Avocado Chicken Salad

Avocado is one of my absolute favorite foods. I find it is best when simply sliced with a squirt of tangy lime juice and a sprinkle of sea salt. Additionally, did you know that an avocado has double the amount of potassium in it as a banana? Although considered a fruit, one avocado actually has 4 grams of protein too (source)! This week I decided to switch up my boring avocado-feasting routine, I used the avocado in lieu of mayo/Greek yogurt/sour cream in chicken salad. No doubt, this is absolutely a new favorite lunch recipe! The options are endless with this quick and easy recipe in terms of spices and add ins. 

 Ingredients: 

1 10 ounce can of chicken (2 small cooked breasts or 4 tenderloins would also work)
1 whole avocado
1/4 of a sweet onion
1 handful of green grapes
1 teaspoon of garlic powder (1/2 or a 1/4 if you aren't a huge garlic fan!)
1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper (or to taste)
1/2 teaspoon of black pepper (or to taste)
1 teaspoon of dried cilantro (fresh is better but this is all I had on hand!)
Juice of one lime or 1-2 teaspoons of bottled lime juice
Salt to taste 

Optional Add Ins/Seasonings:

1/4 cup of chopped water chestnuts
1/4 cup of chopped granny smith apple
1/8 cup of raisins or craisins 
1/8 cup of chopped celery
1 teaspoon of lemon pepper
1 teaspoon of chili flakes
1 teaspoon of sugar (if you like it really sweet!)

Directions:

1.) Open and drain chicken, dump into medium sized mixing bowl, separate chunks with a fork. 
2.) Chop add ins. I cut the grapes in half and chopped the onion finely. 
3.) Score avocado and scoop into bowl with chicken. Mix well. Add onion and grapes, mix well. Then add your dry spices and lime juice. Mix until a smooth consistency forms. 

4.) Serve over baby greens, on a sandwich or with crackers! (Or straight out of the bowl :-))

Enjoy! 

Garlic Infused Rump Roast

There is something about the bitter cold of winter that leaves me with a craving for a hot piece of red meat. Gathering around the table on a Sunday evening, sharing a comforting warm meal, has always been something that I have loved to do. Nothing beats good food and great company, right? This recipe definitely satisfied that. This was my first go around trying to cook a roast and I have to say, it came out pretty well. I wish I would have had more time to marinade it but overall, the flavor of the meat was great and the cooking time seemed to work fairly well. This is best served with the classics: mashed potatoes, corn, and somethin' green! 

Ingredients:

1 Round or Rump Roast (3 lbs)

Marinade:

1 packet of dry Italian dressing

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon garlic salt

Kosher salt (to taste)

Black pepper (to taste)

1/2 cup of olive oil

1/4 cup of Worcestershire sauce

Additional Necessities:

2-4 cloves of fresh garlic

1 cup of red wine

1 cup of water

1 can of golden mushroom soup 

Optional- Creamy Horseradish Sauce:

1/2 cup of Sour Cream (can be substituted for greek yogurt for a low-cal option)
4 tablespoons of prepared horseradish
Salt and Pepper to taste 

Directions: 

1. Begin by trimming excess fat from the roast. Trim to your desired fat content. Place the roast in a shallow dish or gallon sized plastic bag. 
2. Combine all dry ingredients in a small bowl and whisk in Worcestershire and oil. Set aside.
3. Peel and thinly slice fresh garlic. 
4. With a small knife, create slits all over the outside of the meat large enough to fit the garlic slices into. Stuff the garlic into the meat accordingly. 
5. Take the marinade and pour over the meat. Massage into the slits of garlic and let sit for anywhere from 1-12 hours. ( 3 hours worked well for my roast!)
6. When you are ready to cook the meat, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 
7. In a medium skillet, drizzle a bit of oil in the bottom of the pan and turn it to medium heat.
8. Place marinaded roast in pan and sear for approximately 4-5 minutes per side. This will create a nice crust on the meat. 
9. In a roasting pan, combine wine, water and mushroom soup in the bottom of the pan. Place browned meat on the rack and cover with foil.
10. Cook the roast at approximately 325/350 degrees for (approx.) 1 hour and 15 minutes... lower and slower is always an option if you have the time. For a medium rare roast, the internal temperature should reach 125-130 degrees. For a medium roast, closer to 140-145 would be best. 
11. Slice thinly and enjoy!