories and is incredibly satiating.

Some of you may have tried my Mango Coconut Chia Pudding which is always a favorite of mine, but I wanted to try something with all the berries I bought this week and used fresh blueberries, raspberries and blackberries... delicious!

All I do is combine the chia seeds with milk (my favorite milk to use when making chia pudding is Almond Breeze Unsweetened Almond-Coconut Milk) then add fruit and a little liquid stevia or whatever sweetener you like, then shake it all up, let it sit 15 minutes and give it another good shake and keep it in the refrigerator overnight. Karina, my oldest loves this! Madison, my youngest wanted to help me style the shot, perhaps I have an assistant in training...

Isn't she such a ham : )

This is so healthy you can even eat this for breakfast, which is what I did this morning. Did I mention this fits into so many dietary restrictions; gluten-free, dairy-free, low sodium, low sugar, low calorie, vegetarian, vegan... enjoy!! By the way the lovely spoon is by For Such A Time Designs.

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Orange and Arugula Salad with Red Onion and Gorgonzola

2013-05-14T10:06:00.000-04:00

Something about Spring and the warmer weather that puts me in such a GREAT mood. It also makes me crave more salads, and this simple salad is a favorite of mine, I make this all the time for myself.

I love the combination of the sweet, juicy oranges mixed with the peppery arugula and the pungent taste of the creamy Gorgonzola cheese, they work together harmoniously. My husband doesn't agree; he is not a fan of Gorgonzola at all so I usually make this for myself for lunch. If you want to make this for two or four, just multiply the ingredients. If you're like my husband and don't care for Gorgonzola, you could use goat cheese or feta instead.

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Summer Pasta Salad with Baby Greens

2013-05-13T10:13:00.000-04:00

I love making this mayo-less pasta salad with arugula, spinach, sun dried tomatoes, capers, fresh shaved Parmesan cheese and a splash of balsamic and oil. It's great for lunch or dinner, and has a healthy serving of baby greens. In the summer, when tomatoes are at their sweetest, I replace the sun dried tomatoes with fresh tomatoes from my garden.

I usually have this for dinner on those warmer nights when I want a meatless meal or just something light, and because it has pasta in it, I feel full and satisfied after I eat it. The portions are pretty large for under 200 calories (only 5 WW points plus). This also makes a great side dish if you reduce the portions when you're grilling up some burgers or chicken.

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Skinny Chicken Fajitas

2013-05-09T10:54:00.000-04:00

Lean strips of chicken breast, bell peppers and onions served sizzling hot with warm tortillas and shredded cheese. If this is your idea of delicious, you are not alone!

My husband Tommy is a creature of habit; anytime we go out for Mexican he always orders chicken fajitas. In fact when we went to Mexico a few years ago, he may have ordered them almost every night! I find that amusing because I get really bored of eating the same thing twice, and tend to always take a chance and try something completely new to me.

But chicken fajitas are a regular in my home, we make them at least once a month and the whole family enjoys them. My younger daughter Madison likes her bell peppers raw, so I chop some up and just set them aside for her and cut up the chicken. You can make the whole thing outside on the grill using a cast iron skillet to cook the peppers and onions as we usually do in the summer, or you can cook this indoors in a skillet. Enjoy!

This recipe was from the archives, but I made some minor changes to the original, and found those cute fajita cast iron skillets and tortilla warmers at Target by Imusa (a brand I love for Latin cookware), which was the perfect excuse for a new photo. They really make you feel like you're having a fiesta!!! I may need to buy this tortilla press next!

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Lemon Asparagus Couscous Salad with Tomatoes

2013-05-07T12:06:00.002-04:00

Pearl couscous (otherwise known as Isreali couscous) tossed with asparagus, tomatoes and lemon juice make a vibrant Spring pasta salad that is perfect for lunch, as a side dish, or even to make as a side dish if you are grilling for Mother's Day this weekend!

I'm not usually a fan of the taste of whole wheat pasta, but I don't mind it when the pasta is a smaller cut like orzo, angel hair and pearl couscous. Yes, for those of you who've never tried pearl couscous, it's basically pasta and I treat as such. I don't follow the directions on the box, instead I boil it in a pot of water like I would with orzo. I just adore the pearl shaped texture and also found it as the perfect shape for my daughter when started eating solid foods.

This salad can be eaten room temperature or chilled, and leftovers are great the next day for lunch.

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Asparagus and Swiss Cheese Frittata

2013-05-06T11:19:00.000-04:00

Spring asparagus, shallots and Swiss cheese is a delicious combination in this slimmed down frittata which is perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner!

