Health, Beauty & Sweet Homelife: Grilled Chicken Fajitas with Orange-Avocado Salsa

I recently found a great cookbook on sale at Borders called Cooking to Conceive. At first, I picked it up just for fun (NO...we're not trying right at this moment), but fell in love with a lot of the recipes in it! Practically everything is healthy, and provides you (especially women) with a well-balanced nutritional diet. Plus, I guess it won't hurt to know tips and what foods might help for conceiving down the road. So, there you have it - my reason for owning this wonderful cookbook.

With that said, I've already found at least a handful of recipes I'm excited to try out and share with you all. First on the list?

Grilled Chicken Fajitas with Orange-Avocado Salsa!

Chicken is a good source of iron and B vitamins, and it makes quick, juicy fajitas when paired with antioxidant-rich peppers and warm whole wheat tortillas. *Note: to make the chipolte chile puree, blend the contents of a small can of chipolte chiles in adobo sauce in a blender until smooth.

Orange-Avocado Salsa

1 large orange

1 large avocado

1/2 cup diced English cucumber

1/4 cup minced red onion

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1/2 to 1 teaspoon chipotle chile puree *(see note)

prep time for salsa: 15 minutes

To make salsa: Use a sharp paring knige to trim away the peel and white membrane of the orange. Slice the orange into 1/2-inch rounds, then cut into cubes, removing any seeds. Place in a bowl. Pit, peel, and dice the avocado; add to orange. Add the cucumber, onion, lime juice, and chipolte puree. Add salt to taste; mix gently. Set aside.

Fajitas

1 cup fresh orange juice

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon chipotle chile puree *(see note)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 pounds chicken breasts, boned and skinned

1 red onion, sliced lengthwise into 3/4-inch rounds

1 pound red, yellow, and/or orange bell peppers, cut lengthwise into eighths

8 whole-wheat flour tortillas (6 to 8 inches wide)

cook time for fajitas: 25-30 minutes

To make the fajitas: Mix the orange juice, lime juice, oil, chipotle puree, and salt in a large bowl. Set aside 1/2 cup (118 ml) of the mixture. Place each chicken breast between 2 sheets of wax paper or plastic wrap; with a flat mallet or a rolling pin, pound until meat is an even 3/4 inch (19 mm) thick. Place the chicken in the bowl with the juice mixture and turn to coat. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, or up to 4 hours.

Heat a barbecue for grilling over medium-high heat. Brush the onion and pepper slices with the reserved juice mixture. Place the vegetables on the grill. Cook, turning as needed, until the vegetables are browned and tender when pierced, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to platter.

Lift the chicken from the marinade (discard the marinade) and lay it on the grill; close the lid on the gas grill (if using). Turn the chicken as needed to brown evenly, until no longer pink in the center (cut to test), 8 to 10 minutes. Slice across the grain into thin slices.