Summer Medley

Mmmm!!

That's the first thought that comes to mind when I think of this recipe. It's a concoction that I kind of threw together using a recipe from last summer and one that my mom shared with me a few weeks ago. I must say that this experiment passed the test! It's husband, wife, friend, and gato approved, so it must be a good one!

Let's get started!

Indredients:

8 chicken tenderloins (or 4 chicken breasts)

Olive Oil

1 vidalia onion

1 medium green bell pepper

1 medium red bell pepper

1 yellow squash

2 cans diced tomatoes

1 small can marinated artichoke hearts (drained)

1 small jalapeno

3/4 cup brown rice (more or less depending on preference)

1 teaspoon minced garlic (more or less depending on preference)

Salt and Pepper to taste

Preparation:

Cube and slice all ingredients.

Begin by cooking the chicken and onion drizzled with olive oil.

When the chicken is only half pink, add the bell peppers.

As the chicken nears completion, add the squash.

Cook for 5 minutes.

Add diced tomatoes, garlic, salt, pepper, and rice.

Cook for 15 minutes on low. Stir occasionally.

Mix in artichoke hearts (drained!) and jalapeno.

Cook on low for another 20-30 minutes or until rice is tender. Stir occasionally.

The finished product will look a lot like this; however, I added a little more rice towards the end. It is sooooo tasty, and I was fortunate enough to have fresh garden vegetables for this dinner! I am sure it's just as tasty with store bought produce, but I was blessed enough to not have to use any as far as the peppers and squash go! In all, this recipe took about 1 hour and 15 minutes from start to finish, but it's really easy!

Since this recipe incorporates so many food groups, I chose to serve it with rolls. It was a great combination! Andrew enjoyed "mopping" up his plate... and mine... with his rolls.

Dessert:

After a fresh veggie meal, we topped it off with our fresh fruit smoothies! I've found some new favorites: Strawberry Banana Peach and Strawberry Blueberry Banana. We've not really found a combination that we DON'T like! These chilly treats are the perfect summer evening snack, and they are completely healthy for us!

Have I mentioned that I LOVE summer cooking and eating?!?!