Grilled Five Spice Chicken Salad

I grilled chicken tonight, but not just any chicken. Five spice chicken! For the recipe for the marinade and the method of grilling, click HERE.

Here's the chicken on the grill and resting before slicing.

  

If you've not tried this brand of salads, I encourage you to look for the selection at your local grocery store.

This salad has a wonderful blend of savoy and green cabbage, carrots, celery, and green onion all finished with toasted slivered almonds, crisp wonton noodles, and tangy yet sweet sesame ginger dressing. 

If that doesn't sound delicious enough, just imagine topped with the Grilled Five Spice Chicken!

Grilled Five Spice Chicken

I grilled these chicken breasts with the plan of using them to top an Asian salad. However, they turned out so delicious, I decided to devote an entire blog post to them. A few minutes to mix up the marinade, a little time in the refrigerator, and onto a hot grill. I love to make marinades and especially when I just taste and mix and add and taste and continue until I get it just right!

You can enjoy these chicken breasts as they are cooked here alongside a side of steamed or fried rice or you can slice or chunk up the chicken to top a salad or inside a wrap.

Here's the marinade:

1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce

1 t. Five Spice powder

1 T. rice wine vinegar

2 t. sesame oil

1 T. fish sauce

1 t. granulated garlic OR 2 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 t. red pepper flakes

juice and zest of one lime

1 t. freshly grated ginger

1/4 - 1/2 t. salt

1/4 t. freshly ground black pepper

Whisk together all ingredients. And taste! if you want a little more of this or that, add and taste again. It's important to learn to trust your taste when you're cooking. Use my list as YOUR guideline and adjust accordingly.

Place marinade in a non-reactive bowl and add 3 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Cover and place in refrigerator for 1 - 3 hours.

Heat gas grill on high heat until temp reaches 400 degrees. Place chicken on grill and lower heat so that it remains between 350 - 375 degrees. Grill, turning chicken after it will release easily from the grill grates. Grill, turning as needed, until internal temperature of chicken reaches 160 degrees.

Grilled Teriyaki Tuna Steaks

There's a reason they're called tuna "steaks." Isn't that lovely? Tuna has very high levels of omega-3 fatty acids which help to reduce omega-6 fatty acids and cholesterol in the arteries and blood vessels. Plus it's delicious! I grilled an assortment of veggies to serve alongside. I've listed my choices below. Feel free to substitute your favorites.

4 - 5 oz. tuna steaks

1/3 cup teriyaki sauce

2 T. sherry vinegar

1 T. honey

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 T. grated fresh ginger

few grinds of black pepper

In a small non-reactive bowl, whisk together teriyaki sauce, sherry vinegar, honey, garlic, ginger, and pepper. Reserve 3 T. of the marinade.

Place tuna steaks in original bowl and turn to coat. Let stand 10 - 15 minutes.

While the tuna is marinating, prepare the vegetables:

6 oz. snow peas

1 medium zucchini, ends trimmed and sliced diagonally

1 medium yellow squash, ends trimmed and sliced diagonally

1 medium yellow onion, cut into quarters

1 medium yellow bell pepper, cut into strips

1 medium green bell pepper, cut into strips

Place vegetables in a medium bowl, lightly salt and pepper and toss with reserved 3 T. of the marinade. 

Preheat grill for high heat. If you don't have one of these handy dandy grills baskets, get one immediately! No, really, get one! Place veggies in basket and let cook for 3 - 4 minutes. Stir vegetables and continue to cook until vegetables soften.

 

Lightly oil grill grate. Cook the tuna steaks for 2 to 2 1/2 minutes, then turn and baste with the marinade. Cook for an additional 2 - 2 1/2 minutes, or to an internal temp of 125 degrees. Discard any remaining marinade.

Serve immediately with the vegetables.

 

Vegetable Beef Soup

This is a delicious and filling soup which provides protein from the lean steak and fiber from the vegetables. You can add more or less of the vegetables to suit your family's liking. 

2 T. extra virgin olive oil

1 lb. top round steak, trimmed and cut into 1/2" cubes

2 ribs celery, finely chopped

2 large leeks, white and some green, carefully washed to remove grit

1/4 lb. fresh green beans, cut into 1/2" pieces

1/3 cup matchstick cut carrots

2 cloves garlic, minced

6 cups beef stock

3 cups shredded cabbage 

3 cups packed baby spinach

1 can (14.5 oz.) fire roasted diced tomatoes

salt to taste

freshly ground black pepper

1 t. Worcestershire sauce

In a 5 quart Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add the steak and cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is well browned. 

Add celery, leeks, green beans, and carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to soften. Add garlic and cook for an additional minute or so.

Add beef stock, cabbage, spinach, tomatoes with juice, salt, several grinds of black pepper, and Worcestershire sauce.

Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover and let cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 1/2 hours or until the steak is fork tender.

Baked Salmon with Creamy Lemon Caper Sauce

We are certainly enjoying our seafood and fish meals while watching carbs. We are both seeing results when we step on the scale and, even better, I am anticipating we'll also see results as far as lowering cholesterol levels.

This dish is another one of these that can be ready, refrigerator to table in 30 minutes or so, which makes it perfect for weeknight meals. An added bonus is that it is also a one sheet pan meal! One pan, easy clean up!

2 T. extra virgin olive oil, divided

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 T. capers

3 t. lemon-pepper seasoning, divided

1/2 cup fat free sour cream

1 1/2 pounds salmon fillets 

3 - 4 cups broccoli / cauliflower florets

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.

Place salmon fillets on one end of baking sheet and sprinkle with lemon-pepper. 

On the other end of the baking sheet, place broccoli and cauliflower, drizzle with 1 T. olive oil and sprinkle with 1 t. lemon-pepper.  Toss to coat and spread in a single layer.

Bake for 20 - 22 minutes until salmon is just opaque and vegetables are beginning to brown.

While the salmon and vegetables are in the oven, make the sauce.

Heat 1 T. olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the lemon juice, capers, and lemon-pepper and cook for 5 minutes. Add the sour cream and cook for 5 minutes, or until heated through.

Top the salmon with the sauce and serve immediately.

Weekend Steak and Eggs: Strip Steak with Sunnyside Up Eggs

Most of us live with a very hectic schedule:  work, children, volunteer responsibilities, etc. The weekends need to be a time to rest, relax, and recharge. How better than to take time to have a special breakfast that is more than a gulped down cup of coffee or a drive through biscuit?

We certainly enjoyed this morning's breakfast of strip steak and sunny side up eggs. I hope you do, too!

1 lb. strip steak

vegetable oil

kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

4 jumbo eggs

Let's cook our steak first. It can rest while we cook the eggs.

Lightly coat steak with vegetable oil and generously salt and pepper.

Preheat grill pan over high heat. Add steaks. Do not try to move the steaks until they have time to sear, about 3 - 4 minutes. Lower heat slightly. Using tongs, turn the steaks 1/4 turn. Let cook an addition 3 minutes or so. Now turn the steaks over and repeat the process. Cook until you reach your desired level of doneness.

Cook until you reach your desired level of doneness. Remove to a plate, tent with foil, and let rest while you cook the eggs. Those look pretty good even if I do say so myself!

I learned this method of cooking sunny side up eggs from Pioneer Woman Ree Drummond. The eggs are slowly cooked in a little oil over very low heat.

Add just enough vegetable oil to a skillet to cover the bottom of the pan. Set heat to low. Break egg carefully into the skillet. Lightly salt.

Using a small spoon, gently begin to spoon the warm oil over the white part of the egg only. Continue to gently baste the egg with the oil until the white is cooked. Now you can baste the yolk until it is warmed, but not cooked hard. You want the yolk to be soft and runny.

Gently remove the egg with a thin spatula and drain on a paper towel. Continue with the other eggs. Plate with the steak and you're ready to enjoy a wonderful breakfast!

Caribbean Pork Tenderloin with Vegetables served with Black Beans

This recipe can fall under so many categories: low-carb meal, crock pot meal, pork dishes. If you're looking for a recipe that falls under any of those categories or maybe you want one in the DELICIOUS category, Fleur de Lolly has you covered.

1 1/2 lb. pork tenderloin

Kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

McCormick's Caribbean Jerk Seasoning Blend

2 medium onions, peeled and quartered

4 oz. sliced white mushrooms

1 can Rotel tomatoes (lime version)

1 T. minced garlic

1 medium yellow squash, ends trimmed and cut in half lengthwise and then sliced into 1-inch chunks

1 medium zucchini, ends trimmed and cut in half lengthwise and then sliced into 1-inch chunks

Preheat crock pot on high while you prep ingredients.

Lightly salt and pepper pork tenderloin. Sprinkle Caribbean Jerk Seasoning liberally on all sides of the tenderloin. Press the seasoning into the tenderloin and place in the slow cooker.

Add onions, mushrooms, Rotel tomatoes, and garlic. Cover and cook on high 4 hours or on low for 6 - 7 hours.

Add squash and zucchini during the last half hour or so of cooking time. Taste and add additional seasoning if needed.

Serve with yellow rice and/or black beans.

Mediterranean Baked Cod with Artichoke Hearts and Hearts of Palm

I love the colors and flavors of this dish. Jarred marinated artichoke hearts are a staple in my pantry. For this recipe, I used a jar of Mixed Artichoke Hearts and Hearts of Palm Salad. Feel free to use either version. If you don't have cod, pollock or haddock make great substitutes.