This is really filling, and the leftovers for perfect for lunch or breakfast the next day. Fritattas are also great if you're watching your carbs, and they are so inexpensive to make. I love having a Fritatta for Meatless Mondays with salad on the side.

Whenever asparagus is in season, I buy it and steam it right away to use for quick recipes throughout the week. It's great to add to eggs, salads, served chilled with a simple Dijon Vinaigrette or even to add to paninis (LOVE this asparagus prosciutto panini)!

Asparagus is loaded with nutrients, it's a great source of fiber, vitamin A and C, and it's packed with antioxidants, which makes it a super star in my book!

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Strawberry Rhubarb Baked Oatmeal

2013-05-05T10:50:00.001-04:00

Strawberries and rhubarb baked with bananas, oatmeal and slivered almonds – this is so good you'll almost think you are having dessert for breakfast!

It's rhubarb season and I've always loved the combination of strawberries and rhubarb in pies and crumbles. One of my favorite baked oatmeal recipes that I LOVE to bring to potlucks or serve for brunch is Baked Oatmeal with Bananas and Blueberries, so after my friend Raquel asked me how strawberry rhubarb would taste, I immediately started experimenting.

I loved the combination, especially when I added the ripe bananas, I felt they added an extra sweetness to the tart rhubarb without having to add more honey.

I think this would be wonderful for a Mother's Day brunch; six servings is very generous, especially if you have other options on the table.

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Mexican "Unfried" Ice Cream

2013-05-03T14:05:00.001-04:00

A skinnier fried ice cream with a sweet crunchy cinnamon topping. Oh-my-word, I can't tell you how good this is!

If you've ever had the Mexican fried ice cream at Chi Chi's, you'll understand this recipe. I always loved the concept of fried ice cream, as a kid I remember ordering it and always found it fascinating that the ice cream didn't melt.

This recipe is a much lighter, healthy version of the original fried version. This isn't fried at all, but it still has that same great taste with the crunchy cinnamon topping, and cold creamy vanilla ice cream (well, actually frozen yogurt) in the center.

This idea came from a fan. She actually made something like this for a party and layered everything in a square pan which is a great idea if you want to serve a crowd, but for portion control, I thought making them in individual servings was better.

To make it light, I bought my favorite fat free vanilla frozen yogurt: Gotta Have Vanilla from Stonyfield; that stuff is sooo good, I actually prefer it over their other brand Oikos. Then I perused the cereal aisle and decided on using crushed Special K as my crust mixed tossed with some cinnamon. If you are gluten free, I would use a gluten free cereal instead. Enjoy your weekend and have a happy Cinco De Mayo!

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Turkey Taco Lettuce Wraps

2013-05-02T11:09:00.000-04:00

For a lighter alternative to taco shells, these lettuce taco wraps are fabulous!

Add your favorite toppings like reduced fat cheddar, light sour cream, chives, tomatoes or whatever you like on your tacos. Making your own taco seasoning is a healthier alternative to buying packaged taco seasoning, and uses less sodium, no sugar, no preservatives and no msg. It also saves you money if you are on a budget. If you prefer to use the package seasoning, simply replace it with the spices listed here.

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Salsa Verde Chicken Tostadas

2013-05-01T11:47:00.000-04:00

Chicken tenders are slow cooked in the crock pot with salsa verde, then served on a crispy corn tostada and topped with melted cheese, jalapeño and a simple cabbage slaw made with red cabbage, lime juice, cilantro and salt. I could eat these everyday!!

Yesterday I posted the Easiest Crock Pot Salsa Verde Chicken recipe and promised to post the tostadas today. I made these for lunch and everyone in my home loved them (even my husband doesn't care for cabbage). The cabbage adds just the right amount of texture and freshness with a hint of acidity that just works, and he loved it! One was enough to fill me up for lunch, but if you want this for dinner, I would go with two.

The crock pot chicken actually makes enough for 9 tostadas, but I only made 6 tostadas for sake of calculating to keep it an even number. It's really not spicy at all, which is why I added jalapenos. If your family doesn't like spicy food, leave them out. If you don't have plans for Cinco De Mayo, I suggest you give these a try!! If you can't find tostada shells, you can follow the same recipe with corn taco shells instead.

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Easiest Crock Pot Salsa Verde Chicken

2013-04-30T11:06:00.001-04:00

Chicken tenders are simmered in salsa verde with cumin and spices for the easiest chicken ever!

