Ingredients for Spiced Nuts
1 bag (roughly 2c) pecan halves
vegetable oil
about 1 TBS sugar
basil
cayenne pepper
paprika
onion powder
garlic powder
ground thyme
Ingredients for Salad
about 1lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 bell pepper
1 bunch Romaine lettuce
2 zucchini
fresh wedge of Parmesan cheese
lemon juice
extra virgin olive oil
salt
prepared spiced pecans (recipe will follow)
Pound chicken breasts so they are thin. Grill for a few minutes on each side until juices run clear. Meanwhile, rinse your veggies. Chop or tear the romaine into pieces. Slice the bell pepper into strips. Cut zucchini into very thin slices. Use a vegetable peeler to thinly slice the Parmesan cheese. I sliced about half of an 8oz wedge of cheese. Break the thin slices into smaller squares, about 1x1", and gently toss with zucchini. Add some lemon juice and a little olive oil; toss again to coat. Salt lightly according to taste.
When chicken is finished, cut into strips. Assemble your salad: torn Romaine pieces, bell pepper strips, zucchini/Parmesan mixture. Serve onto plates or salad bowls and sprinkle with spiced pecans. Top with 3-4 chicken strips per salad.
To Make Spiced Nuts
Preheat your oven to 350°. Pour pecan halves in a bowl and mix with about 2tsp vegetable oil (start with a little bit, stir, and continue adding oil as needed until the pecans are thinly coated). In a small bowl, combine 1T sugar with dashes of all the other spices except salt. Add as much as you want of each spice according to your taste. When spices and sugar are mixed to your satisfaction, pour them over the pecans and toss pecans to coat. Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven.
