Cajun Chicken Stuffed w/ Spinach and Pepper Jack Cheese FULL MEAL RECIPE!

Chicken is so handy to have in the fridge or freezer  because the options for meal time when it comes to chicken are almost endless. Let's see there is chicken parmigiana, grilled chicken, lemon chicken, balsamic chicken, chicken cubes for stew, stir fry, I could go on forever. This is just another variation of a simple chicken dish, yes SIMPLE. It is super tasty, beginner friendly and will be a crowd pleaser for sure. Let's get to the good stuff:

Ingredients: 

• 1 package of boneless chicken breasts (or however many you may need to feed your group). Make sure they are the full sized ones and not the thinly sliced ones, I'll explain why later ;)
• Pepper jack cheese, preferably shredded but if you have slices no worries, we can make that work too!
• 1 c frozen spinach, thawed and drained (I used fresh spinach instead)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
  
• 2 tsp Cajun seasoning-This can be found in the spice aisle of your supermarket usually
• 1 tbsp breadcrumbs
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Wooden toothpicks
   

 Directions: 

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. 
2. Butterfly (slice in half but not all the way through, see photo below) the chicken breast and flatten a little with mallet. 
3. At this time if you are using fresh spinach, cook it down in a pan with a little water.
4. In a bowl combine the cooked spinach, cheese and salt and  pepper. (if you are using sliced cheese like I did in the photos, just break them up into tiny pieces.
5. In a separate bowl, mix the bread crumbs and Cajun seasoning together. 
6. Now for the creative stuff :) on each piece of chicken, spoon a little bit of the spinach and cheese mixture in and begin to roll it together fastening it with as many toothpicks as needed keeping in mind how many you use so you know how many you have to take out later. We don't want anyone eating any wood chips ;)
7. In a baking pan or on a baking sheet, line it with some aluminum foil and place the neatly sealed chicken breasts seam side down. With a kitchen brush, "paint" on some of the olive oil on each piece of chicken and then sprinkle on the Cajun seasoning and breadcrumb mixture. Make sure you get the seasoning all around the sides of the chicken, even the under-side. The more flavor the better!
8. Pop these in your oven for 35 minutes or so or until you can assure that your chicken is cooked thoroughly.

That little piece in the bottom is a piece I made for my dog, spoiled, yes I know hahah :)

Here are quick recipes for the sides I made to accompany this dish:

Sauteed Green Beans

• Wash the green beans and coat the bottom of a sautee pan with a tablespoon or so of olive oil
• Add minced garlic as much as you like over medium to low heat
• When the aroma begins to kick in, add in the green beans and cook for a few minutes until they are soft enough for your liking. I like mine a little crunchy so I take mine out earlier ;)
• You can also add a little salt and pepper if you wish

Quick and Easy Potato Wedges

• Slice your potatoes into wedges, thin or thick as you like
• Place them in cold water for a minute or so, remove them and dry them completely
• Sprinkle a little olive oil over them and some fresh ground sea salt
• Place them in the oven at 425 degrees until they become golden brown and cooked through (35 mins give or take---this has always taken a different amount of time each time I've made them...just keep an eye on them and keep mixing them to see when they're done the way you like them :) 

 

My mouth is watering just thinking about this, I have to make it again soon!

xox

My Daily Smoothie!

I've been drinking these smoothies for a while now. They've helped me gain energy and really boost my normally terrible immune system. There isn't anything crazy in them, just some good greens and a few berries and a banana. I'll explain the benefits of all of those below. Sometimes I add more or less of one of these things because I don't measure for precision but the ingredients are always the same for the most part.

Alysea's Green Smoothie:

Kale- the benefits of green veggies are endless but being specific to kale, its benefits are : protects our cells from free radicals via antioxidants, anti-inflammatory, provides glucosinolates which have been shown to prevent colon, breast and many other cancers, high in fiber for the regulation of your digestion system, lowers cholesterol, high in Vitamin K to strengthen our bones, boosts immunity and lower blood pressure.

Spinach- aids in digestion, maintains low blood sugar, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, lowers blood pressure, protects the eyes from cataracts, strengthens bones, healthy skin, healthy nervous system and brain function.

Banana- keeps digestion regular, low blood sugar, lowers blood pressure, retention of calcium, breaks down bacteria in the stomach that causes ulcers, lessens your chance at getting kidney cancer, ensures the production of enough white blood cells to fight off infection in the body.

Berries- packed with antioxidants, lower blood pressure, decrease bladder infections, high in fiber, anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties, great source of Vitamin C, and reduce dental plaque.

I also add two tablespoons of ground flax seed to my smoothies when I have it on hand because flax is a miracle worker for the body all on its own! I even eat it in my oatmeal :)

For someone who finds herself not always able to sit down and have a bowl of fruit or a side of vegetables, this is the quick and easy and DELICIOUS way might I add, to get the vitamins my body needs. It's the perfect pick me up to start the day.

You can even as celery, even broccoli or cucumber and lemon or an apple etc. the concoctions are endless, this is just one of my favorite blends :)

Fear not, adding a very ripe banana (with brown spots is the best!) is an excellent way to naturally cut the bite of the vegetable flavor. Kale and spinach, however, are much milder in flavor than say celery.

Here are some photos:

Drinking to a healthier you,

xox