8.10.2012

Lemon Zucchini Bread with Sweet Lemon Glaze

Have I said before how much I LOVE Pinterest? With the zucchini coming on, I've found TONS of new recipes to try! This moist bread turned out DELICIOUS and I'm so glad I found the recipe at NancyCreative.com. Hope you LIKE it too!


Lemon Zucchini Bread with Sweet Lemon Glaze
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup canola oil
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup buttermilk
Juice of 1 lemon (or 2 tablespoons)
Zest of 1 lemon
1 cup grated unpeeled zucchini (I don't think I used a full cup)

Lemon Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
Juice of 1 lemon (or 2 tablespoons)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9 × 5-inch loaf pan; set aside.

In large bowl, blend the flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

In medium bowl, beat the eggs, then add the oil and sugar; blend well. Stir in the buttermilk, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Fold in the zucchini until evenly distributed in mixture. Add this mixture to the dry ingredients in the large bowl and blend everything together, but don’t overmix.

Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and bake for 45 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack and cool completely. While loaf is cooling, make the glaze. 

In small bowl, mix powdered sugar and lemon juice until well blended. Spoon glaze over cooled bread. Let glaze set, then serve.

TIP: Try putting some parchment paper in the bottom of your bread pan so nothing sticks to the bottom!

8.05.2012

Blackened Salmon Sandwiches with Creamy Basil Sauce

I think I've mentioned before that my husband WANTS to gain weight. He is required to eat a lot of HEALTHY protein, so we've been having salmon once or twice a week. Our whole family LOVES fish, even the 1-year-old twins! Anyway, this SIMPLE dinner was fantastic and full of flavor thanks to the cajun seasoning and SECRET sauce.


Blackened Salmon Sandwiches with Creamy Basil Sauce
Salmon, cut into portions that will fit on bun
Olive oil
Cajun seasoning (I buy this in the spice aisle)
Hamburger Buns
Lettuce

Lightly pat all sides of the salmon portions with olive oil. Sprinkle a good amount of the Cajun seasoning over both sides and then cook in a grill pan (or bbq) until done. Spread a spoonful of dressing on both sides of the buns then put salmon on top. Finish off with another drizzle of the dressing and top with the lettuce. Enjoy!

TIP: The dressing is from one of my favorite salads EVER! I've been making it with Greek yogurt instead of mayo and it is still delicious. Also, if you don't have the oil marinade from a container of those fresh mozzarella balls when you make the dressing, just use olive oil instead. I usually throw in a couple dashes of garlic powder and oregano and parsley when I don't have the marinated mozzarella that I can steal oil from. 

7.30.2012

Raspberry Oreo Ice Cream

We love homemade ICE CREAM at our house, and we especially love coming up with NEW flavor combinations. This FRUITY and chocolatey cookie mixture is divine, especially with some HOT FUDGE drizzled over top!


Raspberry Oreo Ice Cream
2 cups whole milk
1 1/8 cups sugar
2 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 tablespoon vanilla
3/4 cup fresh or frozen raspberries
15 to 20 Oreos, chopped

In a bowl, combine the milk and sugar until the sugar is dissolved. Stir in the cream and vanilla then add mixture to ice cream maker. Use ice cream maker as directed. About 5 to 10 minutes before ice cream is done, slowly add the raspberries and cookies while ice cream maker is still running. When done the ice cream will be really soft, so we like to put it in a container in the freezer for a couple of hours before serving. Mmmmm!

TIP: You can any other fruit and cookie or chocolate combination. Strawberries would be yummy with the cookies or with chocolate chips. We've done fresh cherries with chocolate chunks, or chopped peaches would be really yummy with Golden Oreos. You can get really creative and add a teaspoon or two of other flavorings like coconut, almond, or mint if you just do cookies or chocolate and leave out the fruit!


7.25.2012

Cranberry Almond Granola

My husband is trying to gain weight. LUCKY duck!!! However, he wants to do it the RIGHT way, so that means he's not eating cheeseburgers and donuts all the time—instead he needs something NUTRITIOUS and filling. Our regular homemade granola is delicious and he LOVES it, but this is a more HEALTHY version. It is absolutely delicious!


Cranberry Almond Granola (from eatingwell.com)
2/3 cup frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup canola or almond oil
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 cups rolled oats
1 cup wheat germ
1 cup whole almonds, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup dried cranberries (we used the cherry-flavored)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Coat two cookie sheets with sides with nonstick spray; set aside.

In a saucepan, whisk together the juice concentrate, syrup, oil, and brown sugar. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and then stir in the cinnamon and salt.

