Chicken Salad With Grapes and Pecans

Here's another goodie from Master Your Metabolism by Jillian Michaels. Chicken Salad with Halved Grapes and Toasted Pecans.

When thinking about making this recipe I was really looking forward to toasting the pecans myself but alas, I sent my mother to the grocery store to buy the ingredients and she came back with roasted pecans. That just means I'll have to make this again so that I can do it the right way!



The picture isn't the greatest for this recipe; I was trying to take it in a hurry. But what you see in it is a mayo-less chicken salad. A mixture of Greek yogurt and spices provides a substitute for mayo that feels much lighter. The grapes provide a nice, sweet taste that reminded me of the apple walnut tuna I used to make when I worked at a café. I served this on bread but it would also be wonderful on a bed of lettuce. If you're looking for a healthy meal remember that the darker the lettuce the better! Iceberg lettuce is just there to look pretty, you'll get the most nutrients from the darkest greens.

This one sandwich was filling but it didn't leave me feeling stuffed and my family loved the Greek yogurt mixture so much that they're using it as a substitute for mayo on other things and as a dip for veggies.

Lebanese Lunch

I'm taking a break from my schedule of Jillian Michaels recipes to share with you the lunch that my parents, sister, brother-in-law and I shared today. It was a filling meal with plenty of veggies, protein and healthy fats.



This meal of veggies, hummus and tabouleh is a traditional Lebanese meal. Veggies used vary with the season. Today we had cucumbers, carrots, tomatoes and red peppers. Hummus was used as a veggie dip (my favorite kind of dip), as well as a dip for the American part of our meal, the pita chips. Lettuce (or, possibly, grape leaves in the Middle East) is used to scoop up the tabouleh and is a wonderful addition to that part of the meal! This is definitely a lunch that I'll be eating more often and taking with me to work and school. The only part of the meal with a high level of fat is the hummus, however since it's made from chickpeas it's a source of good fats and as long as you're not downing an entire tub of hummus in one sitting the fat content shouldn't hurt you.

Tomato, Avocado and Cheddar Burritos

It's been a long time since I've posted! Over a month. But I have been cooking so I have lots to catch up on. Luckily, my sister is in town and is planning to cook so over the next few days I can post the last few kitchen adventures before any new ones come up.

I don't think it's fair of me to post recipes from recipe books online so instead I'll be posting pictures with comments, as well as what book to find it in. You should be able to find all books in your local library--that's where I'm getting them!

The next few recipes will be from a book that I bought, Master Your Metabolism, by Jillian Michaels. And this one was a hit! Tomato, Avocado and Cheddar Burritos. This is an anti-cancer, metabolism boosting, heart healthy and skin healthy recipe. Sounds good in terms of what this recipe can do for you, right? The good news is that this recipe tastes yummy too!



I'm an avocado-lover but I don't think that's a pre-req for liking these burritos. My dad, who isn't as fond of avocado's as I am, still loved them. Combining the avocados with the super food veggie (or is it a fruit?) tomatoes and low-fat cheddar inside of a crispy tortilla creates a pleasant, healthy and filling meal.

And now, for the making-of feature (just a few, I took this quickly so the pictures weren't the best):