Cinco De Mayo is right around the corner, which always gets me excited, I LOVE Mexican food! While I was shopping at Target the other day, I picked up a jar of Archer Farm's Roasted Salsa Verde with no real plans on what to do with it.

My slow cooker is always sitting on my counter staring at me, so I figured let's see what happens when you cook chicken with salsa verde.

Two hours later, what emerged was a delicious aroma and tender chicken. That night I made chicken tostadas for dinner, but I know this would be wonderful so many ways; over rice, in tacos, as a filling for enchiladas, whatever! Tomorrow I am posting my chicken verde tostada recipe, but for today I'm just posting the chicken so you can use it any way you wish.

By the way, I have so many Mexican recipes, I created an entire Skinny Cinco De Mayo Pinterest Board with all the recipes to quickly browse if you are a visual person like me. Enjoy!!

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Southwestern Black Bean Salad

2013-04-29T11:28:00.000-04:00

I love making this colorful, salad when the weather warms, it makes enough to feed a crowd and makes a great side dish or appetizer if served with chips. It's also great as a topping for taco salads or served with grilled meat and fresh tortillas.

And BONUS, this salad is low in saturated fat and loaded with antioxidants. A perfect summer side dish for grilled meat, fish or chicken. It's best when you use sweet fresh roasted corn, but if corn is not in season, frozen, thawed corn will work just fine in it's place.

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Huevos Rancheros

2013-04-28T15:31:00.000-04:00

Golden egg yolks mingle with tomatoes, green chiles and cheese over a crispy corn tortilla for breakfast... what can be better! Low fat, naturally gluten-free and vegetarian (perfect for meatless mondays).

With Cinco de Mayo on the Horizon, I thought I would share this easy recipe, that I love to make for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

My friend Deysi taught me how to make this savory authentic Mexican recipe, and I'm glad she did because it was such a wonderful change from the usual egg dishes and it's really easy to make. You can also serve this with sliced avocados on the side. Buen Provecho!

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Mexican Adobo Rubbed Grilled Pork Tenderloin

2013-04-24T10:46:00.000-04:00

A lean pork tenderloin, rubbed with Mexican adobo and grilled or broiled to give you a great tasting, smoky, tender piece of meat.

Pork tenderloin is the leanest cut of pork, in fact it's just as lean as a skinless chicken breast, and it doesn't take long to cook, which makes it perfect for busy weeknights. If you're tired of making the same 'ole thing for dinner, this is the answer (and bonus, it's totally man-friendly).

I was really in the mood for some Cilantro Lime Rice, and I thought it was the perfect compliment; I used some lime wedges to squeeze over the pork - delish! I was craving white rice, but I often use brown rice too as a whole grain option. For an even healthier side, last week's Fiesta Bean Salad would also be fabulous!

This recipe is from the cookbook Simple Food, Big Flavor, by Aarón Sánchez (you may know him as one of the judges on Chopped). Yesterday I made a batch of Aaron's Adobo with full intentions of making this pork dish. I still have a lot of adobo left, so I'm going to use the rest to grill some pork chops this weekend. It was pretty chilly yesterday, so rather than making this on my grill, I used my broiler instead.

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Aaron's Mexican Dry Adobo Seasoning

2013-04-23T22:47:00.000-04:00

A fusion of Mexican and American spices – a dry rub that combines the flavors of Mexico using dried pasilla and ancho chiles, with spices commonly used in dry rubs across the American South. Make a batch and it will keep for months if stores in an airtight container.

I don't watch much TV, but one show I am pretty addicted to is Chopped on the Food Network. I love seeing what mystery ingredients the contestants will get, and love seeing what the chefs come up with under pressure. But what really gets me watching is the judges, at times they can be a bit harsh, which makes me thankful I'm not on that show. If you watch Chopped, then you probably recognize Aaron Sanchez, chef from Centrico in NYC. This adobo recipe is from his new cookbook, Simple Food, Big Flavor. I actually quartered the recipe and it still made a lot, and used it to make a delicious pork tenderloin from his book (recipe coming next), but thought this should live on a page of it's own.

This can be used as a rub, for seasoning chili, stews, black bean soup and more.

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Mango Banana Green Smoothie

2013-04-22T10:05:00.002-04:00

Start the morning RIGHT with the super delicious, creamy green smoothie made with frozen banana, baby spinach, fresh mango, hemp seeds and unsweetened almond milk.