In a large bowl, combine the oats, wheat germ, almonds, and sunflower seeds. Stir in the liquid mixture and toss to coat. Spread the granola evenly on the two prepared pans. Bake for 15 minutes, stirring once or twice. Reverse pans in oven and continue baking until lightly browned and aromatic, stirring frequently, about 15 minutes more. Transfer the baking sheets to wire racks; stir 1/2 cup cranberries into each pan and let cool completely.

TIP: We didn't have wheat germ so we just substituted another cup of oats. I'm sure that any other dried fruit would be fabulous in this mix as well!

7.20.2012

Extra Easy Hot Fudge Sauce

I was in a RUSH a week or so ago and forgot to pick up some hot FUDGE at the grocery store that was desperately needed for an ICE CREAM party we were having at our house. I knew it was easy to make and I was out of TIME, so I adjusted a recipe I found online and it was easy and DELICIOUSLY rich. My 2-year-old and I finished it off with a spoon the week after the party!


Extra Easy Hot Fudge Sauce
1/4 cup butter
1 can sweetened condensed milk
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Stir all ingredients together over medium heat until thoroughly combined and smooth. Serve warm over ice cream or eat it by the spoonful! Fits nicely in a mason jar.

TIP: I'm thinking you could cut down on the butter, maybe doing 3 tablespoons instead, to make it a little "lighter." :)

7.15.2012

No-Bake Energy Bites

I made the mistake of making these SCRUMPTIOUS bites of goodness knowing that my husband couldn't have any. I'm fairly certain I ate all but 4 or 5 of these HEAVENLY GEMS because they were just that GOOD! I didn't really want to share but knew it was the RIGHT thing to do, so a few close friends had a bite or two. I can't wait to make them AGAIN . . .


No-Bake Energy Bites
1 1/2 cups oatmeal
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/3 cup honey
1 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and let chill for 30 minutes. Remove mixture from fridge and roll into 18 to 20 balls. Keep refrigerated.

TIP: I found this recipe on Pinterest (of course!), but changed it slightly from the original that appeared on Smashed Peas and Carrots. They called for 1 cup oats and 1/2 cup ground flaxseed. I didn't have the flax, so I substituted with more oats. I also didn't have quite enough mini chips, so I threw in a small handful of regular milk chocolate chips. YUMMMMM!

7.10.2012

BBQ Chicken and Cilantro Lime Quinoa Salad

I've recently seen some RECIPES floating around for BBQ chicken and quinoa, and also some recipes for cilantro lime quinoa. I decided to COMBINE the two for my own special eating PLEASURE. It turned out pretty FABULOUS if I do say so myself!


BBQ Chicken and Cilantro Lime Quinoa Salad
8 to 10 chicken tenders
1/2 red onion, sliced
1/2 to 3/4 cup barbecue sauce
1 cup quinoa, uncooked
1 to 2 limes
1/2 cup chopped cilantro (plus more for garnish)
1 cup super sweet white corn
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
Shredded cheddar cheese, optional
1 avocado

Place the chicken, onion, and barbecue sauce in a crockpot on low heat and cook 6 hours or until done. Shred the chicken with two forks and then set aside.

Prepare the quinoa according to package directions; let cool slightly and then squeeze the lime(s) over top, add the cilantro, and then stir together. Scoop the quinoa onto a plate, top with the corn, black beans, barbecue chicken, cheese, avocado, and cilantro to garnish. Makes 4 servings.

TIP: I loved it with cheese, so don't be shy about adding any. White cheddar or even a smoky gouda or mozzarella would be tasty as well. I also think more lime squeezed over the top of the whole dish is a great addition. I could honestly eat this about every night of the week. I LOVED IT!

7.05.2012

Overnight Oatmeal

I always like to try NEW things for breakfast, and when I saw this recipe on PINTEREST, I thought I'd give it a go. Once I mixed it together for the NIGHT, I started to wonder if it would actually be GOOD. Not only was it good, it was fabulous—not to mention pretty darn HEALTHY too! Hope you love it . . .


Overnight Oatmeal
1/2 cup oats
2/3 cup milk
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon chia seeds

Add ins:
1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons raspberry jam
1 small banana, mashed (I saved a bit and sliced it for the top)

OR

2 tablespoons peanut or almond butter
1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons maple syrup

In a mason jar or glass bowl, combine the oats, milk, yogurt, and chia seeds. Cover with a lid or plastic and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, stir in your choice of add ins and enjoy! It makes a pretty large bowl!

TIP: This is a great recipe to experiment with—you can add whatever you want and I'm almost positive it will be delish. Things like brown sugar, coconut (maybe toasted!), and mango, all sorts of berries and nuts, any sort of jam or preserve, or even things like cinnamon and pumpkin, and chocolate or cocoa. Just find your favorite combo!

