Tag Archives: oranges

Healthy Grilling | Mojo Chicken Breast with Citrus Recipe

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grilled chicken breasts and oranges

I rolled into the house a 6pm tonight after being away on a most delicious food experience at Travaasa Spa in Austin (more about that next week). Even though the kids are learning to hold their own in the kitchen and can make a few meals (mac & cheese, quesadillas, frozen pizzas) when I’m away, I did promise to make it back in time to get a more “mom-approved” meal (read, one with fruits and vegetables) on the table. Since I hadn’t been to the store in a while, there was no telling what would be left in my fridge after the four “bachelors” were left to fend for themselves.

This is where creativity in the kitchen comes in; no need to head to a drive thru when you can slice up the fruits and veggies found your fridge, whip up a quick sauce and serve with a lean grilled protein. Tonight I found a couple margarita-leftover limes and unloved oranges in the produce bin, along with some starting-to-wrinkle grape tomatoes that needed to be used ASAP.  Knew I had some chicken breast in the freezer, and that’s about it. Came up with this fresh and vibrant dish inspired by the Mojo Beef Kebobs I’ve made time and time again – the garlic citrus sauce pairs insanely well with beef, but also works wonders with chicken, pork and fish! Since I was too tired to chunk up the meat and fire up the patio grill, I just threw these pounded chicken breasts in an indoor grill pan. I even skipped the marinating step that I am recommending if you have time.  The family gobbled this healthy dinner recipe up and loved the fact that I added oranges to the mix (made the onions more tolerable said one son).

grilling chicken and fruit

This recipe works equally well in an indoor grill pan as on the outdoor grill.

Mojo Chicken Breast with Grilled Citrus Recipe

  • 2 large chicken breasts (approx. 1 lb)
  • 1 teaspoon ground pepper
  • 1 large lime, cut into wedges
  • 2 small oranges, slices crosswise
  • 1 small onion, cut into wedges
  • 1 (10 ounce) container cherry tomatoes

For Sauce:

  • ¼ cup fresh orange juice
  • 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons fresh oregano, finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  1.  Whisk together sauce ingredients in a small bowl.
  2. Butterfly chicken breasts and pound down to even 1/3” thickness.
  3. Pour half of the Mojo sauce as a marinade over the chicken in a medium bowl or food storage bag; cover or seal.
  4. Cover the remaining sauce; refrigerate both at least 2 hours.
  5. Heat outdoor grill to 400 F degrees or indoor grill pan to medium-high.
  6. Remove chicken from marinade; discard marinade. Season chicken with the pepper.
  7. Grill chicken for approximately 4 minutes on each side, or until no longer pink in center.
  8. Remove chicken from pan and add limes, oranges and onions, grill for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add tomatoes and grill for another 1 -2 minutes until soften, but not popped.
  9. Serve drizzled with the reserved sauce.

Serves 4.

Fast and Easy Paleo Recipes

A Romantic Slow Cooker Recipe (Yes, Really!) – Orange & Sugar Snap Beef

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Crock Pot Sugar Snap & Orange Beef

I have the perfect dish for you to whip up for your sweetie for Valentine’s Day – my recipe for Slow-Cooker Orange and Sugar Snap Pea Beef! It’s a little sweet, a little spicy and very healthy for your honey. Ladies, they say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach and, by the way my husband gobbled this healthy dinner, I’d say this Asian-inspired dinner was a winner. And, men, if you’re looking for a way to impress that someone special, I just want you to know that women think it’s super sexy when guys self-initiate cooking and cleaning up in the kitchen – this crockpot recipe is insanely easy to make and has virtually no clean-up.

February isn’t just about “hearts” in a romantic way; speaking cardiovascularly, it’s also National Heart Month!  I like to use the month of February to “check-in” with my health and show love to my heart with healthy changes in diet and exercise – and renew any of my New Year’s resolutions that have started to slip away! Little changes in the foods you consume, like increasing the amount of fruits and vegetables on your plate and reducing salty, sugary snacks, can add up to big benefits in terms of your overall health. Eating lean protein is important, too! A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers from Penn State University found that people who participated in the Beef in an Optimal Lean Diet (BOLD) study, consuming about 3 to 5 ounces of lean beef daily as part of a heart-healthy diet, experienced a 10 percent decline in LDL “bad” cholesterol.

Asian Orange Beef in Slow Cooker

My recipe for Slow-Cooker Orange and Sugar Snap Pea Beef is the perfect way to put your lean protein plan into motion – plus you get some fruits and veggies to boot! Who knows, you may even reduce your bad cholesterol if you follow the protocols of the BOLD study – I’m happy to share lots of healthy beef recipes with you including Sirloin Cobb Kebabs and Spice Crusted Tenderloin Steaks.  Just search the word “beef” in my recipe collection to find more!

SLow Cooker Ingredients

Slow-Cooker Orange and Sugar Snap Pea Beef Recipe 

  • 2 lb. beef chuck shoulder steak – trimmed and sliced into 2” strips
  • 1/2 cup Litehouse Food’s Tangy Orange Dressing & Marinade *
  • 2 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
  • 1 Tbsp. Sriracha Chile Pepper Sauce (found on Asian food aisle)
  • 1 Tbsp. Litehouse Food’s Instantly Fresh Ginger
  • 1 Tbsp, Litehouse Food’s Instantly Fresh Garlic
  • 1 large onion cut very coarsely chopped
  • 1 Tbsp. cornstarch
  • 1 6-oz can mandarin oranges that have been drained (or may use fresh)
  • 1 (8-oz) package sugar snap peas
  1. Add beef, dressing, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, Sriracha and onion to 3-qt or larger slow cooker. Cover and cook on low 6 to 8 hours until beef is tender.
  2. Turn to high. Remove ½ cup of liquid and stir in cornstarch until dissolved. Stir this mixture back into slow cooker. Add sugar snap peas and oranges; cover and cook on high 10 minutes until peas are crisp-tender.
  3. Serve over brown rice with sauce from slow cooker.

*If you can’t find the dressing in your market, you can order it online at LitehouseFoods.com or substitute ½ cup fresh orange juice