Fun fact: I overestimated my ability to consume cherry tomatoes when I planted my garden.

I purchased about 8-10 red and orange cherry tomato plants and two Roma plants.

Remember, this garden is for two people.

As the Farm Guy Next Door and I were putting up tomato cages he kept asking, “how many more?” and I kept responding, “uh, I think just a couple!” …then I’d proceed to find more plants.

10 cages later, and we have a lot of cherry tomatoes that we need to put to good use!

If you also have more tomatoes than you know what to do with, here’s a super fresh, delicious recipe.

It doesn’t get much better than grilled chicken paired with garden fresh vegetables for a summer meal.

Ingredients:

Grilled Chicken

• 1.25 – 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or chicken tenders
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp dried oregano leaves
• salt & pepper to taste

Caprese Salad

• 3-4 C. red or orange cherry tomatoes, halved lengthwise
• 1 8 oz. package fresh mozzarella pearls
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1/4 – 1/3 C. packed fresh basil, cut in a chiffonade* (measure after basil is cut in a chiffonade)
  *see tip at the bottom
• (optional) 1/4 C. finely chopped or very thinly sliced red onion

Directions:

If using chicken breasts, cut lengthwise into smaller strips, like chicken tenders. These will cook faster on the grill and allow more surface area for seasoning.

Place chicken in a gallon sized plastic bag. Drizzle olive oil over the chicken, then sprinkle with garlic powder, italian seasoning, oregano, and salt & pepper. Close the bag and shake the chicken around to mix well and evenly coat with the olive oil and seasonings.

Place the bag of chicken in the fridge to marinate for 10-15 minutes while you pre-heat your grill.

While the grill is pre-heating, mix up the caprese salad. Add all the salad ingredients to a large mixing bowl and stir until evenly combined and covered with the olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Once your grill is pre-heated, grill the chicken to your desired doneness–it should no longer be pink in the middle. It is ready when it reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees when tested with a meat thermometer.

Serve chicken immediately with the caprese salad either on the side or on top of the chicken.

TIP: How to chiffonade basil: Stack, roll, slice. Stack the basil leaves on top of each other, gently roll them into a cigar, and then use a sharp knife to slice them into thin ribbons.

The post Grilled Chicken with Fresh Caprese Salad appeared first on Farm Girl Next Door.

The best salads, in my opinion, don’t include lettuce.

And don’t even get me started on roasted vegetables.

Show me a pan of those, and there’s a good chance I’ll eat the entire sheet pan single handedly. <– that’s not a joke.

This salad boasts tender, sweet & savory roasted vegetables, sweet cranberries, crispy chickpeas and crunchy pepitas.

Top it all with a simple maple dijon dressing and you, my friends, have yourself an absolutely winning salad.

Enjoy & don’t forget to share a picture of your masterpiece with me on Instagram!

Ingredients:

Roasted Chickpeas:
1 15.5 oz. can chickpeas, rinsed, drained & dried using paper towels
cooking spray
salt & pepper
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

Roasted Brussels Sprouts:
2 lb. Brussels sprouts, ends trimmed & halved
1 medium red onion, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 Tbsp olive oil
salt & pepper

Roasted Sweet Potatoes:
3 large sweet potatoes, peeled & cut into 1 in. cubes
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp pure maple syrup
1 – 1 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

Dressing Ingredients:
1 lemon, juiced
1 Tbsp. dijon mustard
1/4 C. olive oil
3 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
salt & pepper

Topping:
1/2 pepitas
1 C. dried low sugar dried cranberries

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Line 2 large baking sheets and 1 small baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray.

To the small baking sheet, add chickpeas. Spray lightly with cooking spray and sprinkle 1/4 tsp. cinnamon and a bit of freshly cracked black pepper & salt over the chickpeas. Toss to coat chickpeas evenly.

Place pan of chickpeas in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and lightly browned.

Remove from oven once done.

While the chickpeas are baking, prep the brussels sprouts and sweet potatoes.

On one of the large baking sheets, place the sweet potatoes. Drizzle the potatoes with olive oil and maple syrup. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Mix with your hands to evenly coat the potatoes and spread evenly on the baking sheet.