6.30.2012

Attack of the Killer Tomatoes Salad

I've posted this recipe before, but since all of the FOURTH OF JULY feasts are starting 
this week,  this is one salad you won't want to miss! This recipe is from my sister-in-law, 
and it is so AMAZINGLY good and refreshing! The dressing is SPECTACULAR and 
just bursts with flavor in your mouth. Speaking of which, mine is watering right now!




















Attack of the Killer Tomatoes Salad
Creamy Basil Dressing
1/2 cup mayo (I used light)
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 cup oil (I used the oil from the marinated mozzarella)
1/3 cup white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 to 1/2 cup fresh basil (plus more for salad)

Spring mix salad
Cherry tomatoes, halved
Marinated mozzarella balls (from Costco)
Fresh basil, chiffonade

Blend all of the dressing ingredients together until smooth. Taste and adjust as necessary.

Lay some salad mix on a large platter, top with the tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil. Drizzle
dressing over top as desired.

TIP: I made this recently with some cold chopped up rotisserie chicken layered on top as
well so it could be our main course for dinner. It was delicious that way too!

6.25.2012

Easy Frosted Banana Cookies

Of course we recently had extra ripe BANANAS that needed to be used for something delicious! We always seem to have 2 or 3 EXTRAS that don't get eaten. Don't you? Either way, these YUMMY cookies turned out to be scrumptiously SWEET. We had to give some plates to neighbors so we wouldn't EAT them all!


Easy Frosted Banana Cookies
1 spice cake mix
2 eggs
1/3 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup applesauce
1 large or 2 small ripe bananas, mashed
3/4 cup chocolate chips
Cream Cheese Frosting (just use your favorite, or mine here)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a bowl, use a spoon to mix together the cake mix, eggs, butter, and applesauce. Stir in the bananas and chocolate chips. Scoop 1-inch dough balls onto a lightly greased cookie sheet and bake for 9 to 12 minutes, or until light golden brown around the edges. Cool on pan for a minute or two and then cool completely on a wire rack. Frost cooled cookies with cream cheese frosting. Makes around 3 dozen cookies.

6.20.2012

Open-Faced Turkey and Veggie Sandwich

Yum! I recently had a LARGE quantity of bell peppers in my FRIDGE and needed to come up with some way to use them. I think I found a new FAVORITE recipe! Not only is this meal pretty, but it is PRETTY easy and good for you too.


Open-Faced Turkey and Veggie Sandwich
Red and orange bell peppers, sliced
Sweet onion, sliced
Deli turkey (I used the thicker-cut Costco brand), sliced/cubed
Pesto
Rosemary Olive Oil Bread (from Costco or Smith's is what I like best)
Shredded mozzarella cheese
Shredded Parmesan cheese

In a frying pan, saute the peppers and onion until slightly golden but still crunchy. Stir in the turkey and a scoop or two of pesto (just to coat lightly).

Turn the broiler onto high. Place bread on a baking sheet and then generously top with turkey and veggie mixture. Top with mozzarella cheese and just a sprinkle of the Parmesan. Stick under the broiler until lightly browned and bubbly.

TIP: This would be fantastic with just veggies! I'm sure tomatoes would be great, but I'm not a tomato person per say, so you'll have to let me know. Also, if you want your bread toasty, feel free to toast it before topping it with the veggies. As is, only the outer edges get toasty in the broiler.

6.15.2012

Beet and Goat Cheese Salad

I've been a little OBSESSED with beets lately, so when I did a quick weekend trip to visit a friend in Philly and she made this SALAD, I was a very happy girl! It was a fantastic and LIGHT lunch that she just threw together. It was that EASY.


Beet and Goat Cheese Salad
Pickled whole beets, chilled (just the kind in the jar at Walmart)
Spring mix lettuce blend
Oil & vinegar dressing (we used Paul Newman's)
Goat cheese
Sunflower seeds

Slice or cut the beets into bite-size pieces; set aside. Place desired amount of lettuce on a plate or in a bowl. Drizzle with a little dressing and toss to coat. Top with the beets and some crumbled goat cheese as well as some sunflower seeds. Simple but amazing!!

TIP: You could obviously add any other yummy veggies to this salad and I'm sure it would be amazing. Cooked and crumbled bacon would be fabulous too. However, I love it as is!

6.10.2012

Sugar Cookie Bars

I've definitely had a SWEET tooth lately, and these tasty morsels of goodness helped cure a MAJOR craving! As usual, they are so easy to put together and are PERFECT for any little gathering you might have coming up. You could leave the FROSTING white and do red, white, and blue sprinkles for the Fourth of July.


