Orange Chicken Salad

I found this on Razzle Dazzle Recipes. I haven't tried it yet, let me know what you think.

2/3 cup plus 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup honey
4 large garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
2 teaspoons grated orange peel
8 boneless chicken breast halves with skin
3 oranges, peel and white pits removed
6 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1 large shallot, minced
1 pound mixed greens
1 orange or yellow bell pepper, seeded, thinly sliced
Fresh thyme sprigs (optional)

Mix 2/3 cup orange juice, honey, 3 garlic cloves, minced thyme and orange peel in 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Add chicken breasts and turn to coat. Cover and chill overnight, turning occasionally.

Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat) or preheat broiler. Remove chicken from marinade; reserve marinade. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Grill chicken until cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to plate.

Boil reserved marinade in heavy small saucepan until reduced to 1/4 cup, about 10 minutes. Cut oranges between membranes to release segments. (Chicken, reduced marinade and orange segments can be prepared 2 hours ahead. Cover separately and store at room temperature. Rewarm marinade before using.)

Whisk oil, vinegar, shallot and remaining 1/4 cup orange juice and garlic clove in small bowl to blend. Season dressing with salt and pepper.

Combine greens, bell pepper and orange segments in a very large bowl. Toss with dressing.

Arrange greens in center of large platter.

Serves 10.

Monkie Mama's Black bean salad

• 2 cans organic black beans
• 2 ears fresh corn
• 1/2 red onion (more or less to taste)
  
• 1 green, red, or yellow pepper (heck, all three if you like em!)
  
• 1/2 lb diced tomatoes (I prefer grape tomatoes)
• 1 can olives, sliced
  
• 1 Cup (or to taste) of Monkie Mama's Roasted Red Pepper Dressing (or 1 bottle Annie's Roasted Red Pepper Vinagrette)

1. Drain and rinse black beans. Dump into a large bowl.
2. Cut the corn off the cob, rinse thoroughly. Add the corn to the beans.
3. Chop the onion and add.
4. Dice and add the pepper(s).
5. Slice tomatoes (dice if using larger tomatoes). Add to mix.
6. Slice olives and add.
7. Dump Salad dressing on the mixture and stir until combined.

Flavors will mix and the salad just gets tastier as it refrigerates. Also makes an excellent salsa.

Sweet Potato Muffins

These are a major hit with my family. Fabulous for a main dish or as a snack. I often make this dish a day or two after I've made mashed sweet potatoes as a side dish for a dinner. The leftovers are perfect for making these muffins. The recipe can be halved and it makes about 1 1/2 dozen, but I find we gobble them down very quickly and the following amounts are barely sufficient.

• 3 C. Mashed sweet potatoes (canned sweet potatoes or pumpkin are a good substitute)

• 6 ripe bananas
  

• 1 tsp. Cinnamon

• ½ tsp cloves

• 1 tsp. allspice

• 1 C. Water or until desired consistency (can substitute almond milk or coconut milk for richer flavor.)

• 2/3 C. Coconut oil

• 1 tsp. Vanilla extract

• 1 tsp. Almond extract

• 1 ½ C. Nut flour (I usually use Almonds and walnuts. See step 1 below for instructions on how to make your own)

• 3 C oat Flour (make your own by tossing whole oats in the blender until fine powder)

• 3 tsp. Baking soda

• 1 tsp. Salt

• 1 tsp. baking power
  

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line muffin tin with muffin papers.

2. Toss nuts in a blender or food processor and grind until it becomes a pasty flour.

3. In a large bowl, combine the prepared mashed potatoes, bananas, spices, water (or milk), coconut oil, vanilla, and almond extracts. Mix with an electric mixer.
   

4. Add the flour, baking soda, and salt and mix until combined well.

5. Pour the batter into baking cups.

6. Bake until the tops spring back to the touch, 25-30 minutes. Yields about 3 dozen muffins.