Place the pan of sweet potatoes in the oven for 30-35 minutes or until tender and lightly browned. Flip potatoes halfway through cooking.

On the second large baking sheets, place the brussels sprouts and onions. Drizzle evenly with olive oil and sprinkle with salt & pepper, to taste. Mix with your hands to evenly coat all brussels sprouts with the oil, salt, and pepper and spread evenly on the baking sheet.

Place the pan of brussels in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until tender lightly browned. Flip brussels halfway through cooking.

While the sweet potatoes and brussels are cooking, add the dressing ingredients to a mason jar if you have a lid for it, or to a medium bowl. After all ingredients are in either a jar or bowl, place a lid on the jar & shake to mix or whisk all ingredients in the bowl.

Set aside dressing until the salad is ready to serve.

Once vegetables are ready, separate sweet potatoes and brussels sprouts evenly into 4-5 bowls, evenly sprinkle the chickpeas, pepitas & cranberries over the vegetables in the bowls, and drizzle each bowl with the dressing.

Enjoy!!

The post Warm Roasted Sweet Potato & Brussels Sprouts Salad with Maple Dijon Vinaigrette appeared first on Farm Girl Next Door.

This recipe definitely isn’t your tried and true, tattered recipe card, kind of recipe.

Instead, this one is a “push you out of your comfort zone” kind of recipe!

It is so unexpectedly delicious, I think you’ll be surprised at how much you like it.

If cauliflower or chickpeas aren’t your thing, definitely try it with rotisserie chicken instead!

It would be great with chicken and served wrapped in a whole wheat tortilla, pita, or in lettuce wraps.

How will you choose to enjoy it?

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 large head of cauliflower, cut in small florets
1 small red onion, cut in 1/2 inch pieces
3 cloves of garlic, whole
salt and pepper
1/2 tsp curry powder

1 15.5 oz. can chickpeas, drained & rinsed
1 C. red grapes, halved

SAUCE:
3/4 C. plain greek yogurt (non-fat or 2%)
1 Tbsp. tahini
1 Tbsp. honey
1 Tbsp. dijon mustard
1 tsp. curry powder (I used this one –> Penzey’s The Now Curry)
1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
salt & pepper, to taste
1 Tbsp water

salted pepitas or sunflower seeds, to serve –> DON’T leave this out, the salad needs some crunch!

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees F.

Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray.

Place the cauliflower, onions & garlic on the baking sheet. Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper and curry powder.

Bake for 30 minutes, turning halfway through.

Meanwhile, place the chickpeas and grapes in a large bowl and set off to the side.

Prepare the sauce. Place all ingredients in a mason jar, cover with a lid and shake until fully incorporated.

Once the vegetables are done roasting, find the garlic cloves and mince small. Add the garlic to the bowl of chickpeas and grapes.

Allow the vegetables to cool, then place them in the bowl with chickpeas and grapes and pour the sauce over everything. Mix well.

Serve and sprinkle with pepitas*!

*Note: Unless this recipe will be eaten in one sitting, do not mix the pepitas in or they will lose their crunch. Instead, add them to each serving when you’re ready to enjoy!

Did you try this with chicken instead? Let me know on Instagram by tagging @nefarmgirlnextdoor!

The post Curried Cauliflower & Chickpea (or chicken!) Salad appeared first on Farm Girl Next Door.

Let me give you a quick low down on this recipe:
1. I can’t keep letting you pronounce quinoa incorrectly. Growing up, my sister used to correct my grammar and spelling incessantly, so I can’t help that I’m now hyper aware of things like pronunciation.
So, back to the topic at hand: quinoa = keen – wah

2. When you’re planting your garden this year, be sure to plant red onions, cherry tomatoes and english cucumbers because you’re going to need them when you start making this salad weekly. Oh, and plant lots of quinoa. Just kidding about the quinoa…although now I’m googling what it would take to raise quinoa. I’ll let you know my findings. Meanwhile, make this salad and fall in love with it like I did. <3

Ingredients:

Salad:
1 C. quinoa, uncooked
1 english cucumber, quartered lengthwise & cut into bite-size pieces
1/2 medium red onion, chopped small
10 oz. cherry tomatoes, halved
4 oz. crumbled feta cheese (optional if you’re not a feta fan!)
1/2 C. kalamata olives, chopped
1/2 C. marinated artichokes, chopped
1 can (15.5 oz) chickpeas, rinsed & drained

Dressing:
1/2 C. olive oil
1/4 C. lemon juice (juice from approx. from 2 lemons)
1/4 C. red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp. honey
3 cloves garlic, grated/pressed or minced
1 tsp. dried oregano leaves
freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Directions:

Cook quinoa according to package directions and set aside to cool COMPLETELY. Short on time? Prep the quinoa a day ahead & place it in the refrigerator so it’s ready to roll for tossing in the salad!

