Roasted Corn & Chicken Salad with Avocado

In my neck of the woods, the mountains seem to tower over you and the city in a way that makes both feel small. Driving towards them I often wonder what it was like to be a pioneer, venturing across the plains in a covered wagon and then (then!) laying eyes on the towering Rockies ahead. What a mixture of thoughts they must've had: awestruck by the peaks, worried about the journey ahead. And just imagine how many sunsets they watched, day after day moving no more than 15 or 20 miles ahead of where they started. What a life that was. 

You would never know it from my participation in history classes, but one of my favorite things to ponder is what happened "way back when". When I consider why I am so intrigued by history, two things stick out at me.

First, I think of the afternoons my mom and I used to spend hopping from antique store to antique store. How proud I was when I bought my first antique! In proper Caitlin-fashion, it was a kitchen supply: a silver tray with matching silver glasses, meant for serving aperitifs (though in grade school I'm sure I just thought they kid sized glasses). 

But I also get hung up on something, and this is reason number two: I don't know my heritage. On my mom's side, there are guesses but nothing is fact. On my dad's side, everything has been over simplified. I want to know the details! As a teen I spent an absurd amount of time looking up surnames and piecing together random tidbits of information.  What I think I know is that most of my ancestors are Native American--something I quite enjoy thinking about. The original tenders of this very land I stand on now. But of course, this is just what I think I know. 

What doesn't escape my wandering thoughts is the history of food: What did my ancestors eat? (As hunters and gathers, when did they first eat traditional crops, like corn?) What did ancient corn taste like? (Certainly not like the corn used in this dish) Did people like jalapeños when they first tasted them? How did they ever figure out how to ferment cacao pods and create xocoatl? 

Oh how I could ponder for hours on hours! Have you ever seeked answers like these? Have you taken any DNA test to learn more? Which one? What did you think? I have been debating taking one, just to satisfy my curiosity. 

Roasted Corn & Chicken Salad with Avocado

Published July 6, 2017 by Caitlin Sherwood

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Serves: 4   |    Total Time: 30 minutes

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Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1/2 pound chicken, diced to bite-sized pieces
• 1 summer squash, diced
• 1/2 of a medium yellow onion, diced
• 2 cloves or garlic, minced
• 3 cobs of corn, with the kernels sliced off and the cobs discarded
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• Dash salt & pepper
• Dash cumin 
• Dash paprika 
• 1/4 cup cilantro, minced 
• 1 avocado, diced
• 2 cups baby arugula (or chopped kale, or both) 
• 1 jalapeño, sliced
• 1/4 cup queso fresco or feta, crumbled

Directions:

1. Heat coconut oil over medium heat until the oil glistens. Add the chicken, searing on one side. When the chicken pieces are browned on the bottom, flip and cook them on the other side until browned. Use a slotted spoon to move the chicken to a plate and set aside.
2. Add diced summer squash, onion, minced garlic, corn, and red bell pepper to the pan. Sauté until the summer squash is cooked through, stirring occasionally. Add the chicken back to the pan, and stir to combine. Stir in the salt, pepper, cumin, paprika, and cilantro.
3. To serve: lay the arugula on a serving dish in an even layer. Top with the chicken corn mixture. Then, arrange diced avocado and sliced jalapeño on top. Sprinkle with cheese and serve.

Bruschetta-Topped Chicken

The newest addition to my growing plant collection is a clump of three Aspen trees--well, four if you count the tiniest little sucker already branching out on it's own, just 6 inches from the base of the original clump. 

I've never been so excited about a tree in my life: we removed the white cloth wrapped around it's branches for transport, and I said (out loud), "Hi, Tree." (I was laughed at, but not by the tree.) 

Into the ground it went! With any luck, they will grow fast and tall and with in a year or so we'll have even a few more suckers growing up from the ground. An Aspen forest in the making. 

When we were shopping for a home last year, we found a literal dream house in the mountains. It was a "pinch me" experience to even tour it. The real "pinch" was a fact of reality: it's lack of internet would've made it impossible to work our jobs when we were snowed in. Still, I'm not over it. On the outside, it was surrounded by Aspen trees. Wispy and green in the spring, golden and bold in the fall. 

One day, perhaps. One day. 

For now, I'm searching for a name for my clump of Aspen trees. Not because I typically name my plants (I call them all "little guy" and "plantie" usually 😳), but because when Oliver asked me his name I couldn't answer. What do you guys think? Ansel? Addison? Adel? We've been calling it Albert, after Mt. Elbert (but with an A, because it's an Aspen. Yea, cheesy).  

