Healthier Pulled Chicken Sandwich for Memorial Weekend

I love pulled pork sandwiches, but I'm attempting to stay fit for the summer so I wanted to find an alternative. The alternative is a healthier version using rotisserie chicken instead of pulled pork. I will be making this for our Memorial Day BBQ/pool party! This recipe is from Daphne Oz (Dr. Oz's daughter). I saw it on the show The Chew. You can make your own BBQ sauce (see recipe below) or do what I do and buy it, especially if you are pressed for time.

Yum!

I love having a rotisserie chicken on hand. Just pick it up at your local grocery store. It's a staple in my fridge. I add it to omelets, use it for sandwiches, etc..

I  LOVE using Kings Hawaiian bread for my sandwiches. The rolls are so light and fluffy they melt in your mouth!

Ingredients

• 1 Rotisserie Chicken (meat pulled)
• 4 Whole Wheat Buns (scooped out)
• For the BBQ Sauce:
• 1/2 Yellow Onion (diced)
• 2 Garlic cloves (chopped)
• 2 tablespoons Tomato Paste
• 1 14.5-ounce can Fire Roasted Tomatoes (pureed)
• 1/2 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1/2 cup Unsweetened Apple Sauce
• 1 tablespoon Honey
• 1/4 cup Molasses
• 2 tablespoons English Mustard
• 1 teaspoon smoked Paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon Cayenne
• Salt and freshly cracked Black Pepper
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• For the Cole Slaw:
• 1/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
• 3 tablespoons Greek Yogurt
• 1 tablespoon Honey
• 1/2 teaspoon Dry Mustard
• 2 Carrots (julienned)
• 1/2 head Red Cabbage  (shredded)
• 1/3 cup diced Pineapple
• 1/4 cup Gerkin Pickles (chopped)
• 1 Jalapeno (sliced into thin rounds)
• Salt and freshly cracked Black Pepper

  step by step

• step 1
  ingredients1 Rotisserie Chicken (meat pulled)
  4 Whole Wheat Buns (scooped out)
  instructionsToss chicken in enough bbq sauce just to coat lightly. Place on a toasted bun and top with a large mound of cole slaw. Top with the bun and enjoy.
• step 2
  ingredients1/2 Yellow Onion (diced)
  2 Garlic cloves (chopped)
  2 tablespoons Tomato Paste
  1 14.5-ounce can Fire Roasted Tomatoes (pureed)
  1/2 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
  1/2 cup Unsweetened Apple Sauce
  1 tablespoon Honey
  1/4 cup Molasses
  2 tablespoons English Mustard
  1 teaspoon smoked Paprika
  1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
  1/2 teaspoon Cayenne
  Salt and freshly cracked Black Pepper
  Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  instructionsFor the BBQ Sauce: Heat a large saute pan over medium with a few tablespoons of olive oil. Add onions and cook until translucent seasoning with salt, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant. Add the tomato paste and season. Cook until paste darkens, about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until thickened, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
• step 3
  ingredients1/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
  3 tablespoons Greek Yogurt
  1 tablespoon Honey
  1/2 teaspoon Dry Mustard
  2 Carrots (julienned)
  1/2 head Red Cabbage  (shredded)
  1/3 cup diced Pineapple
  1/4 cup Gerkin Pickles (chopped)
  1 Jalapeno (sliced into thin rounds)
  Salt and freshly cracked Black Pepper
  instructionsFor the Cole Slaw: In a large bowl, whisk together the vinegar, yogurt, honey, mustard and season with salt and pepper. Add the cabbage, carrots, pineapple, pickles and jalapenos and toss to coat. Adjust seasoning to taste.
  
  Helpful Tips:1. Be careful not to touch your eyes when handling cayenne pepper.
  2. You can use your own tomatoes from the garden or regular canned tomatoes in place of the fire roasted ones.
  3. You can scoop the excess bread out of your bun to cut down on carbs and fit more pulled chicken on your sandwich!

Hollywood Hills Birthday Dinner Party

We had a surprise birthday party for one of my friends, Angelica, underneath the stars, with the most breathtaking view of Hollywood. My friend Shana (who I met two years ago and posted about her HERE), hosted the party. Although it looks formal, it was pretty casual and laid back. The girls all pitched in by bringing a dish. Since I was pressed for time I brought focaccia and a boneless BBQ rotisserie chicken that I picked up from Gelson's. I just transferred it onto a pretty platter so that it would look better.  The printed place cards with a personalized touch and the rose petals are the little details that made the dinner table that much more enchanting.

Small details make a big different! 

The Country Club at Winn

Importing past photos from Wordpress - thinking I want to move back to blogger... (actual post from 5/20/2011)

The other  night I had an amazing dinner with my family. Since we are staying at the Wynn Hotel we decided to head out to The Country Club restaurant. What made me most excited about this restaurant was that they had a vegan menu and a dessert made with rhubarb, all served by our jolly server who was largely enthusiastic about the entire menu. I always order anything and everything relating to rhubarb! It takes me back to when I was a little girl at my grandma’s house in Nebraska. She always had rhubarb jelly, freshly made from her garden. It was nice to laugh and smile with my family!

Homemade Microwave Popcorn

There’s no point in buying microwavable popcorn when it’s much easier to make it at home for much less and without the nasty chemicals.

WHAT YOU NEED:

¼ cup popcorn kernels

1 small lunch bag

1 tsp olive oil (more or less to taste)

Place popcorn in a brown paper bag. Tightly seal the bag by folding the top several times. Microwave on High until the popping slows, about 2 minutes. Carefully open the bag. Season with salt and drizzle with olive oil. Reclose the bag and shake to distribute the seasoning.

Pizzeria Mozza Newport Beach

In spite of food fads, fitness programs, and health concerns, we must never lose sight of a beautifully conceived meal. –Julia Child

This past Halloween we were fortunate enough to skip the tricks and we were treated to a spectacular dinner by one of our most generous friends. Our table included an overwhelming array of colors and taste sensations! Not to mention the endless flow of wine! At this point I am pretty certain that it is more fun to be an adult during Halloween than a child.

It seemed as though we ordered one or two of everything on the menu. Here is what I remember: Baby kale salad with pine nuts (I love anchovies so this was a hit for me), Prosciutto de Parma, two pizzas (if you are interested in one of the ones I ordered you will have to show the staff the pictures, I cannot remember their names), tons of other items, as well as several desserts. I loved the pumpkin gelato pie with candied pecans and rum raisin sauce, as well as the butterscotch budino. Don’t leave without ordering the butterscotch buino!

Seven Day Juice Cleanse Recap

Have you ever been curious about completing a juice cleanse? Recently I took on the challenge of completing a seven day juice cleanse, from Kreation Juice, in the effort to clear out my body of harmful toxins that I have accumulated on a daily basis, i.e. preservatives and pesticides. The juice cleanse was indeed a challenge with the first couple days being the most difficult. The third day was slightly easier. Unfortunately, hunger got the best of us and we gave in to our solid food desires midway through day five. I would say the entire experience was mostly a success. Those five days enabled us to fuel our bodies with hearty greens, cell-protecting antioxidants, amongst countless other beneficial nutrients. Be sure to check out my new YouTube channel and Qwiki channel below where I chronicle my juicing experience.

Play the Qwiki: Kreation Juice Cleanse Day 5

main banner photo credit: Organic Avenue Juice

Little Soya

Play the Qwiki: Little Soya Gluten Free Soy Sauce