Is anyone else having problems figuring out what day of the week it is? I almost said Happy Friday! And then realized, nope it's just Thursday. Weird, weird week. I am finally home and getting back to my normal non-holiday routine with mountains of laundry to do and a very neglected, messy house. So cleaning, laundry, meal planning, grocery shopping, and putting Christmas decorations away are all on the agenda today...with my favorite show Fixer Upper on in the background. Sounds exciting, huh?! First I'm going to finish my coffee and do some yoga!

The post-holiday season can be a little discombobulating (I love that word!) for me. It feels like everything is on fast forward from the end of October through January 1 and then all of a sudden it just stops abruptly but leaves behind a big ole mess. This is always the time of year where I want to clean, organize and purge my life of unnecessary clutter and try to create as much order as I can. I start by simplifying our meals. I don't want to spend an hour cooking dinner when I've just torn apart my kitchen because my drawers are cluttered and driving me nuts! This is a super simple, inexpensive and quick meal you can whip up in no time but still feel good about putting something wholesome and healthy on the table.

Herbed Chicken, Orzo and Zucchini

Total Time: 20 minutes | Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 cup dried orzo
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 tsp. dried basil
3 tbsp. olive oil
2 medium zucchini, sliced
2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
Lemon wedges, optional

Preparation Instructions:
Prepare orzo according to the package directions and drain. Cover and keep warm.

Meanwhile, sprinkle chicken with basil and season with salt and ground black pepper. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the chicken and cook 12 minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear, turning once. Remove chicken from skillet. Add zucchini to the skillet and cook for 3 minutes or until tender-crisp.

In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar and remaining olive oil. Add the orzo and toss. Season with salt and pepper. Serve chicken with orzo, zucchini and fresh lemon wedges. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts: per serving
   Calories: 390
   Fat: 12 grams
   Carbs: 35 grams
   Fiber: 3 grams
   Sugar: 3 grams
   Protein: 33 grams

Recipe adapted from here.

*Feel free to add more veggies if you want. Try a combo of zucchini, yellow squash and red onion. This would also be good with brown rice if you have that on hand. I've been using orzo more and more lately. I like it as an alternative to more traditional pastas like spaghetti or penne. It is a small pasta but feels more like rice when you eat it, so I find myself eating less. Maybe that's just my brain playing a trick on my stomach, but give it a try and see if it works for you!