Labor day weekend is filled with family and friends and delicious barbecue! Haven't come up with your menu yet? We have taken care of it for you! We have pulled together some great recipes to impress your guests for this fun holiday, enjoy!
SPICE-RUBBED CHICKEN BREASTS WITH FRESH FRUIT SALSA
makes 6 servings
Fresh Fruit Salsa
- 1 c. diced strawberries
- 1½ c. diced pineapple
- 1 c. diced papaya
- ¼ c. diced kiwifruit (about 1) (optional)
- 1 tsp. finely shredded fresh mint
- 1 tsp. finely chopped fresh cilantro
- ½ c. fresh squeezed orange juice
- 1 Tbsp. finely chopped green onion
- ½ tsp. finely chopped jalapeño
Chicken Breasts
- 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 6 ounces each)
- 1 Tbsp. smoked paprika
- 1 tsp. ground cumin
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- Pinch cayenne pepper
COMBINE all the salsa ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for about 1 hour before serving.
HEAT a grill or a grill-pan to medium. With a meat pounder or heavy rolling pin, pound the chicken breasts so they’re an even thickness.
STIR together the smoked paprika, cumin, salt, and cayenne. Spray both sides of the chicken with nonstick cooking spray and then season both sides with the spices, patting so the spices stick.
GRILL the chicken over medium, turning once, just until it’s no longer pink in the center, about 3 minutes per side depending on the size and thickness of the chicken. Let the chicken breasts rest for a couple of minutes and then cut into slices at an angle. Arrange the sliced chicken on each plate and mound the salsa next to it, so that some of the salsa covers the chicken. Serve right away.
CALORIES: 240; TOTAL FAT: 4.5 G; CARBOHYDRATE: 13 G; DIETARY FIBER: 2 G; PROTEIN: 36 G
BLACK KALE SALAD
makes 4 half cup servings
- ¼ c. panko breadcrumbs, toasted to golden brown
- ¼ c. extra-virgin olive oil
- 1–2 average-sized lemons (use your Microplane to zest one of the lemons before juicing)
- 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp. minced garlic
- ½ tsp. crushed red-pepper flakes
- 6 c. black kale, ribs removed, rinsed well, spun dry, and chopped
- ¼ c. finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
PREHEAT the oven to 375° F.
SPREAD the breadcrumbs on a small baking sheet and lightly toast in the oven until golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from the oven, and transfer into a cool dish to avoid overcooking.
COMBINE the lemon juice and garlic in a blender and blend over medium speed until mixed. Increase the blender speed to high, and slowly drizzle in the oil until smooth and thick. Ideally, this dressing will be very lemony and garlicky. Adjust flavors to your taste using additional lemon juice or fresh minced garlic.
PLACE the kale in a large bowl and toss with the dressing, coating well and let rest for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the leaves begin to wilt slightly. Add 2 Tbsp. of the cheese and all but two tsp. of the breadcrumbs to the kale; toss and let rest for 5 minutes.
DIVIDE the salad among four plates, and top each serving with 1½ tsp. of the remaining cheese, ½ tsp. of the breadcrumbs, a pinch of fresh lemon zest, and a pinch of the crushed red-pepper flakes. Serve immediately.
This recipe is featured in Miraval’s Mindful Eating cookbook, which includes two hundred beautifully clean recipes and simple techniques for readers to use at home, allowing them to make smarter choices with a better understanding of portion size, ingredients, and cooking practices.
CALORIES: 230; TOTAL FAT: 16 G; CARBOHYDRATE: 16 G; DIETARY FIBER: 2 G; PROTEIN: 6 G
LEMON PANNA COTTA WITH BLACKBERRY COMPOTE
makes 6 servings
- 2 c. 2 percent milk
- ¼ c. heavy cream
- ¼ c. granulated sugar
- 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise, seeds scraped and reserved
- 4 tsp. gelatin
- ¼ c. water
- ¼ tsp. lemon extract (not imitation)
- 1 recipe Blackberry Compote (recipe follows)
HEAT the milk, cream, sugar, and vanilla bean and seeds together in a saucepan. Sprinkle the gelatin over ¼ cup of water and let bloom for 2 minutes.
ADD the bloomed gelatin to the milk mixture and stir until melted. Remove from the heat. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any bits of undissolved gelatin and then stir in the lemon extract. Pour into six 4-ounce glasses (filling a little over ¾ of the way) and refrigerate for 4 hours.
POUR about 3 tablespoons of the cooled blackberry compote over the panna cotta and serve.
CALORIES: 160; TOTAL FAT: 5 G; CARBOHYDRATE: 23 G; DIETARY FIBER: 2 G; PROTEIN: 5 G
BLACKBERRY COMPOTE
makes 6 servings
- 1½ tsp. cornstarch
- 1½ tsp. water
- 1½ c. blackberries (Frozen is fine.)
- 3 Tbsp. granulated sugar
- 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
PUT the cornstarch and water in a small bowl or cup and mix with your finger to make a smooth paste. This is called a slurry.
PUT the blackberries, sugar, and lemon juice in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. (The berries should be giving off some juices.) When the sauce is boiling, stir in the slurry, boil for a few more seconds, and then remove from the heat. Serve chilled.
CALORIES: 45; TOTAL FAT: 0 G; CARBOHYDRATE: 11 G; DIETARY FIBER: 2 G; PROTEIN: 1 G
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