Sugar Cookie Bars
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
5 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Cream Cheese Frosting
1/2 cup butter, room temp
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, room temp
1 teaspoon vanilla
Dash or two of salt
4 cups powdered sugar


Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a 9 × 12- or 13-inch with parchment paper; set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the vanilla.

In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, salt, and baking soda. Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until combined.

Evenly spread the cookie dough onto the prepared pan. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean and bars are golden brown. Let cool completely.

To make the frosting, beat together the butter, cream cheese, vanilla, and salt until smooth. Beat in the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time. Frost the cooled bars and then store in the refrigerator.

TIP: If the frosting is too thin, add more powdered sugar. If it is too thick, add a little milk!

6.05.2012

Ham and Cheese Sliders

This has been one of my GREATEST finds on Pinterest. It sounds so simple (and it is!), but it has AMAZING flavors that makes my mouth water just thinking about it! So one of these BUSY summer nights when there's not much time to prepare a YUMMY meal, make these.


Ham and Cheese Sliders
24 dinner rolls, cut in half
24 slices honey ham
24 slices swiss cheese
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Miracle Whip
1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
6 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
1/4 cup brown sugar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a small bowl, mix together the mayo and Miracle Whip. Spread both sides of the dinner rolls with the mixture.
On a baking sheet with sides, place bottom half of dinner rolls close together and top with 1 slice ham and 1 slice cheese. Put the roll tops back on.  
In another bowl, mix together the mustard, butter, onion powder, Worcestershire, poppy seeds, and brown sugar. Pour over the rolls. Cover with foil and refrigerate until ready to bake.
Bake, covered with foil, for 10 minutes; remove foil and bake for 5 to 10 minutes more or until lightly browned and the cheese is melted. Makes 24 sliders.

TIP: I also made this using turkey and provolone, and it was also delicious! However, the ham and swiss version is our family favorite!

5.30.2012

Orzo Chicken Salad

This recipe was INSPIRED by the chicken salad I enjoyed recently at a BRIDAL shower in my neighborhood. It's LIGHT and REFRESHING—perfect for summer, and actually pretty darn good for you! Hope you love it.


Orzo Chicken Salad

1/2 cup orzo, cooked
1/2 cup chopped celery
2 cups chopped rotisserie chicken
1 cup red grape halves
3/4 cup cashew pieces and halves
1 green onion, sliced
1 (6-ounce) container Honey-Flavored Greek yogurt (I used Chobani)
2 to 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix together all ingredients and serve on a croissant, soft flatbread or pita wrap, or a large leaf of iceberg lettuce. Makes about 4 to 6 servings.

5.25.2012

Cordon Bleu Bake

This is a yummy little PASTA recipe that is super simple and always gets RAVE reviews. It's almost too easy. Like so EASY that I'm embarrassed when people ask for the recipe. But, the best part is that it is a WINNER with my KIDDOS, and that's a good thing! (Sorry for the weird photo!)


Cordon Bleu Bake

2 cups mini penne pasta 
1 cup cubed ham
1 (12-ounce) can good-quality chicken, broken up (LOVE the Costco brand)
1 (15-ounce) jar alfredo sauce (I use Classico's Light Asiago Romano Alfredo)
Dash of pepper
6 to 10 slices Swiss cheese

Cook pasta according to directions. Drain and return to the pan. Stir in the ham, chicken, alfredo sauce, and pepper; warm through. Scoop mixture into 6 ramekins and cover each with a slice or two of cheese. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes, or until cheese is slightly browned on top. Makes 6 servings.

TIP: You could stir some grated Swiss into the sauce if you want it more cheesy, but I don't think it's needed. You could also top with breadcrumbs if you so desire. My secret: I've found that if I stir chopped up broccoli or peas (or whatever veggie I feel like using) and stir it into a creamy-based pasta, my 2 year old will eat it without question. Just sayin'. :)



5.20.2012

Coconut Chocolate Chip Muffins

For some reason I have been craving COCONUT desserts. I'm not sure why. Coconut just sounds really REALLY good! Anyway, I thought I'd try cutting a few calories and instead of making a DESSERT that is probably laden with lots of YUMMY frosting, I'd try the breakfast route instead. Sooooo, here is what I came up with! :)



Coconut Chocolate Chip Muffins
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup butter
1 egg
1 3/4 cup flour

1/3 cup brown sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 small box coconut creme instant pudding mix
1/2 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips


1/2 cup toasted coconut, divided

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and prepare a muffin pan with nonstick spray.

