Fast and Fresh: Cilantro-Lime Chicken with Avocado Salsa

Sometimes you just don't have a lot of time to get dinner on the table.  That makes things difficult when you are trying to feed you and your family healthier meals and you don't want to just run out and grab some take-out.  These fast and fresh recipes from Cooking Light are delicious and healthy and you can have them on the table in 30 minutes or less.  Give them a try, you will love how easy and delicious they are!

Cilantro-Lime Chicken with Avocado Salsa

A three minute dip into a pungent marinade is all that you need to put big flavor into chicken breasts.  Serve with rice.

Chicken:
2 T minced fresh cilantro
2 1/2 T fresh lime juice
1 1/2 T olive oil
4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/4 tsp salt
Cooking Spray

Salsa:
1 cup chopped plum tomato
2 T finely chopped onion
2 tsp fresh lime juice
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 avocado, peeled and finely chopped

To prepare chicken, combine the first 4 ingredients in a large bowl; toss and let stand for 3 minutes.  Remove chicken from marinade; discard marinade.  Sprinkle chicken evenly with 1/4 tsp salt.  Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat.  Coat pan with cooking spray. Add chicken to pan; cook 6 minutes on each side or until done.

To prepare salsa, combine tomato and next 4 ingredients (through pepper) in a medium bowl. Add avocado; stir gently to combine. Serve salsa over chicken.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 chicken breast and about 1/4 cup salsa)

Meet Your Daily Fiber Quota

These three easy-to-prepare tasty meals offer a total of three servings of whole grains, the daily recommendation for people with diabetes.

Breakfast
1/2 cup oatmeal made with 8 ounces skim milk
5 unsalted almonds
1/2 cup sliced strawberries
1 hard-boiled egg

Lunch
Whole wheat bread with 3 ounces grilled chicken breast, 1/2 cup chopped romaine lettuce, sliced tomatoes, 1/2 cucumber cliced, 1/4 cup chopped red cabbage
Dress sandwich with 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar and 1 Tbsp olive oil
1 orange

Dinner
3 ounces broiled salmon with juice of one lemon wedge
1/2 cup brown rice pilaf
1 cup steamed green beans
1/2 cup grapes

Chicken Tacos from the Titanium Chef

I love Mexican food--- love it!  This is a pretty healthy, fast and easy dish.  These tacos were delicious, I probably could have eaten a dozen more!  This recipe is very versatile so you can mix things up with different veggies and meat and have all sorts of different combinations.

Chicken Tacos

2 chicken breasts
1 can diced tomatoes w/green chiles
Corn tortillas
Shredded cabbage or lettuce
Cilantro
Lime
Cilantro lime dressing
Avocado

Put chicken and tomatoes in the oven on 350 degrees and cook for 20 minutes. When chicken is no longer pink on the inside pull it out and shred it.  Cook corn tortillas in a pan with a little bit of oil, or just cooking spray.  When tortillas are cooked, pile on chicken, cilantro, lime juice, avocado and a little dressing and enjoy!