Spicy-Lime Chicken Salad & Cast-Iron Charred Corn & Yucca (two recipes)

July 24, 2014 Whitney Saxon

Being a Hoosier means a lot of things to me. And of of those things is that summertime = corn time. Knee high by the Fourth of July is no joke where I come from.

Earlier this week, I got an itchin to be in the kitchen and wanted to try something completely new. I knew I wanted corn involved and the meal had to be fresh. Essentially, seasons completely dictate my palate.

Since I was feeling adventurous, I decided to try out Yucca Root (the grocery labeled it as Yuka FYI). It has a lot of vitamins, antioxidants and some fiber and protein. And also, it looks like a tree. Sooo I wanted to try eating it. Because that's fun.

Normally I shy away from anything I don't know how to make (like Yucca) but I strongly recommend it. It was easy peasy! And here's how you do it...

{Side note: Because the chicken is better the longer it marinates, I would start with that and while it is in the fridge, start on the Yucca. But I did it backwards and it was still tasty :)}

Cast-Iron Charred Corn & Yucca

(Serves 4)

Ingredients

1 Yucca Plant (about 12 inches long)

3 c. Corn (frozen)

1 T Coconut oil

Salt, pepper, Cayenne and onion powder to taste

Directions

Cut ends of Yucca plant, then cut in half

Begin shaving off the bark - similarly to how you peel a potato. It's OK if you lose some of the meat of the root in the process.

Cut the remaining plant into cubes

In a regular sauce pan add coconut oil and cook Yucca at medium heat

Add salt, pepper, Cayenne and onion powder to taste

Cook until plant begins to brown (see below)

Mix Yucca and corn in cast-iron skillet

Cook on medium heat, stirring often, for 7 to 10 minutes - until the corn begins to brown (if you want a creamier taste, you can throw in more coconut oil here. I also added more Cayenne to the corn because I love spicy.)

Reduce heat to low and let simmer for 5 to 10 minutes - stirring often

Enjoy!

And next up: Spicy-Lime Chicken Salad

Spicy Lime Chicken Summer Salad

(Serves 4)

Ingredients

4 Chicken breasts

5 T hot sauce (I prefer Frank's)

2 limes

1 large bag of spinach

1 c. cherry tomatoes

1 large avocado

1 pineapple (confession, I bought one package of pre-cut.)

1 red pepper

1 cucumber

Salt, pepper, Cayenne and onion to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 350-degrees

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk hot sauce, squeezed lime juice and salt and pepper

Cut chicken breasts into cubes

Mix chicken into marinade bowl and refrigerate for at least 10 minutes

While chicken is marinating, cut vegetables and lay over spinach

Refrigerate while chicken is cooking

Bake chicken on a lightly greased/oiled cookie sheet for 15 to 20 minutes (until cooked all the way through). Flip chicken once throughout baking to ensure it's cooked evenly.

Eating alongside the corn and yucca and enjoy!

And that's all :)

on summer and happiness

July 23, 2014 Whitney Saxon

image

Lately in Atlanta, the humidity has been low and it's been almost fally. Every night the sidewalks are bustling - people out and about, soaking up the oddly cool late July. Last night, my very oldest Atlanta friend, Katie, and I went for a walk - joining in on the street parade and catching up on life.

While we were walking, she was sharing some exciting news in her life and told me that sometimes she thinks people view happiness as a Zero-Sum Game and that she doesn't think it has to be that way. Not an economist, I had to ask her to explain more. In econ, there is a theory that in order for one thing to gain, another must be lost, so the sum is always zero.

She said that when it comes to happiness, just because one person gains happiness, doesn't mean another person has to lose it.

She said she believes, honestly, there is enough space in the world for all of us to be happy.

image via

It can be easy in your 20s - in this season of uneven - to feel frustrated when someone else gets what you want. But, to Katie's point, just because you bought a house, got a boyfriend, got a promotion and got engaged, doesn't mean I can't have those things. Your gain doesn't mean my loss. It simply means your gain.

I think it's important to remember. Because the best thing we can do is root for one another.

And if we get into the habit of believing that another person's happiness equals our unhappiness, it takes up space in our minds - and in our hearts. It makes it so we're unable to just be glad for our friends - it forces us to look at everything through our own selfish lens, instead of looking at it through someone else's.

So that's what I'm remembering today. To root for the happiness, the success and the joy of those around me. To remember that there is enough space in this world for your gain and my gain and for each and every one of us to create the life we want. And to remember every day that happiness isn't a zero sum game. It's just a sum game. It all just continues to add up. And that's pretty great.

This Weekend: Avett Bros in ATL

July 22, 2014 Whitney Saxon

In the summer, my entire being craves outdoor concerts. During the rest of the year, I don't think about concerts much at all. But, ah, in the summer. Just give me music + a drink + some humidity and I'm all set.

{Memorial Day this year - kickstarted the summer with DMB}

A few weeks ago, ScoreBig, an online ticket vendor, reached out to me to see if I'd post a review. Their site is a little different than others, because (similarly to Priceline), you name your own price. If they accept the price, you'll be notified right away. And if they don't accept it, you won't be charged at all, but you also won't be able to bid on the tickets again for 24 hours. They have a little meter under the bidding to let you know the likelihood of your bid being accepted, which is quite helpful.

I bid on two Avett Brothers tickets and my price was accepted. And a totally unexpected bonus was that when they came in the mail (almost immediately), they had a parking pass with them, too, which I did not realize I'd receive.

So, this coming weekend, Chris and I are heading to Avett Bros on Friday. And, moving forward, I'll certainly use ScoreBig for tickets again. Although my bid was only a few dollars lower than face value, every dollar saved helps!

And now, Avett Bros here we come!

In exchange for this post I received a ScoreBig voucher. The opinions, however, are my own and were not influenced by the incentive.

weekend snaps

July 21, 2014 Whitney Saxon

Dinner with friends at ATL's new restaurant, Bartaco Friday. Now, officially, an ATL obsession. The food, the vibe (!), the service - everything was on point.

Volunteering with coworkers Saturday morning at the YoBoulevard Block Party. It felt great to be part of the event and to give back a little bit. Events like this always remind me that people are so good.