In a bowl, beat together the milk, butter, and egg. Stir in the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Next stir in the dry pudding mix. Finally, stir in the chocolate chips and about 1/3 cup of the coconut. Evenly divide the thick batter into 12 muffin cups. Sprinkle the remaining coconut over the tops. Bake for about 18 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool a few minutes in the pan, then enjoy!

TIP: You can add more coconut to the batter if you want. I was trying not to use too much because I wanted my 2 year old to eat them. (She loved them by the way!) My husband said he would have preferred regular-sized chocolate chips. And I would have LOVED the toasted coconut on top of the muffins to be coconut streusel instead, but I was trying to be good and cut calories! Click here for my coconut streusel topping if you want to try it. :)

5.15.2012

Sour Cream Lemon Pie

I love LEMON. And for some reason or another, I've really been CRAVING pies lately. So I made a super YUMMY lemon pie with the help of allrecipes.com. This creamy and luscious pie in a nice FLAKY crust was killer! Totally satisfied in every way. Enough said.


Sour Cream Lemon Pie
1 (9-inch) baked pie crust (I used my favorite recipe, here. I just do one thick crust though!)
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk
1/2 cup sour cream
4 egg yolks, beaten
1/4 cup butter
2 lemons, juiced and zested

Bake crust and set aside to cool completely.

In a saucepan, combine the sugar, flour, and salt. Gradually stir in the milk. Cook and stir over medium heat until thick and bubbly. Reduce heat and cook and stir for 2 minutes more. Remove from heat.

Gradually stir 1 cup of the mixture into the egg yolks to temper. Return yolk mixture to mixture in pan and bring to a gentle boil. Cook and stir 2 minutes more. Remove from heat and stir in the butter, juice, and zest. Gently fold in the sour cream. Pour filling to cooled crust and let cool. Refrigerate until ready to serve and top with whipped cream if desired.

TIP: This pie is so delish as is, it's hard to think of a tip. The one thing you can do to save time is to put the filling in a graham cracker crust. However, the baked crust is totally worth the effort!

5.10.2012

Chocolate Pancakes with Vanilla Cream Sauce

These yummy little "cakes" are one of our SPECIAL breakfasts, you know for holidays or other special occasions. Let me tell ya, they are DELISH! If you are craving chocolate or are just CHOCOHOLICS like we are at our house, I would say EATING some of these would be the best way to start your day.


Chocolate Pancakes with Vanilla Cream Sauce
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
4 tablespoons cocoa
3 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons applesauce (Or you can more oil and less applesauce)
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 to 1 1/4 cups milk (Depending on how thick you want the pancakes!)
Chocolate chips (I used mini semisweet)

Vanilla Cream Sauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/3 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk
2 egg yolks, beaten
1 tablespoon butter
2 teaspoons vanilla

In a bowl, combine all the pancake ingredients except chocolate chips. Set aside.

In a saucepan, combine the cornstarch, sugar, and salt. Whisk the milk and yolks together and then gradually stir into the sugar mixture in pan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it starts to boil and thicken. (Don't turn up the heat though or you will have scrambled eggs!) Remove from heat and then stir in the butter and vanilla.

Make pancakes with the pancake batter and serve with the warm sauce over top. Sprinkle with chocolate chips.

TIP: Serve with sliced strawberries on top or on the side for an extra special treat! You could also stir some chocolate chips into the batter if you want more chocolate. :)

5.05.2012

Spaghetti Squash and Black Bean Bowls

So this recipe is not your normal CINCO de MAYO fare, but it tastes fabulous and is definitely a keeper! The slightly SPICY dish is easy to make, and even more easy to eat! The SQUASH takes on the role of carbs, if you will, and does a FANTASTIC job.


Spaghetti Squash, Chicken, and Black Bean Bowls
1 medium spaghetti squash
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
1 teaspoon chili powder
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 to 1/3 red onion, chopped
1/2 to 1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup frozen super sweet white corn, thawed
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1 lime

Cut the squash in half and then place the cut sides down in a microwave-safe dish that has about 1/2 inch of water in the bottom. Cover with plastic wrap, leaving one corner open to vent. Cook in the microwave for 12 to 15 minutes, or until cooked through. Let cool slightly and then remove the "spaghetti." Set aside.

In a frying pan, heat the oil and then saute the chicken with the chili powder, salt, and pepper. When almost done, stir in the onion, bell pepper, beans, and corn. Cook for a few minutes or until veggies are tender. Stir in the squash, cilantro, and juice from the lime. Let warm through and serve.

TIP: Try topping it with sliced avocado, shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, and/or salsa. All are delish!