Clean Eating Weekend @ Chez McLain

Recipe #1
Fig & Cranberry Stuffed Chicken Breast



25 Minutes Prep, 25-45 Mins Baking

Ingredients:
2 tsp olive oil
4 med. shallots, diced/minced
1/3 cup unsweetened dried cranberries
1/3 cup dried figs, chopped small
4 cups baby spinach, packed
4 tbsp toasted pine nuts
2 tsp fresh sage, chopped
Sea salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
4 4oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Lemon

1. Pre-heat oven to 425F.

2. Heat 1 tsp oil in pan over med-hi heat. Add shallots, saute until soft, about 2 mins. Don't burn 'em. Add cranberries and figs, cook 1 min. Add spinach to pan, stir, cook until wilted, approx. 1 min. Stir in pine nuts and sage, add salt/pepper, cook 30 secs.

3. Pour contents of pan into a mixing bowl lined with paper towel(s) to absorb liquid. Set aside and allow to cool at room temp.

4. Lay 1 chicken breast on a cutting board, hold sharp knife parallel to cutting board, and slice 75% of the way through. Open up breast like a book.

5. Place breast opened up and flat between plastic wrap and gently pound to 1/2 inch thickness with rolling pin. Remove plastic wrap, repeat with other breasts.

6. In parchment-lined baking sheet, arrange each breast to the cut edges are closest to you. Divide up filling into each, and roll up each breast tightly, tuck in left and right sides slightly to enclose filling. Secure with toothpicks if needed.

7. Brush chicken with small amount of olive oil, sprinkle on salt/pepper, then squeeze lemon over all breasts. (Have filling left over? Place it around the breasts and cook with entire dish.)

8. Place pan in oven and roast for 15-30 minutes or until chicken is cooked to 165 degrees and filling is hot throughout. Insert meat therm. into the chicken in thickest part to test temps. Allow to cool 2 minutes, then slice each breast in half and serve immediately.



Recipe #2
Sweet Potato & Cinnamon Brownies



20 minutes Prep, 70 minutes Cook/Cool Overnight?

Ingredients @ Brownies:
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup unsweet. cocoa powder
1 tbsp cinnamon, ground
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 cup cooked sweet potato, mashed
1/2 cup agave nectar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
6 egg whites
Olive oil cooking spray

Ingredients @ Icing:
1/2 cup low-fat plain cream cheese
3 tbsp agave nectar
1 tbsp unsweet. cocoa powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon, ground
1 tbsp water (optional)

1. Pre-heat oven to 350F.

2. Brownies: Combine flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt in a med. bowl and set aside. In a food processor, combine sweet potato, agave, oil, vanilla. Puree until combined and smooth.

3. Gradually mix wet ingredients into dry, until just combined. Don't over-mix.

4. In another bowl, wisk egg whites until fluffy. Usinf rubber spatula, fold into batter.

5. Spray sides of 9 X 9 X 2 baking pan with spray. Pour batter into this and place in oven. Bake for 16-25 minutes until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove pan, let cool for 30 mins to room temp.

6. Icing: In small bowl, combine cream cheese, agave, cocoa powder, cinnamon. Whisk until combined, adding 1 tbsp of water if it's hard to whisk. Cover, put in fridge until needed. (I put into a plastic sandwhich bag; cut corner to squeeze on later.)

7. Loosen brownie slab, turn onto cutting board or platter. Cut into 16ish pieces, wrap with plastic, chill. (Overnight?)

8. To serve, divide icing onto each piece and serve. Leftovers should be good for 2 days kept in a resealable container in the fridge.

Both -- amazing response from Deb and Will. Love it!