1 1/2 lbs. cod fillets

1 T. extra virgin olive oil

1 T. dried Italian seasoning

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/4 t. granulated garlic

10 oz. jar marinated artichoke hearts, liquid reserved

Heat oven to 450 degrees.

Place cod in an ovenproof baking dish, brush with olive oil, sprinkle with Italian seasoning, sea salt, black pepper, and granulated garlic.

Arrange the artichoke hearts (or salad version of if you're using) around the fish and drizzle with 1 T. of the reserved marinade liquid.

Bake until fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork, about 12 - 14 minutes. Remove from oven and serve hot. You can sprinkle a little paprika on top for color if you'd like.

Adapted from South Beach Diet Quick and Easy Cookbook.

Egg Roll Stir Fry

I've been craving egg rolls, but the lower carb meal plan is preventing me from enjoying FRIED EGG ROLL WRAPPERS. This dish turned out so much better than I expected.

I had planned on making this dish tonight and remembered mid-afternoon that I had not taken the ground pork out of the freezer. I put one pound of frozen ground pork in the work at 6:00 p.m. We sat down at the table at 6:25. True story.

I've suggested to you before the advantages of having a wide variety of items in your pantry. If you can keep a selection of vinegars and sauces handy, along with fresh veggies in the fridge, it's amazing what can be prepared and enjoyed in 30 minutes!

For the Sauce:

1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce

1 t. ground ginger

1 t. sesame oil

2 t. fish sauce

1 T. rice wine vinegar

1 t. Sriracha sauce

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together all ingredients and set aside.

For the stir-fry:

1 T. vegetable oil

1 pound ground pork

1 medium onion, diced

1/2 cup julienned carrots

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup chopped mushrooms

8 oz. can diced water chestnuts drained

4 cups shredded cabbage (white and purple mixed)

Toppings:

sesame seeds

thinly sliced green onions

In a wok, or large skillet, heat vegetable oil over medium high heat. Add ground pork and allow to cook through and begin to brown, breaking the pork up with a wooden spoon until it is in crumbles. Add onions, carrots, garlic and mushrooms. 

Continue cooking, stirring constantly, until vegetables begin to soften.

Increase heat to high, add water chestnuts and cabbage, and stirring constantly, cook only until cabbage begins to wilt. You don't want mushy veggies.

Add the reserved sauce, toss to coat.  Serve immediately and garnish with sesame seeds and/or sliced green onions.

Steak Salad with Grilled Red Onions

I challenge anyone that thinks lower carb eating will deprive you of delicious food to make this dish and still believe that! The protein packed steak, leafy greens, mustardy vinaigrette and blue cheese crumbles makes this a great weeknight meal that can be ready in about 30 minutes. So many gorgeous colors, textures and flavors on one plate!

1 t. Worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup plus 3 t. olive oil

1lb. skirt (or flank) steak, trimmed and cut in half

4 t. sherry vinegar

1 t. Dijon mustard

1 t. honey

1/2 t. minced garlic

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 medium red onion, sliced crosswise and then into 1/4 inch thick rounds

6 packed cups of baby greens

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

3 oz. blue cheese, crumbled (about 3/4 cup)

Heat a grill pan over medium high heat or heat a charcoal grill or gas grill on high heat (400 degrees).

In a baking dish just large enough to hold the steak, combine the Worcestershire sauce and 1 t. olive oil. Add the steak and turn to coat both sides.

Combine the vinegar, mustard, honey, garlic, 1/2 t. salt and several grinds of black pepper in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in the 1/4 cup olive oil.

Brush the onion slices with the remaining 2 t. olive oil, and grill under tender, about 4 minutes per side.

 

Season the steaks with salt and pepper and grill alongside the onion, flipping once, 3 - 5 minutes total per side for medium rare. Transfer the steak to a cutting board, tent with foil, and let rest 5 minutes.

Place a serving of greens on plate. Slice the steak across the grain, separate the onion rings and arrange both over the greens. Sprinkle with tomatoes and blue cheese crumbles and drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad.  Serve immediately.

Adapted from Fine Cooking Issue 128

Dining Out Gulf Coast: Runaway Island Bar & Grill, Panama City Beach, Florida

On our recent visit to the Gulf Coast, we stayed at the Emerald Beach Resort on Front Beach Road.  The restaurant next door had been recommended by several people. Runaway Island Bar and Grill. This beautiful restaurant is located directly on the beach and has several dining areas, including a large, covered deck area beachside.

Once again, I neglected to take the "good camera" when we walked next door to the restaurant so unfortunately you'll be stuck with cell phone photos which do not give the food justice.