Among other plants, this year I planted two tomato plants and a row of basil. Bruschetta, here I come! 

Bruschetta Chicken

Published June 6, 2017 by Caitlin Sherwood

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Fresh tomatoes and basil make a summery topping for chicken in this Italian-inspired dish.

Serves: 4   |    Total Time: 30 minutes

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Ingredients:

For chicken: 
• 5 chicken breast cutlets  
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar  
• 1 tablespoon olive oil  
• 1 garlic clove  
• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning   
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil for cooking   

For topping:
• 3 vine-ripe tomatoes 
• 1/4 cup basil, sliced chiffonade 
• 1/4 cup shredded parmesan (or other hard cheese)
• Salt & pepper 
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons balsamic gel or balsamic reduction 

Directions:

1. Place chicken in a ziplock bag with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, minced garlic, and Italian seasoning. Place in fridge and allow to marinate for 6-8 hours.
2. When ready to cook: heat 1 tablespoon coconut oil in skillet over medium heat until it glistens. Discard of excess marinade, and place chicken into skillet. Cover, and allow to cook on first side for 5-7 minutes, or until the bottom begins to brown. Flip chicken to second side, and cook 5 more minute, until browned.
3. In a small mixing bowl, toss diced tomatoes with basil, parmesan, 1 teaspoon olive oil, salt, and pepper. Use a spoon to scoop the tomato mixture over each chicken cutlet.
4. Drizzle balsamic gel over each cutlet, and serve hot.

Rainbow Spring Rolls

One of my most popular summertime recipes is Paleo Nori Rainbow Rolls, which are full of veggies in every color and perfect for lunch or a picnic. I put this blog post together with those rolls in mind: Spring Rolls are basically the "rainbow rolls" that I grew up with, and I still love them. After my Cashew Chicken fiasco, spring rolls became a beloved dining-out item for me, and I think you'll love them too (if you don't already).  

First thing first. Spring Rolls are not Paleo (the wrapper is made of rice), so if you want something Paleo-friendly or Whole 30-friendly, go ahead and use the original Rainbow Rolls recipe. But! If you are just looking for something healthy, full of veggies, and fun to make, try these out. They're also great for a party: put out sliced veggies, cooked and sliced chicken or steamed shrimp if you like, and let everyone make their own rolls. Traditional spring rolls also have rice noodles inside, but I usually skip them... that's just me. Peanut sauce makes for the perfect condiment! Make plenty, everyone will want their fair share. 

Rainbow Spring Rolls

Published May 30, 2017 by Caitlin Sherwood

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These spring rolls have every color of the rainbow, and are perfect for summertime!

Yields: 15   |    Total Time: 30 minutes

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Ingredients:

For the rolls:
• 15 Rice paper wrappers
• 1 yellow bell pepper
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 1 cup cucumber, julienned
• 5 pieces of lettuce, thick stem pieces removed
• 1 cup purple cabbage, shredded
• 1/4 cup cilantro leaves
• Optional: chicken (cooked and sliced) or shrimp (steamed), avocado


For the sauce:
• 1/4 cup peanut butter or almond butter
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon finely grated ginger
• 1 teaspoon Sriracha
• 1/4 cup coconut milk (canned, full-fat) 

Directions:

1. Prepare your workspace: set all of your sliced veggies out where they are easy to access (I put them all in small bowls around my cutting board).
2. Heat 1 centimeter of water until it’s just ready to simmer, but not bubbling yet. Place 1 rice paper wrapper in the hot water, just until it becomes soft and pliable. Then, carefully remove it from the water with out tearing it and place it flat on your cutting board (this may take a bit of practice! If you tear one or two, you can try to use it still or just start over with a new rice paper wrapper). While the wrapper is still pliable and warm, make a small row of veggies on one side of the rice paper (1-2 cucumber slices, a few tablespoons each of cabbage and carrots, 1-2 shrimp or slices of chicken, etc.) All together, you want about 1/4 to 1/3 cup of filling for each roll. Then, roll everything up like a burrito.
3. Repeat step 2 until you’ve used up all of your rice paper wrappers.
4. Make the sauce: stir together all of the ingredients until a uniform, creamy sauce comes together.
5. Serve spring rolls with a side of sauce for dipping. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge.