Lime Cilantro Fajitas

 I am going on vacation this week with my family to visit some of our family in Florida. I will be going with my mom, grandma, aunt, uncle, and cousin from California to visit my aunt, cousins and second cousins in Florida, so we are by no means a small clan (we are actually missing a few immediate family members from this trip but even without them we are still a huge group!). We are planning on spending everyday together at the beach, afternoons at the pool and of course as many dinners together as possible! I was really excited to go on the trip and really wanted to cook a few meals for my family. I needed to think of recipes that were simple, needed minimal ingredients, did not need any specials tools/techniques and meals that were also cost effective since I would be feeding so many people. I also did not want to spend half of my vacation in the kitchen so I wanted to bring some recipes along that really didn't take too long. This recipe is one that made the cut because it is simple, has unique flavors, requires very few ingredients, can easily feed a crowd, and of course is not too expensive. The original recipe had you grill the fajitas and veggies, but I used my george foreman grill instead, which actually made cooking the sliced veggies much easier than trying to cook them on a grill and prevent them from falling through.

Penne Alfredo with Spinach

 
  I apologize for the lack of posting the past month or two. Life caught up to me and posting on the blog took a back seat to finishing up my job in June, yoga class, and enjoying the beach. I was lucky enough to have about 5 weeks off in between my old job ending and new job starting, and although some might look at those weeks as 5 weeks of unemployment, I felt they were 5 weeks of much needed rest and time to do things that I had not been able to do for months. Although I have not been posting, I have still been cooking and have so many recipes to share, including some great summer dishes. 
  Last summer in north county was dreary and we were cursed with June gloom for months, but this summer has been so so so HOT! So my version of hot can not compare to the heat waves that the east coast has been experiencing, but when it hits the 80s near the beach here that is considered pretty hot. I do love all the sun, but it has made cooking a little challenging. I have barely used our oven since May because our house faces west and between 3p and 6p it is boiling in here...sometimes even hotter than outside. So I have been using the george foreman grill (we do not have a space for a BBQ unfortunately) and making a few pasta dishes every week in an attempt to avoid using the oven. It really is challenging to not use the oven at all...no pizzas, no baked chicken, no enchiladas, i could go on for days..!
  Anyways this dish was something I first made about a year ago and for some reason I think I have only made it once or twice since then. I am not sure why because it really is a great recipe, so simple, and a really healthy alternative to your standard Alfredo sauce. I added the spinach in because I truly believe spinach can be added into anything, but especially pasta, for a little added nutrition. I have never really eaten too much Alfredo pasta, so I am not sure how this stacks up to the full fat version, but I think the flavors and creaminess of the sauce are excellent considering the low calorie and fat content of the dish. It also requires no oven and whips up quickly..perfect for a summer meal or even for a warm winter comfort food!