Easy Avocado Salsa

1 can black beans (drained)
1 can chipotle shoe peg corn (drained)
1 can Rotel tomatoes
1 bell pepper (small dice)
1 red onion (small dice)
3 T pickled jalapenos, chopped
garlic salt to taste
2 avocados (small dice)
juice of 1 lemon or lime

Simply mix all ingredients except avocado and lemon. The longer it sits in fridge before serving, the better. Also key is chopping all the veggies in a small uniform size. (No one wants to get a big hunk of red onion).

Just before serving, add the avocado, squeeze lemon juice over top, toss and get out of the way--quick! This stuff is GOOD and won't last long.

Serve with chips, steak, tacos, fish...anything really.

Asian Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients
2 chicken breasts, cut into little pieces
dash of garlic powder
dash of ginger
dash of cumin
1 bag frozen stir-fry veggies
4 T peanut butter
1/3 c. Teriyaki sauce
1/2 c. chicken stock
1 squeeze of a lemon
1 head Bibb lettuce

Directions
1. Spray a large pan with Olive Oil Pam. Bring to med/high heat and put chicken in pan. Add spices. (If you like spicy, then add some red pepper, too) Cook until golden brown on all sides.

2. Turn heat down to med/low. Add Teriyaki sauce, chicken stock, and peanut butter. Stir until sauce is smooth.

3. Add veggies and turn temp back up just a bit. Add another layer of spices. Cover.

4. Let steam until veggies are warmed through. Uncover, squeeze in a bit of lemon juice and let simmer until sauce is beginning to thicken.

5. Remove from heat and serve on lettuce leaves.

Yields 10 wraps, apx. 100 calories each.
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I ate 4 of these for lunch today and it was very filling. Only 400 calories with nearly 5 grams of fiber and lots of protein.

I think I would like them just as much without the peanut butter, so I may leave that out next time. It does add a richness and helps thicken the sauce though. I have heard some people talk about powdered peanut butter? Perhaps that would be an option.

Anyway--if you try these let me hear about it.

Friday Night Granola

It's Friday night. An evening to let your hair down, head out on the town and let the stresses of the week just melt away. Hmm. You know what I did tonight? I went to Dollar General.

We live in a small town, like 1,000 people. We have a Sonic, a gas station and a Dollar General. When the hum-drum of life starts to get me down, it's just a place I can go. A nice respite.

I'm kidding. I hate going to Dollar General but I wanted to make some granola and thought they might have some things I needed. It's no Whole Foods, but it works. And this may not be the most glamorous of Friday night escapades, but for me, again--it works.

Granola has a lot of healthy stuff in it, but it's usually high in sugar, fat(if nuts are involved) and calories. I tried to make a modified low(er) cal version. This still has 150 calories per 1/2 cup.

Friday Night Granola

Dry Ingredients
4 cups "quick" oats
1/2 cup coconut
10 packets Equal sweetener
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt

Wet Ingredients
1 individual applesauce cup
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup water
2 teaspoons vanilla

Add-ins
1/2 cup dried mixed berries (cherries, golden raisins, cranberries)
1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped

Directions
1. Mix all the dry ingredients together.

2. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and add all the wet ingredients into the well.

3.Toss it all like a big salad until it's well mixed, but not overly so.

4. Spread evenly on 2 cookie sheets and place in a preheated 350°F oven.

5. Most important step, make sure you stir or mix the granola every ten minutes so that you don't end up with any burned pieces. It's kind of a pain but you'll regret it if you don't!

6. Bake for 30 minutes.

7. Let cool, incorporate Add-ins.

8. Store in air-tight container for up to 2 weeks.

Now I have to be honest about the granola--it wasn't absolutely fantastic. I'm going to go out on a limb and say it was the lack of nuts, brown sugar and oil. :) But it was fun to make. Anyone have a more interesting Friday night to speak of?

Oh, I doubt it.