We are starting a new chapter here at the Pantry Portfolio as in July we will be welcoming a new little one into our family! The journey to get here has been filled with adventure and we are beyond grateful and excited for our growing family.  As of now the cats and dog haven’t seemed to have noticed – and we are SO curious how they will react once they get to meet the new one. Also, we’ve decided not to find out the sex of the baby. Any predictions? 

This past week we went on a “babymoon” which I highly recommend.  My brother vocally thinks that this society-created event is a ridiculous name for a regular vacation, but I must say that after returning I’m sold on the benefits.  As we’ve moved into the third trimester of pregnancy our to do list has been going in the wrong direction – growing exponentially despite the daily progress being made, and having time together away from it all allowed us to reconnect in a beautiful way.

During our time in the Florida Keys we feasted on key lime pie, went on a snorkel tour, visited the Everglades, saw a baseball game, had many beach side happy hours, and of course enjoyed delicious meals.  Having some time away has refueled my desire to continue feeding my creative side with cooking and writing for the blog.

So – here I am! I’m not sure what the next few months will look like, but I do know that I’ll likely have a bit less energy and time for dinner prep as has been the case over the last few months. So far it has meant dinners that are more straightforward such as grilled chicken, farro, and a side salad or veggie.  It hasn’t always felt like these are ‘blog worthy’ so I haven’t been posting -despite the fact that they are delicious and nutritious.

Anyways, I know that things will be shifting over here and I don’t quite know how – but that seems to be the theme across most aspects of my life right now so I’m leaning in and embracing the unknown!

In the meantime, here is a dish that we made tonight when my GF friend came over for dinner. Ok, she is MUCH more than just my gluten free friend, and I know she will object to that title, but for the sake of this dish I’m rolling with it.

This dish was a perfect weeknight meal as it came together fairly quickly on the stovetop.  We saute the chicken with some seasoning, topped it with fresh mozzarella that melted perfectly over the top. This was served with green beans and a bruschetta topping for a fresh and filling meal.  The quinoa rounded out the meal and the entire dish was perfect for lunch leftovers for the next day as well!

Here’s to a new chapter! What are your favorite quick dinner meals?

Bruschetta Chicken With Green Beans

• Servings: 5-6
• Time: 10 prep + 20 cook = 30 mins
• Print

I'm all about straightforward weeknight meals these days and this one is perfect for mid-week company! Fresh and filling this dish is sure to please a crowd.

 

Ingredients

• Quinoa
• 1 lb green beans – washed and stemmed
• 2 tomatoes
• 2 lbs chicken breast
• 2 Tablespoons 21 Seasoning Salute (Trader Joes)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup minced red onion
• 1/4 cup fresh basil – chopped
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• Freshly ground black pepper

Steps & Notes

1. Cook quinoa according to the package directions.
2. Pound the chicken down to 1 inch thick pieces then cut down into 4oz pieces.
3. Cover each piece of chicken with salt, pepper, and seasoning
4. Heat a skillet and cook the chicken for 6-7 minutes per side. (note: internal temperature might be the most helpful here to ensure the chicken doesn’t dry out). Cover the chicken halfway to keep the juices intact.
5. In a side bowl combine the tomatoes, basil, red onion, salt, and olive oil. Mix well.
6. Bring a pot of water to a boil then blanch the beans for 3 minutes
7. Next, saute the beans for 2-3 minutes with garlic, salt, and pepper
8. (optional) Pour some of the chicken juice into the quinoa for extra flavor
9. Top each piece of chicken with one piece of mozzarella cheese. Cover and cook on low until melted
10. Remove the chicken from the pan and add quinoa and beans to each plate. Add one piece of chicken then top with the bruschetta mixture. Drizzle with balsamic and serve!