Spring Mix Salad with a side of Blackberries

We are now a few weeks into the new year and I have already begun to reap some of the health benefits from eating more fresh fruit and leafy greens. I feel more energized, fresher throughout the day and I'm not as tired after work. Blackberries are one of my favorite berries. They are absolutely delicious and full of nutrients. When enjoying them, It always takes me back to childhood with memories of picking them on the side of dirt roads in rural Alabama. My grandmother would always make a fresh blackberry pie from scratch for me, my brother and friends if we were able to gather up enough of them. I will never forget that smell coming from the kitchen, and the sight of the juices bubbling, piecing the homemade pie crust.

But this meal, I enjoyed a simple bowl of fresh organic blackberries from the market, freshly mixed baby spring lettuce, topped with strawberries, grated smoked Gouda cheese and rotisserie chicken breast sliced and added in. This was the absolute perfect explanation mark for a evening well spent. I found that the flavors of fresh fruit and mix lettuce compliments each other pretty well. Drizzle with any of your favorite vinaigrette dressing. Don't forget to follow me on Twitter for more great food ideas. Foodies United!

Grilled Chicken Sliders: Perfect for any NFL Game Watching Party

Whether you are watching the game at home by yourself or enjoying it with a few of your favorite friends, I couldn't image a better way to satisfy that halftime appetite than with these delicious grilled chicken sliders. Just grill 3 to 4 boneless chicken breast and slice in strips. Serve them up on soft slider buns dressed with pickled jalapenos and your choice of either barbecue sauce or buffalo sauce. 

Smoke your Alaskan Salmon in easy 4 Steps

Start you New Year's off on the right foot by taking your diet to the next level. Smoking your fish, in this case your Alaskan Salmon is a great idea but also requires a little planning. It's both fun and healthy and can be a great dinner for the family. Follow these easy steps and enjoy it today!

Step 1: Soaking your wood chips in water for 45 minutes to 1 hour prior to wrapping them in foil and putting them on the fire. This will keep them from burning faster while smoking longer.

Step 2: I like to season my salmon with sea salt and cracked pepper with the pink side up. Drizzle with Olive Oil as well for extra flavor.

Step 3: Once you get the fire going good, go ahead and put your wood chips on the fire so that they can begin the smoking process. Add the salmon face down with the skin side up. I also like to spray the rack so that the fish will not stick during the cooking process. Smoke for 2 1/2 hours or until completely cooked.

Step 4: Enjoy every bite

Hickory Smoked Buffalo Chicken Tacos

This is not your ordinary Buffalo Chicken Tacos. The chicken breast is first butterfly filleted, drizzled with olive oil and seasoned with a brown sugar based rub on both sides before going into the smoker for two and a half hours. The Buffalo sauce that was used is one of the best you can find from Jaemor Farms @JaemorFarms, and its all actually fairly healthy.

Ingredients:

3 large boneless Chicken Breast
1 Vidalia Onion
3 to 5 raw jalapeno peppers (cut horizontally and remove the seeds)
Olive Oil
1 12oz bag of Broccoli Slaw
1/4 cup Organic Low Fat Yogurt
1  tsp Lemon Juice
2 tsp sugar
salt and pepper
1/4 tsp pickling salt
1 tbsp of Vinegar

Step 1: Make the Rub
In case you missed my previous blog on how to make this fantastic rub titled Rub me the Right Way , you can just click this link and it will walk you through the process.

Step 2: Fillet the Chicken and Season with Rub
As I mentioned earlier, you want to butterfly fillet each chicken breast straight down the middle, drizzle with a little bit of olive oil or grape seed oil and then generously apply the rub on each side. Here is a quick video on how to butterfly fillet chicken breast if you have never done this before. How to Butterfly Fillet a Chicken Breast

Step 3: Smoke the Chicken Breast, Onion and Peppers together
The onion and peppers that are smoked will add extra flavor to the chicken breast, and also will gain a smoky flavor of is own. Make sure to remove and save the onion and peppers 30 minutes prior to removing the chicken from the smoker.

Step 4: Pickling the smoked Peppers
Take the smoked peppers and finely chop them. Add 1/4 tsp pickling or sea salt and 1 tbsp of vinegar into a small container with the chopped peppers and refrigerate them for 20 minutes.

Step 5: Saute the chicken and onion with olive oil
Chop the smoked chicken and onions, and add them along with 1 1/2 tbsp of olive oil to a sauce pan.  Cook on medium heat for 10 minutes before turning the heat down to low.

Step 6: Make the Cold Slaw
Add 1 12oz bag of broccoli slaw to a bowl with 1/4 cup of organic low fat yogurt. Add 1 tsp Lemon Juice, 2 tsp sugar, with salt and pepper to taste. Mix everything together well to complete the process. By substituting  the cream cheese with low fat yogurt, you will reduce your calorie intake tremendously.

I like to use flour tortillas for this dish but you can also use the wheat tortillas if you are looking to cut a few extra calories. Add the smoked chicken and onion with cold slaw and a few peppers on top, drizzle with buffalo sauce and joy!

Parmesan Oatmeal crusted Mahi Mahi

It doesn't have to be fried for it to taste fried and just as delicious. The delicious combination of fresh fish covered in cornmeal batter and dropped in hot oil can send my taste buds into an uncontrollable rage. Unfortunately this isn't always the healthiest dinner option and it can have some pretty devastating effects on your cholesterol levels. But there is good news, there are plenty of healthy options out there loaded with flavor without the calories. This baked Parmesan Oatmeal Crusted Mahi Mahi recipe is pretty awesome. Enjoy it, and if it works for you please share this recipe with someone else.

4 (3 ounce) Mahi Mahi steaks

1 cup of Oats

1 tsp of Garlic Powder

½ tsp of Sea Salt

½ tsp of Black Pepper

¼ cup of grated Parmesan Cheese

¼ tsp of Thyme seasoning

1.       Preheat oven to 400 degrees

2.       Combine Oats, Garlic Powder, Sea Salt, Black Pepper, Parmesan and Thyme into a food processor or blender, and blend until oats are finely mixed with other ingredients.

3.       Take the Mahi Mahi steaks and spray each side with

Olive Oil spray

4.       Place them in a bowl with the oat mixture and cover them completely on each side until coated to satisfaction

5.       Take them out of the bowl, and place on to a non-stick baking sheet and put them into the oven for 15 to 20 minutes at 400 degrees until steaks have a nice crispy brown coating

6.       Plate the fish and serve with stemmed broccoli and cauliflower

7.       (Optional) Drizzle with Grape Seed Oil or Olive Oil for extra flavor