Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad

This is a keeper recipe per hubby, so I'll give this the labels of super easy and hubby approved!

This was made a bit easier this go as I had 2 already leftover baked chicken breasts in the freezer.  They had been seasoned with garlic and rosemary but I think if you want to add chicken, you can decide how you want to do this.  Or... you can go vegetarian and leave off the meat or add roasted chickpeas.  I bet they would be awesome on this salad!

Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad

Ingredients:
Cooled Cooked Pasta (I used bowtie)
Chopped Romaine Lettuce
2 Cubed Chicken breasts
Shredded Parmesan Cheese
Caesar Dressing of Choice
Seasonings of choice for Pasta (water is usually salted for boiling so I choose unsalted seasonings like garlic and pepper)
EVOO
croutons (optional) I served hubby's with 1/2 pita. 


Cook Pasta and drain.  Put pasta back in pan and toss a little EVOO, garlic, pepper, and parsley for flavor.  Let cool. 

If you need to cook your chicken breasts.  Bake or pan fry as preferred.  Do this along with the pasta so both can set aside to cool a bit.  When cool, cube chicken breasts.

While everything is cooking, you can begin chopping your lettuce. 

Now that everything is done... it's time to plate!

I put a pasta fork full of pasta on the plate first.

Then I topped with a ton of Romaine

Then I added about a handful (I have small hands) of chicken.

Top with the shredded parmesan

Drizzle with your Caesar dressing

Enjoy!

I made my pasta ahead of time so it had time to cool a lot so my lettuce didn't get soggy.  It was also helpful having the chicken only warm rather than hot for the same reason.  I'm guessing this dinner, from "scratch" wouldn't take but 30 minutes to prepare (depending on your chicken and pasta cooking times and allowing to cool a bit. 

I had enough left to make a 3rd salad for lunch the next day. 

Easy Lentil Sloppy Joes

Our attempts at eating mostly vegetarian continue after an all meat Sunday left me feeling like poo!
I will reiterate, that we have not gone 100% vegetarian... We actually enjoy eating meat.  I love a good burger, a yummy steak, and messy chicken wings.  But goodness!  I feel so much better eating plant protein over animal protein and that's my personal fact!

So where was I... oh! yes, vegetarian adventures.  As I am still not well since January, our vegetarian adventures are on the easy side.  So tonight even has crummy pictures... this extreme fatigue is REAL y'all.  Ugh.

But let's start with a little fun.  Does anyone know where Sloppy Joes originated?  I didn't!  But being naturally curious and a constant learner... I googled it!  I came across this great little article on the history of sloppy joes.  Check it out...  The History of Sloppy Joes by ionnutrition.com

So here's the super easy lentil sloppy joes.  If you prefer to make this meaty style, I've made these with ground chicken or as lean as possible ground beef (but ground chicken is very, very lean and tastes pretty good as a sloppy joe)

Easy Lentil Sloppy Joes
Ingredients:
Cooked Lentils
1 packet McCormick Sloppy Joes seasoning mix
1 1/4 cup water
6 oz. tomato paste
1/4 or 1/2 cup brown sugar (optional)

If you need to cook your lentils.  I cook about 1 cup of lentils in 2 cups of water.  This is about the equivalent of 1 lb and a half of ground meat.  (I always make too much for 2 people with left overs)

Instructions to cook lentils: 

• Sort 1 cup of lentils in a strainer to remove any stones or bad pieces
• rinse the lentils
• Add the lentils to 2 cups of water and bring to gentle boil on medium heat.  Lower heat to a simmer for 20 minutes or until desired texture.  If adding salt, wait until about 5 minutes left and lightly salt lentils.  
• When they are done, put back in strainer to drain excess water

Lentil Sloppy Joes

• Put the cooked lentils to a frying pan
• Add the seasoning mix, 1 1/4 cup of water, 6 oz of tomato paste, and brown sugar if adding it. 
• Follow the instructions on the seasoning packet.  (gently mix ingredients, bring to a boil, then turn temperature down to simmer for 10 minutes)
• Serve on your favorite bun and yum! 

Hubby even had seconds and said this was a keeper!

Yummy!

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