back in the kitchen!

It has been quite some time since a) I've updated this blog and b) attempted any new recipes.

Welp.

Unemployment during the summer is quickly turning into a quest for house wife of the year because you would not believe just how clean and efficient our new house is thanks to the copious amount of time I now have on my hands (this is not a complaint).

Last night while browsing through the multitude of pinterest recipes I have acquired, I decided that a salad would be in order (FW is like a dry oven of heat, it's so hawt) and the coconut chicken & honey vinaigrette salad seemed easy enough.

Ingredients:

• chicken tenderloins
• crushed corn flakes (or thanks to my pantry, chex)
• one egg
• shredded coconut
• salt & pepper
• cucumber
• carrots (a la julienne)
• olive oil
• dijon mustard
• honey
• balsamic vinegar (or regular)

Before you start, preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

If you'd like the precise amounts to the coating of the mixture, I have included the link for the recipe but, quite honestly, I eyeballed most of the recipe and it was fairly spectacular. I took a giant ziploc bag, poured in some of the Chex. Then I was extremely liberal with the amount of coconut shavings I poured in which, I believe, led to a sweeter chicken. A bit of salt & pepper had me closing the bag and pounding it, until I had this:

From there I dipped my chickens into the whisked egg so that I could then thickly coat them with the coconut goodness. (Don't worry, I have no pictures of gross uncooked tenderloins to share with you). Once that was done, it was about six or seven pieces in total, I put them in the oven for 15 minutes before turning them over for another 15 minutes. 

While the chicken was cooking I went onto make the vinaigrette. Seeing as how the only ingredient I had to buy was the mustard, and that the vinaigrette was so easy to make: I am berating myself for not having homemade vinaigrette for every salad! I am changing my ways after this, though.

Take a tablespoon of olive oil, another of vinegar and one more for the honey and dump in a small bowl. Add a teaspoon of the dijon, whisk together & voila! Seriously. That easy. Mind you, I tripled the servings so that I would have enough vinaigrette left over for today's leftovers but that's entirely up to you.

Once your chicken is ready, pull out the plates load it up with salad greens take two of the tenders and lightly drizzle with your vinaigrette...

and devour guilt free because your dinner is only 397 calories. Yeah, awesome, right!?

Now, unfortunately, that day on my way back from the grocery store I stumbled across a food truck park (more on this later) and picked up cupcakes for dessert.

Cinnamon chai & red velvet

I wanted to eat both but I compromised and ate half of each. Which together ruled out my healthy meal but, it was all in the name of experiencing new things in a new city. 

Seeing as I've had two phone interviews & no call backs, you can expect many more of my cooking endeavors. Any recipes you'd like to share since last time?