Prep the remaining salad ingredients & toss in a large bowl. Add quinoa once cooled and toss to incorporate.

Combine dressing ingredients in a bowl and whisk OR place all dressing ingredients in a mason jar, close securely with these re-usable lids (lids for:regular mouth jars or wide mouth jars), and shake!

Pour dressing over the salad ingredients in the bowl and toss to coat evenly OR keep dressing separate and drizzle over each serving. Note: Quinoa will absorb some of the dressing if tossed then stored!

Store salad in the fridge in an air-tight container (either tossed or dressing stored separately to avoid quinoa soaking up the dressing).

Was this recipe a winner?! If it was, share the love with your friends (via the link to this page)! Don’t keep this recipe all to yourself

The post Quinoa Greek Salad with Garlicky Lemon Vinaigrette appeared first on Farm Girl Next Door.

I swear I tried to make the recipe name shorter…but there are so many important elements to this recipe that needed to be in the title!

I’m a big fan of tahini–I mean BIG fan. In the last year, I’ve experimented with tahini in baked goods, dressings, sauces, etc. and I’ve not been disappointed. It’s definitely not an ingredient you’ll find in your small town grocery store, but that’s why Amazon Prime exists, right?

Place an order, get it in two days, and then make this recipe. You won’t regret it!

Ingredients:

Chicken & Roasted Chickpeas and Cauliflower:
1.5 lb chicken breasts, thawed if frozen
1 small head cauliflower, cut into bite sized florets
1 15.5 oz. can chickpeas, rinsed and well drained
salt & pepper
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. curry powder

Dressing:
2 medium lemons, juiced
3 cloves garlic, grated using a microplane grater or pressed using a garlic press
1/2 C. tahini
1/2 C. water (+ more if you like a thinner consistency)
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. sesame seeds
salt & pepper

Salad Ingredients:
1 bag chopped romaine OR 1 head of romaine, chopped
1 10 oz. container grape tomatoes, halved
4 green onions, thinly sliced

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line two sheet pans with foil and spray lightly with cooking spray.

Place chicken on one sheet pan. On the second prepared pan, evenly spread the cauliflower florets on one half of the pan and the chickpeas on the other half. Drizzle the chicken, cauliflower and chickpeas with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper (to taste) and curry powder. Be sure to coat both sides of the chicken with the olive oil and spices and toss the cauliflower and chickpeas with your hands to cover evenly.

Place both pans in the oven and cook for 20-25 minutes, flipping everything halfway through.
*Cook time may vary based on the thickness of your chicken breasts. Make sure to cook the chicken until no pink remains.

While the sheet pans are in the oven, combine dressing ingredients. I like to place all ingredients in a mason jar and cover with a reusable plastic lid so I can shake the dressing to mix. Alternatively, place all dressing ingredients in a small bowl and whisk thoroughly. Taste and add additional seasoning if desired. Set aside once mixed.

Combine salad ingredients in a large bowl. Set aside.

Remove chicken, cauliflower and chickpeas from the oven. Remove the chicken from the pan and shred with two forks.

To serve, place salad ingredients on an individual plate or in a bowl and top with cauliflower, chickpeas and chicken. Drizzle salad with the dressing and enjoy!

Storing tips for leftovers: I like to store the salad & cauliflower together and the chicken, dressing & chickpeas separately. Then, I toss all the ingredients together when I’m ready to serve!

If you’re new to tahini, what did you think? Comment below or post and tag @nefarmgirlnextdoor on Facebook or Instagram!

The post Curry Chicken Chopped Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing and Crispy Chickpeas appeared first on Farm Girl Next Door.