I usually start my mornings with a big green smoothie, so I'm loving the new Superfood Smoothies book, by Julie Morris and LOVED this recipe! While thumbing through her book, their were several recipes with ingredients I don't usually have on hand, and hemp seeds was one of them. But I've been curious about them, because I was looking for more ways to add protein to my smoothies without using yogurt, so off to the health food store I went to pick some up.

Guess what, they are really DELICIOUS, similar to the taste of raw sunflower seeds. They are one of the best sources of protein on the planet according to Julie, and include all 8 essential amino acids. The recipe below is for two, but if your making this for yourself, just divide the recipe. Be sure to freeze your bananas so your smoothie is thick, almost like the texture of a milkshake.

If you're wondering where to find raw shelled hemp seeds, I've seen them at Costco, my local Organic Supermarket, the health food aisle of my supermarket, or you can order them on Amazon. Be sure they are shelled and unsalted. Of course if you wish you can sub them out for another seed such as sunflower or flax.

This will be on my regular rotation from now on, and I love that it's 4 points plus on Weight Watchers for 16 oz, plus it's perfect for dairy-free, clean, vegetarian, gluten-free, and Paleo-friendly.

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Broccoli and Cheese Mini Egg Omelets

2013-04-21T11:10:00.000-04:00

I love making a batch of these mini egg omelets - they are EASY to make, and I have breakfast ready for the next few days. I pop them in the microwave for one minute and they taste as good as when I first made them. This is perfect to make ahead for busy weekdays, and they are high in protein, so they fill you up. Enjoy two with a piece of fruit and you have a complete meal.

Each omelet is loaded with broccoli and cheese, but you can use any combination of vegetables you like (spinach, mushrooms, peppers, onions, etc.)

I usually like to combine egg whites with whole eggs, but if you rather use egg whites, that is fine too. Leftovers can be heated up and enjoyed throughout the week.

Some of you may have tried these, they first appeared on Skinnytaste in 2009, but I made them again today and gave them a photo make-over.

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Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

2013-04-18T10:56:00.001-04:00

A protein packed salad with Mediterranean flavors – quinoa, cucumbers, tomatoes, kalamata olives, red onion, extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon and a little feta cheese combined makes a healthy salad with fresh clean ingredients.

I had dinner at my friend Julia's house last week, and she made a similar salad as a side dish which she served with fish although hers didn't have tomatoes or feta (I recall she mentioned she was out). I posted a picture of it on Instagram the other day and got so many requests, most of you mentioning the feta was a must! So I made this for dinner last night, with the feta as you requested.

Have lots of leftovers so I am having a big bowl of this for lunch today! This also makes a great side dish for chicken or fish, perfect for backyard parties and BBQ's (can't wait for the warmer weather!) You can totally adapt this to your taste, leave out what you don't like, add more of what you do like. Easy!

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Skinny Baked Broccoli Macaroni and Cheese

2013-04-16T12:25:00.000-04:00

Cheesy macaroni and broccoli are topped with bread crumbs and baked to perfection. Kid friendly, vegetarian and comfort food at it's finest.

I first made this back in 2011, and it has since been very popular. Last week I made it again and updated the photos, I forgot just how good this is! This time I used rotini pasta, you can really use whatever shape you like. My step by step photos are still the original, so keep that in mind when you make this.

It's perfect if you're craving macaroni and cheese but don't want to waste a days worth of calories in one meal. You still get that same comforting taste, with a little less guilt.

When I first made this, I used a Mexican blend of cheese, because it was all I had on hand, but since I've been making it with a sharp reduced-fat Cheddar such as 50% less-fat Cabot, in my opinion this is better with a sharp cheddar to really let the cheesy flavors stand out.

To speed things up, I used pre-cut fresh broccoli. This recipe was loved by all in my home, even my not-so-crazy-about-broccoli husband loved it and leftovers are perfect for lunch. You can bake this in one large baking dish, or individual oven safe dishes for perfect portion control, or you can make half and use a 9 x 9-inch baking dish.

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Harissa Eggs in Purgatory

2013-04-15T10:58:00.002-04:00

This simple egg dish, simmered in a fiery tomato sauce can feel like heaven if you need a quick inexpensive meal with a kick.

I bought a jar of Mina Harissa on Amazon, a bright red Moroccan condiment that can be used with couscous, vegetables, meats or whatever you want, and my first thought was Eggs in Purgatory. It's spicy and flavorful, made of a blend of six simple ingredients; red chili pepper, red bell pepper, garlic, extra virgin olive oil, vinegar and salt which also comes in a paste.

