Nutty Dinner

I didn't have a good day today - I felt like crap - fever, stomachache, just not myself. Thankfully my mother-in-law is in town and she took care of Mili-Mali all day, so I could take a nap, rest a bit and just do a couple of things around the house.

The obligatory daily Mili-Mali photo!!!! The only time she was in her playpen today - she was so alert and watching her mobile and listening to the music. Don't you just love those eyes?

Dinner today was a combination of "Power Foods" book recipes and "Everyday with Rachel Ray" magazine. It was quite a nutty dinner too - walnut crusted chicken with cashew-pesto pasta. If I were feeling better this would have been a great meal - but my taste buds just weren't cooperating. I would highly recommend making this meal when the in-laws are in town and you want to impress them!

Walnut Crusted Chicken Breast Ingredients

• 2 slices whole-wheat bread, dried

• 1/3 cup walnuts

• 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

• Coarse salt and ground pepper

• 1 large egg white

• 4 chicken breast halves, boneless and skinless (6 to 8 ounces each)

• 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil

• Lemon slices, for serving

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a food processor, combine bread, walnuts, and Parmesan; season with salt and pepper. Process until fine breadcrumbs form. Transfer to a shallow bowl. In another shallow bowl, beat egg white until frothy.

2. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Dip each breast into egg white, letting excess drip off, and then into crumb mixture, pressing to adhere.

Read more at Wholeliving.com: Walnut-Crusted Chicken Breasts

Cashew-Pesto Pasta Ingredients

• One 12-ounce box farfalle pasta

• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

• 2 pints grape tomatoes, halved

• Salt and pepper

• 2 cups flat-leaf parsley leaves

• 1/4 cup roasted cashews

• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

• 1 clove garlic

• Juice of 1/2 lemon

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375°. In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the pasta according to

package directions until al dente. Drain, return the pasta to the pot and toss with 2 tablespoons

olive oil. Cover to keep warm.

Meanwhile, on a baking sheet, toss the tomatoes with 2 tablespoons olive oil; season with salt

and pepper. Roast in the oven until wrinkled, about 12 minutes.

Using a food processor, finely chop the parsley, cashews, parmesan, garlic and lemon juice.

With the machine on, slowly add the remaining ¼ cup olive oil and process until smooth; season

with salt and pepper.

In a serving bowl, combine the pasta, tomatoes and pesto. Serve with more parmesan.

Even though I wasn't feeling the best, I still had some room for a dessert - strawberries and cream puffs. Strawberries were a bit bitter, but a great combination with fluffy and sweet cream puffs.

Something new that I am trying this week are prepared salads. I put together the base - spinach, spring mix, peppers, alpha sprouts, tomatoes, and mushrooms. So when lunch time comes, all I have to do is add protein, cheese;) and some carbs. The choices of proteins this week are - Nova Scotia Lox, Sardines and Chicken breast. I really hope this prep will pay off and i make a healthy choice when I reach for lunch during the day.

Doesn't my little "army" of salads look cute!?! I am armed with healthy choices:)

It's time for me to get some sleep as I get the second shift - goodnight....

xoxox, the Faux Foodie Girl