The name of the dinner game lately has been to get it made and photographed before the sun goes down. That can be a challenge, to say the least. With the insanity of cookbooking, workouts are the one thing that have gotten pushed aside just a bit. I even told Mr. Prevention after my run on Wednesday that I haven’t had a GOOD run, an enjoyable run, in a really long time. I’ve been including a walk break here and there (usually just a minute or 2), but I think some of it has to do with the monotony of doing the same route over and over again.
The only thing I would change about our new location in Michigan is perhaps 10 minutes close to my work (20 would be awesome, but I know I shouldn’t push it…my commute is far less painful that many!) and not right off a semi-busy road. Busy for southwest Michigan, anyways. While Mr. Prevention risks his life running beside the texting-while-driving people of the world, I fear them!
So last night, I changed things up. I made pizza for dinner and then strapped Lily in her life jacket and headed to the beach so we could both get in a workout. When we moved so close to the lake, I had every intention of using the lake as my own personal pool for exercise…but, that hasn’t exactly happened. Until last night. And it was so, so enjoyable and SUCH a good workout (I swam a mile!!). For me and Lily. It’s good to change things up.
With all the time crunches of life most recently, I was drawn to Jen’s recipe for Pesto Chicken Pinwheels for this What’s Cooking Blogger’s Choice Recipe Swap. Of all the recipes on her blog, this one appealed most because of 1) the amazing flavors and ingredients and 2) the ease of its preparation. You can even make the chicken ahead of time, or use rotisserie to make this meal all the more simple.
Rather than making pinwheels, I turned these into roll-ups. Tacos. Whatever you want to call them. You can certainly use one of the burrito-sized tortillas as her recipe called for, but I knew I wouldn’t use them all and the smaller ones were cheaper. 🙂 Point being, these can be an appetizer, snack, or as I made them, a meal. Two of these roll-ups were a perfect summer meal that was ready in no time. And as someone who is a lover of all things containing pesto and mayonnaise, I was in 7th heaven. (If you’re a mayo hater, try Greek yogurt or just use the pesto!).
The chicken makes this seem like a meal (happy husband = happy home) while the crunch of the lettuce lightened things up. The tortilla is a neutral vehicle with plenty of nutrition and fiber while the onions, sun dried tomatoes, and pesto added all the flavor. So, so good!
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Pesto Chicken Roll-Ups every so slightly adapted from Becoming Pigzilla
1 tsp olive oil
1 (4 oz) boneless, skinless chicken breast
1/2 cup onions, diced
3 Tbsp low-fat mayonnaise
3 Tbsp basil pesto
4 corn tortillas
4 slices part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
1 cup lettuce, chopped
Directions:
In a small skillet, heat 1 tsp of olive oil over medium heat. Add chicken breast and cook 5-6 minutes per side, until cooked through. Remove to a cutting board. Reduce heat to low and add onions. Cook on low for ~5 minutes, until onions are translucent and tender.
In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise and basil pesto. Spread mixture evenly on each tortilla. Add 1 slice of cheese to each tortilla and evenly distribute the chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, lettuce and cooked onions among each. Serve like tacos.
Yield: 4 pesto chicken roll-ups.
Nutrition Information (per roll-up): 290 calories; 12.3 g. fat; 20 mg. cholesterol; 453 mg. sodium; 24.5 g. carbohydrate; 2.8 g. fiber; 12.8 g. protein
Result: Loved these…a lot! This is kid food, game day food, and health food all in one. I love the colors and bold flavors. Quick, simple, and will be made again. Enjoy!
[/print_this]Work and then Chicago-bound to see mi familia. Can’t wait 🙂 Happy weekend!
Be well,
I was talking to the bf this week about how simple our lives were when we could just cook and eat food like normal people – and not have to turn it into a full scale production!
Anything with pesto, anything! This is simple and looks delish – gonna give it a try.
Author
Lisa, I’m with you! Pesto ANYTHING, please!!
I understand the commuting complaint. I think we all wish it were a little better- no matter how good or bad it really is. I thought, now that I work downtown and use public transit, it’d be faster for me. I may have shaved off 10 minutes or so from what I was doing, but at least I can sit and read vs sit and get angry at other drivers… lol
Happy weekend!
Ooh, yum. I just had a conversation last night how my recipes are getting way too involved. What beautiful simplicity. I can’t wait to try them! Have safe travels this weekend and enjoy!
How do you track your swimming distance in open water?
And did Lily swim with you?
Author
Hey darlin’ 🙂 I use a Garmin 305 watch that is waterproof. Lily totally swam with me. She’d swim out, get tired, and head back to the shore, run along the beach, and then swim back out to me. So flipping cute. Her $30 lifejacket has been the best money spent in a long, long time!
Oh cool. I didn’t realize the garmins were waterproof. That’s really handy.
It must have been a lot of fun to have Lily working out with you! I cannot get my dog in the water at all. I forced her in my dad’s pool once when she was a puppy but I think she was traumatized. When we bring her to the beach she’ll run away from the waves…it’s kinda funny.
I feel you. My commute is a half hour each way, and it really makes a difference in what I’m able to accomplish in a day! I don’t get home until about 5:40 and then to pull a dinner together at a reasonable hour can be tough.
Yum! These look so great. Just this morning I was wondering what I’d do with some leftover shredded chicken and I was hoping to use sundried tomatoes! Your timing is excellent for my life 😀
Author
Haha, I love when that happens! 🙂
So glad you liked these. Wow, a cookbook author tried (and liked) one of my recipes!! I like that you turned them into wraps for an entire meal 🙂
These look so good. I love pesto, and it’s one of the few things my parents actually have at their house that I would actually want to eat. I think you may have solved tonights dinner dilemma. 🙂
I’m going to need pics of Lily in the lifejacket….
Author
Yes, you do! I think I posted some, but there’s for sure a few on my Prevention RD Facebook page 🙂 I’m biased of course, but it’s the cutest thing ever!
I enjoy reading your blog so much! Almost everything you make looks so delicious, especially this chicken.
Have a good weekend Nicole!
Hooray for swimming with Lily! I bet that tired her out – have a great weekend in Chicago!!
I love this!! This is super simple and delicious!
I love the twist of pesto. YUM!
I’ve had to move my runs to post-dinner. Not for any great blogging reason, but I have to make sure the baby gets fed so he can get to bed on time!
Sounds wonderful!! This sounds like a recipe I might be able to give out at work. We’re always looking for quick recipes to share with guests/customers. We did a vegetarian bean and avocado wrap the other day and it was a HUGE hit.
Have fun in Chicago, Nicole! And I’ll pray for your route to work to be just ten minutes closer for ya 😉
Cute roll ups! It’s a nice idea. I bet it would work with a veggie version of chicken. It is awesome that you are near a lack and can go swimming there, even if you have only gotten to do this once. Once things die back down after the cookbook you will have more time to focus on exercising. Unfortunately, for me too, that is the first thing I cut out. Have a great time in Chicago.