Christina's Sweet and Sour Chicken

adapted from $5 Dinners


1 lb chicken breast, diced
1/2 onion, diced
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 diced green or red bell pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon corn starch
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 (8 ounce) can pineapple chunks, with juice or fresh
1 Tbsp vinegar
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground ginger
frozen mixed veggies

1. In large skillet over medium high heat, brown the diced chicken pieces and onion in oil.
2. Add diced bell pepper and garlic and stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes.
3. In small bowl, whisk together corn starch and soy sauce, then pour the mixture into skillet along with the pineapple chunks, pineapple juice, vinegar, brown sugar, and ginger. Stir together and bring just to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 5-10 minutes, or until sauce reaches desired consistency/thickness. Stir in frozen veggies and heat through. Serve over hot rice.

Christina's Super Green Breakfast Smoothie

1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup chia seed gel
2 cups loosely packed spinach
1 beet (root and leaves)
8 baby carrots (or one large carrot)
1 8 oz can pineapple in juice
1/3 cup raw cashews
2 frozen bananas
honey to taste
frozen blueberries to taste

Blend it all together!

Christina's Sweet Potato Casserole

2 40 oz cans of sweet potatoes, drained and mashed
5 TBSP butter, melted
2/3 C sugar
1/2 TBSP salt
4 large eggs
1 TBSP flour
1 20 oz can crushed pineapple, drained

Mix all and place in greased 11x15 glass dish.

Topping

3/4 C brown sugar
1/2 C flour
1/3 C butter, melted
1 1/2 C pecans, diced

Mix flour and sugar. Add melted butter and pecans.

Sprinkle over top of casserole. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes.

Christina's Pineapple Sorbet with Ginger

from Bitten

2 cups pineapple puree
1/2 cup sugar (to taste; I thought 1/2 cup was way too much)
2 teaspoons very finely minced fresh or candied ginger, or 1/2 teaspoon dried ginger, or to taste

Whisk the sugar and ginger into the puree, and freeze the mixture in an ice cream maker, according to the manufacturer's directions. This sorbet is best the same day it is made.

Christina's Asian Tropical Fruit Salad

from Steamy Kitchen

One can rambutan, lychee or longan, drained
1/2 fresh pineapple, cut into chunks
1 mango, cut into chunks
2 kiwi fruits, cut into small chunks
1 pint strawberries
juice of ½ lime (optional)
fresh mint leaves, julienned (optional)

In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients and toss.

Christina's Fruit Salsa with Cinnamon-Sugar Chips

Fruit Salsa with Cinnamon Chips - Our Best Bites

Choose your fruit based on color so it will be pretty.

Red: Strawberries, raspberries or pomegranate seeds could work.
Orange: Mango, peaches or nectarines.
Yellow: Pineapple, either fresh or canned.
Green: Kiwi or honeydew.
Blue: Blueberries. The original recipe also said blackberries, but I tried that and didn't like it.

If you are using any type of berries, you'll want to stir them in at the last minute so they don't dye the whole salsa.

If you want to add sweetener, you can add honey or sugar (white or brown), but I thought that the fruit with the cinnamon chips was sweet enough. You can also add extras like lime juice, coconut, mint or cinnamon. I think I added a little cinnamon and lime and I liked it.

Baked Cinnamon Chips

Flour Tortillas
Melted Butter
Cinnamon Sugar

Preheat oven to 350.

Lightly brush one side of each tortilla with melted butter. You could use cooking spray instead of butter.Then sprinkle on some cinnamon sugar.

Use a pizza cutter to cut those tortillas into wedges.

Place them on an ungreased baking sheet and bake them in the oven for about 10 minutes. You'll see them crisp up. Watch for the edges to turn up.
Remove from oven and let cool.

Christina's Fresh Mango Sorbet with Pineapple

from Our Best Bites

3-4 mangoes, peeled and diced
2/3 C sugar
3 T fresh lime juice
1 C finely chopped fresh pineapple

In a food processor, puree the mangoes until you have about 3 cups. Add the sugar and lime juice and process to combine. Add in the pineapple and process. Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and freeze let it go until it looks icy, yummy, and firm, about 30 minutes. Transfer to an airtight container and freeze until ready to serve. To serve the following day, set out on counter for about 15 minutes to soften.