We were promptly seated and after drink orders were taken, a hot loaf of bread was delivered to the table. I slipped off the low(er) carb plan. I had to have some of these beautiful bread. The selling point? The butter. A compound butter which included roasted garlic, asiago cheese and finely chopped rosemary. Absolutely amazing.

It was late when we dined that night, so I chose a bowl of Boudreaux's Chowder: Shrimp grouper, crawfish, andouille sausage, and red potatoes simmered in beer and seafood broth. My pet peeve about soups/stews/chowders served in restaurants? Room temperature servings. Thank goodness this was not a problem with this chowder. Thick and flavorful and FULL of the stated ingredients. Eaten along with the hot bread and that heavenly butter, Lolly was a happy girl.

Sweet Harold chose the night's special:  Wood grilled salmon, topped with a lemon butter sauce and three Gulf Shrimp. He chose green beans as the side dish. They were steamed and served with a soy glaze. He gave both items two thumbs up.

 

Even with the large crowd on the Labor Day Weekend night, service was prompt and the food was served hot. I'd love to go back again and dine on the deck. 

There was also a live band deckside to entertain the diners. A great evening.

Dining Out Gulf Coast: Mr. G's Smokehouse & Seafood Grill, Mexico Beach, FL

A taco truck is not what you might expect to find at the beach. But when the menu includes so many seafood options, it makes perfect sense. There are also chicken, brisket, and pork options. I wish we could have sampled all of them!

No website is available for Mr. G's, but they do have a Facebook page. They're located at 1000 Highway 98, Mexico Beach, FL.

Here are the two tacos we selected. They are VERY large and one taco each was more than adequate for our lunch.

I had the Bay Shrimp taco. Here's the menu description:  Fresh local sweet shrimp seared to perfection and served with Pineapple Mandarin Sauce, fresh cabbage, fresh cilantro, and lime spritz. The tacos are, of course, made to order. Mine was loaded with shrimp and the combination of the sauce, crunchy cabbage, cilantro, and lime was perfectly balanced. The shrimp were large and, as you can see, the portion was was more than adequate.

Sweet Harold chose......wait for it...........GROUPER!  The Baja Taco is a pan fried grouper filet served on Pineapple Mandarin Sauce, Avocado Cream, fresh cabbage, fresh cilantro, and lime spritz.

He was very pleased with his choice. Isn't that just a beautiful presentation?  Like I mentioned above, on our next visit to Mexico Beach, we will definitely be trying different versions from Mr. G's.

Dining Out Gulf Coast: Toucan's, Mexico Beach, FL

This is the sunset we were privileged to enjoy while dining at Toucan's in Mexico Beach, Florida. The delicious food aside, isn't it worth visiting there to enjoy scenery like this??

Toucan's is located directly on the beach, with a playground outside for the kids, and lots of room indoors with upstairs and downstairs dining options.

It's very family friendly and spacious. If you're on the beach and decide you need a cool drink or a burger, there's direct access from the beach as well.

We started with Hot Shrimp and Crab Parmesan Dip. This dish was brought to the table still vigorously bubbling from the broiler. Rich and creamy and served with warm toasted pita bread. It was generously filled with shrimp and crab. A delightful appetizer to begin our meal.

Next up was our salads with Raspberry Vinaigrette and a loaf of freshly baked, piping hot bread. Isn't that bread lovely?

 

For once, Sweet Harold didn't choose the grouper, but I did! Grouper Imperial:  Grilled Gulf Grouper topped with jumbo lump crab meat and a sherry cream sauce. I ordered a side of steamed mixed vegetables. The grouper was grilled perfectly and, as you can see, there is a LOT of crab. The sherry cream sauce was nicely seasoned and the perfect accompaniment.

For this meal, Sweet Harold chose grilled shrimp. A very nice portion size here. The slaw was crisp and cold just as it should be.

Another wonderful meal at the beach!

Dining Out Gulf Coast: Boss Oyster, Apalachicola, Florida

My favorite restaurant in Apalachicola is Boss Oyster. Located directly on the Apalachicola River, you can dine outside or inside. But the day we visited, the weather was lovely, and we chose to sit outside.

And look at these lovely views!

Now on to the food....

Now when you're in the oyster capital, you MUST eat oysters! And considering these were enjoyed on the first day of September (an "R" month!), these were sublime. Served ice cold on the half shell, with plenty of lemons. We were also provided cups of horseradish, ketchup and lemons to mix up our own concoction to top them with if we wanted.

Sweet Harold chose the shrimp basket with fries and slaw. He gave a thumbs up to all.

I, of course, had to order the oyster basket.  I chose fries and red beans and rice as my sides.

The red beans and rice were the weak point of the meal for me. I'm not sure what they needed, but they were lacking that "something."

All in all, a wonderful way to spend the afternoon, sitting outside, enjoying wonderful oysters and experiencing the lovely view.