This is the type of dish you can have for breakfast, lunch or dinner (Hello Meatless Mondays). Serve with with crusty bread, or any type of grain and call it a meal or double the portion and skip the starch if you are following a low carb or paleo diet.

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Chicken Francese - Lightened Up

2013-04-11T14:34:00.000-04:00

Skinless chicken cutlets, lightly coated in flour and egg, cooked in a white wine lemon sauce. Move over Olive Garden, this one's lighter and easy to make!

Confession, I've never been to the Olive Garden, heck I live in New York, we have tons of great Italian restaurants here so there's really no need. This is my husband Tommy's specialty, on those random nights that he gives me a break from the kitchen, he usually makes his Chicken Francese.

My husband's version let's just say is a little bit heavier, so I learned how to make it myself, with a lot less butter. My family loves it, kids and all and I usually serve this with a simple salad on the side.

This is also great over pasta with garlic since it makes a lemon sauce, I like to make it over whole wheat angel hair or orzo when I'm craving carbs. This is not a new recipe, I first posted this back in 2009, but I make this often and my husband thought it was time for a re-shoot. I also made a few modifications to it since I last posted, so if you have an old recipe printed out, you may want to print out a new one.

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Buffalo Turkey Burgers with Blue Cheese Broccoli Slaw

2013-04-10T14:09:00.000-04:00

It's 80° today, perfect day for grilling so I thought I would highlight this recipe from the archives. Turkey burgers with a cayenne pepper kick! Here's a fun way to turn boring turkey burgers into something with a little more exciting. If you're a buffalo wing fan, you'll love the flavors in this turkey burger topped with a broccoli slaw tossed with my very own homemade blue cheese dressing.

Someone recently emailed me and gave me this idea, she took my zucchini turkey burger recipe and dipped it in hot sauce after. I decided to add it to the turkey meat instead, and figured you can always serve more on the side if you wish!

And by the way, there's carrots in these burgers but I promise, you can't even tell. It's a great way to add more fiber and vegetables into your diet whether it's for yourself or your family.

I'm a bit of a wimp when it comes to spicy food, so Frank's hot sauce is perfect for my taste, but if you really like it hot you could use Tabasco or your favorite cayenne hot sauce.

To make these burgers gluten free, you can sub the breadcrumbs for gluten-free oats.

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Mixed Baby Greens with Strawberries, Gorgonzola and Poppy Seed Dressing

2013-04-09T10:09:00.000-04:00

Today it really feels like Spring here on the East Coast. Temperatures are supposed to get into the eighties, which is quite a change from the snow we had two weeks ago! I've been on a salad kick big time, and even started a Pinterest board dedicated to salads called "Bikini Ready Salads" because summer will be here before you know it.

This delicious salad is perfect for this time of year or throughout the summer. Mixed organic baby greens such as baby kale and baby spinach (side bar, I am looooving Organic Girl's I heart baby kale mix), are tossed with sliced strawberries, slivered almonds and crumbled Gorgonzola cheese. The dressing is a simple vinaigrette with honey, poppy seeds and shallots. This makes a wonderful light lunch or a perfect side salad to serve it with grilled chicken.

I love fruit in my salads, especially when combined with the texture of nuts such as almonds and a soft cheese such as Gorgonzola. The sweetness of the strawberries compliments the cheese, and the poppy seed dressing ties it all together. This recipe was first posted back in 2008, before I owned a decent camera and the photo was so embarrassing, I decided to let it shine and give it a photo makeover.

You can swap the almonds for any nut you like, such as walnuts or pecans and the cheese can be swapped with goat cheese. For Paleo diets, leave out the cheese and use raw honey in the dressing.

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Fiesta Bean Salad

2013-04-08T10:12:00.002-04:00

Black beans, chick peas, tomatoes, cilantro and avocado are tossed with a cumin-lime vinaigrette – I love the bright, fresh flavors of this quick and easy salad! Perfect for lunch, Meatless Mondays, or even as a side dish with grilled steak, shrimp or chicken.

Something magical happens when you combine cumin, cilantro and lime juice. I can seriously add this to just about anything and be a happy camper.

I confess that I didn't always like beans in my salads, I think it's a texture thing because I love beans simmered in soups or with rice, but...

...add some avocados, cilantro, red onion, lime juice, and cumin.... this is yumm-y!! What's more it's antioxidant rich, full of heart healthy fats, clean, and high in fiber which keeps you full and satisfied.

This serves four as a main dish, if you prefer to have this as a side dish, then it would easily serve 8.

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