Mango-Tango Tacos

I'm just gonna skip right over the fact that I've been on a tiiiny bit of a new recipe hiatus since starting my new job and get straight to the good stuff. This recipe is my own invention made up of bits and pieces from a couple different recipes I found on good ol' Pinterest. Funnily enough, they were recipes I found when looking for slow cooker recipes (as I recently purchased one but had no idea what to actually use it for), and I didn't even end up using it to make it. If you're hoping for a run-of-the-mill, traditional Mexican taco recipe, you may be disappointed. But I urge to keep an open mind and keep reading, 'cuz while this ain't your average taco, it was CRAZY good, and simple to make too. They're the perfect fresh, light meal.

Yes, they are as delicious as they look. For my Mango-Tango Tacos, you will need...
- chicken breasts (I got pre-cooked, a little bit for the sake of convenience, but mostly out of my lack of experience cooking chicken and fear of giving myself salmonella, so two-birds really)
- Kraft's mango-chipotle dressing/marinade
- tortilla or soft-taco shells
- red cabbage
- sour cream (I like to use light)
- lime juice
- cilantro
- avocado
- mango
- red onion
- chipotle chili powder
- paprika

How to make it:
1. Prepare your chicken: Marinade your chicken breasts in Kraft's mango-chipotle dressing/marinade (and if using raw chicken, cook it however you like). I only marinaded mine for about 15 minutes because I didn't prepare ahead of time and was impatient, but the longer it marinades the more it soaks up the flavour. When finished, shred the chicken with forks.
2. Prepare your sauce: Mix sour cream, lime juice, chipotle chili powder and paprika together in a bowl to taste.
3. Prepare your mango-avocado salsa: Dice up your mango and avocado, finely chop your red onion and cilantro, and mix together in a bowl with lime juice.
4. Chop up your red cabbage.
5. Heat your tortillas in either the oven or the microwave. Load them up with chicken, salsa and cabbage, and top with sauce and a bit of cilantro.

Flavor explosion. Mind blown.

Tropical Cucumber Salad

This is a salad that I would definitely recommend trying before the summer is over. Not only is it brightly coloured, but it's so tangy and refreshing that you'll feel like you're on a tropical island vacation! Who would have known that crunchy cucumber, melt-in-your-mouth mango, and creamy avocado complemented each other so nicely (and deliciously)?! I'm sold!

Makes a great light lunch or a perfect side dish to any meal! The original recipe can be viewed here, and my adaptation consists of...
- cucumber
- mango
- avocado
- cilantro
- lime juice
- fish sauce
- canola oil
- vinegar (I used cider vinegar)
- brown sugar
- chili flakes

How to make it:
1. Chop up about half a cucumber, a whole mango and a whole avocado into cubes, and combine in a bowl.
2. In a small bowl, combine 1 tsp. fish sauce, 1 tbsp. lime juice, half a tbsp. canola oil, 1 tsp. brown sugar, half a tsp. vinegar, some chopped cilantro and a few shakes of chili flakes.
4. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss.

Spicy Quinoa Stuffed Avocados

Here we have yet another recipe that I have modified from one I found on Pinterest (if you would like to see the original, it can be found here). This one was a great find, it really impressed me- it is one of the easiest, healthiest and tastiest dishes that I have made in quite some time. It's even gluten-free!

Have as a nice and healthy lunch, lighter dinner (I actually just had it for dinner and found it quite filling!) or even serve as an appetizer or side-dish. These consist of...

- avocado
- quinoa
- corn
- red pepper
- red onion
- chopped fresh cilantro
- seasoning salt
- chili flakes
- Tabasco sauce
- lime juice
- sour cream

How to make this:
1. Cook your quinoa- in a small pot combine 1/4 cup of quinoa with 1/2 cup of water, bring to a boil then cover and let simmer until all the water is absorbed.
2. While your quinoa is cooking, chop up your red pepper, red onion, and cilantro. Combine in a bowl with corn, and add seasoning salt, chili flakes, and a dash of Tabasco sauce until you are satisfied with the flavour of your mixture. Add your quinoa to the mixture when it is ready.
3. In a smaller bowl, combine sour cream, lime juice and cilantro.
4. Cut your avocado in half lengthwise, remove the skin and pit, and scoop out some of the center to turn your avocado-halves into small bowls. Add what you've scooped out of the avocados to your quinoa mixture.
5. Spoon your quinoa mixture into the avocado-halves, top with cilantro-lime sour cream and garnish with cilantro leaves.

Avocado and Brie Grilled Cheese

This delightful little sandwich is one of my favourite things that my wonderful boyfriend Jon makes for me on occasion. Avocado and brie cheese is truly a heavenly combo. This sandwich is as yummy as it is easy to make, and makes a perfect lunch or light dinner!

This sandwich consists of...
- 2 slices of whole wheat bread
- butter or margerine
- spring mix
- avocado
- red onion
- cucumber
- brie cheese

How to make it:
1. Lightly butter your bread slices. Toast on both sides in a frying pan over low heat.
2. While bread slices are still in the frying pan, add a thin slice of brie to each slice of bread. Leave in pan until slightly melted.
3. Slice up avocado, cucumber and red onion. When bread is toasted and cheese is melted, arrange on bread with some spring mix. Close sandwich and cut in half.