{our best bites} Veggie, hummus and feta wrap

I'm pretty happy that as I get older my tastes has expanded and I'm trying and enjoying more things than I'd originally thought I would. This wrap is one of those things. It's super simple, a nice light lunch and another recipe to add to the repertoire.

Veggie, Hummus and Feta Wrap
Recipe from: Our Best Bites (400 calories or less cookbook)

Ingredients:
2 T roasted red pepper hummus
1 (10") whole wheat or low-carb tortilla
1-1 1/2 c. Fresh spinach
1/4-1/2 c. Chopped cucumber
2-3 T. Roasted red pepper (optional- at least in my mind)
2 T. Crumbled feta cheese
1/2 -1 T. Sunflower seeds
1-2 T. Low-fat Italian salad dressing

Directions:

1. Spread the hummus on the tortilla. Layer the remaining ingredients, drizzling with the dressing last. Wrap and eat immediately.

{our best bites} creamy roasted garlic and asparagus soup

I was a little skeptical when I saw this recipe. It's not my usual dish, but I was very pleasantly surprised. It was a great use of asparagus for a nice, light lunch. Another great recipe from the "Our Best Bites: Savoring the Seasons" cookbook. THANK YOU girls!

Creamy Roasted Garlic & Asparagus Soup
By: Our Best Bites

This light and creamy soup is a subtle and elegant addition to any springtime meal.  It's a great accompaniment to sandwiches and salads, or you could even serve it alongside a quiche.

Ingredients:
1 head garlic
2 Tbsp EVOO, divided
1 1/4 tsp plus 1/8 tsp Salt, divided
1/2 t black pepper, divided
1 pound asparagus (tough ends removed), chopped into 1" piece
2 Tbsp butter
1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
2 cups milk
1/4 cup flour
3 oz low-fat cream cheese
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Remove outer papery skin from garlic head, leaving cloves intact. Slice off top 1/3 of garlic head. Discard or save for another use. Place remaining clove on an 8x8" piece of foil. Drizzle with 1 Tbsp oil and sprinkle with 1/8 tsp each of salt and pepper.  Pull edges of foil up around garlic and squeeze together at the top.  Place foil bundle directly on oven rack and set timer for 15 minutes.
2. Place asparagus on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Toss with remaining Tbsp oil and sprinkle with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper. Spread evenly on baking sheet. After garlic has cooked 15 minutes, use a potholder to pick up the foil bundle and place it (still wrapped) on the baking sheet with asparagus.  Place baking sheet in oven and roast the asparagus about 20 minutes, or until asparagus is tender and can be easily pierced with a fork.
3. While asparagus and garlic are roasting, heat butter in a large stockpot over medium heat.  Add chopped onion and sauté until tender, about 3-4 minutes.  While onion is cooking, combine milk, flour, 1 tsp salt,1/4 tsp pepper and cream cheese in a blender and process until smooth; add to pot. Cook on medium heat, stirring continuously, until slightly thickened, about 2-3 minutes.  Add chicken broth. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and cook over medium heat until slightly thickened, about 3-5 minutes.
4. Remove asparagus and garlic from oven. Carefully squeeze the garlic head with your hand and use a spoon to scoop individual garlic cloves and add them into soup pot.  Add roasted asparagus and use an immersion blender to blend until smooth. Alternately, place soup in blender and blend in batches until completely smooth and pale green in color.  Add Parmesan cheese to the hot soup and stir until smooth.  Serve with sandwiches or a salad.

{our best bites} grilled chicken caesar salad

Somehow we're having an indian summer in the middle of October. The past couple of days we've seen temps at or above 80*!! So instead of making soups as I'd planned, I'm thinking of summer foods, like Chicken Caesar Salad.

I LOVE that I can make this delicious salad all on my own, in my own home! Makes me feel like I'm "out to lunch" when I'm actually just at HOME having lunch. Thank you OUR BEST BITES for another great recipe.

GRILLED CHICKEN CAESAR SALAD
It's not hard to throw together a Caesar salad with ready-made ingredients, but making one from scratch really brings the classic restaurant dish to your table. Fresh garlic, lemon juice, Parmesan cheese, high-quality mustard, and cracked black pepper make this at-home version so much better than anything from a bottle.

Yield: 4-6 main dish servings, or 10-12 side dish servings

Salad dressing ingredients:
1/3 cup mayo
1 1/t T. dijon mustard
3-4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
3 T fresh lemon juice
1/2 T. white wine vinegar (or just white vinegar in my case)
1/4 t. kosher salt
1/4 t. black pepper
1 c. pure or light olive oil
2-3 T milk, if needed

Salad ingredients:
8 oz boneless, skinless chicken breast (about 2 medium) butterflied
1-2 heads romaine lettuce (12 cups torn)
1/2 c shredded fresh Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
Croutons
Lemon wedges, for garnish

DIRECTIONS
Salad dressing: Combine mayo, mustard, garlic, lemon juice, vinegar, salt and pepper in a blender (or food processor) and process until smooth. With blender running on low speed, slowly pour olive oil in a steady stream just until fully incorporated. Only if needed, add milk by the tablespoon until desired consistency is reached. Place 1/2 cup dressing in a zip-top bag with chicken breasts and marinate at least 30 minutes or as long as overnight. Place remaining dressing in refrigerator to chill.

Chicken: Preheat grill to medium heat. Remove chicken breasts from marinate and let excess drip off. Grill chicken 4-5 minutes on each side until cooked through or internal temperature reaches 165* F. Remove from grill and let rest at least 5 minutes before slicing. Let cool to room temperature and then store in refrigerator until ready to use.  This step can be done ahead of time.

Salad: Wash lettuce and tear into bite-sized pieces. Place in bowl and toss with Parmesan cheese, croutons and prepared chicken. Toss with dressing, to taste. Top each serving with additional Parmesan cheese, freshly cracked black pepper and lemon wedges.