I decided I wanted to make myself fajitas for lunch today but I wanted a healthier version that still had that great fajita flavor. This is what I came up with and it was quite delicious. Give it a try and see what you think. It's got all the foods you need and want in a healthy meal and it's salt free and very filling. It's also great if you want to make everything the night before and pack it up for work the next day. It reheats well.
Here is a rough run down on the ingredients I used.
Baby spinach is a must for your fridge. One of the best things you can eat!
You need fat in your diet but what they say fat they don't mean a cheeseburger. We need healthy, natural fats like olive oil and avocados. Olive oil is a great way to get that healthy fat in your diet but only use a little.
I swear by Mrs. Dash. This one is the "extra spicy" and it's actually not spicy. It's completely salt free and is just a mix of delicious herbs and spices.
- You will also need low fat cottage cheese, salsa, a whole chicken breast, whole wheat tortillas, a small bell pepper, and about a quarter of an onion.
You are going to want to cut up your onion and bellpepper into slices and place them in a preheated pan ,just above medium heat, with a little olive oil and I sprinkled a little Mrs. Dash on top. Saute these until the onion is clear and the pepper is looking soft and browned.
Take the pepper and onion out of the pan and set aside on a paper towel. The paper towel will soak up any excess olive oil. Leave the pan on the heat and add a little more olive oil.
Take a whole chicken breast and cut it into thin slices and sprinkle with Mrs. Dash. Put the chicken in the pan and sear quickly then reduce the heat just below medium so the chicken cooks throughout. I just take a fork and when I think they are close to being done I cut a piece and if it breaks apart nicely and is no longer pink inside I take them off the heat.
While my chicken is cooking I take a spoonful of salsa and cottage cheese and smear it across the whole wheat tortilla. Salsa is a great substitute for salt and you can eat as much as you want. The reason I use cottage cheese is because regular cheese is fattening but you've got to have cheese on a fajita. Cottage cheese is low in fat and is full of protein and is a great way of getting your dairy. Cottage cheese actually has an amazing flavor especially if you put the hot chicken on top to melt it.
Now is where your spinach comes in. I love substituting regular lettuce with spinach because it is so much healthier and the great thing here is if you aren't a big spinach fan this is a great way to eat it. You won't even notice it's in there, it will be just like having any other lettuce but with all the nutrients. Try to avoid ice berg lettuce because it's pretty much just water and really doesn't contain anything that will benefit your health.
Now put your bell peppers and onions on the spinach.
And now place you chicken on the top.
Roll up the fajita, place a little extra spinach on the side with a few fresh raspberries and a small sprinkle of gorgonzola cheese (this is where I cheat a little) and either olive oil and balsamic for a dressing or a little of your favorite low fat oil based dressing. I like the raspberry ones. Add a large glass of water and a plum for dessert and you are good to go.
After nibbling on bell peppers while I was cooking, this was what I had for left overs. This along with all the other ingredients you already have in your fridge will make another full meal for the next day.
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