This recipe reminds me of a flavorful dish I’d get at a restaurant. Like date night worthy meal. Ah, I love date night. We don’t get as many date nights in because we have a little baby. We are working on it. If you have any tips for getting date nights in with a baby, or have date night ideas, let me know. It’s amazing what a couple hour date night does for our marriage. It’s so refreshing!
Ok, let’s get back to this meal and away from date night. You get it, this is a date night worthy meal. I think it would even be a good recipe to make for your family. Especially with a little parmesan cheese on top. This recipe has a base of zoodles (zucchini noodles made using a Spiralizer (this one is my favorite)). It’s a paleo noodle dish.
The thing I like most about vegetable noodles is that they don’t make you feel so full and, well, bloated like a big bowl of pasta does. You still get full, you get to have the fun part of noodles, and you don’t sacrifice any flavor with choosing veggie noodles. If you don’t have a Spiralizer, you’ve got to get one. It’s worth every penny. It makes eating Paleo or grain-free so much fun with so many more options for meals and textures from veggies. It makes you miss pasta less, and actually forget about pasta all together. If you’re a pasta-aholic you may think I’m crazy for saying you won’t miss pasta. Let me explain, it’s not because I don’t remember the taste or texture. But I don’t miss how I used to feel when I ate pasta, even gluten free pasta. That’s why we choose veggie noodles, like Zoodles, so often in our dinners. We eat dinner and feel satisfied, content, and still full of energy.
Ingredients
2 Tablespoons coconut oil
4 organic chicken breasts
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon herbs de provence (or Italian seasoning)
1/2 red onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
4 ounces crimini mushrooms, roughly chopped
2 medium zucchini, spiralized into zucchini noodles
1 can coconut milk
Directions
- Preheat a large skillet on medium and season the chicken breasts on both sides with salt, pepper, and herbs de provence
- Add the coconut oil to the skillet and cook chicken, 4 minutes on each side. The chicken should have a nice browning on both sides
- Add the red onion, garlic, and mushrooms and sauté together until lightly cooked
- Add the spiralized zucchini noodles and the coconut milk and put the cover on and simmer for 10 minutes
- Top with goat cheese or parmesan cheese (optional), or leave off for a dairy free dinner
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Michele Sellers says
This recipe sounds delicious. As far as date night with a baby, if you have relatives close by they make great baby sitters on occasion, especially with a baby (who doesn’t love to hold and cuddle a baby. If you don’t have relatives locally, does your church have a date night service? My daughter’s church has this and she and her husband take advantage of it frequently. Of course, her kids are no longer babies, her youngest is now 5 I think. But it seems like she did this when the youngest was a baby too.
Meghan Birt says
Hey Michelle-
Thanks for the date night tips. Yes, we have some relatives in the area. We need to get better about planning it out in our schedule, that’s for sure!
Julie Jones says
This looks awesome! I am going to try making it for Hannah & I-the rest despise mushrooms :(.
Date night with a baby-be brave and get a sitter! Try for twice a month. Either babysit swap with another trusted couple-You watch their child(ren) for their date night and they watch your gem for your night(s).
OR take advantage of a certain teen babysitter that you trust? Change her hours once or twice a month?? so you can go out? A single adult in your church that might be willing to come hang out with your little one for a few hours? Be bold, be creative.
Remember, your baby is a welcome member into your family-not the center of your family. They need to learn Dad & Mom will “come back”, how to be secure with others watching them, their world does not revolve around them, and Daddy & Mommy need “their time” to be a strong Daddy & Mommy.
I am a strong advocate of date nights for couples with young children, (and older children)- it is not only refreshing for the parents, it is so beneficial for the babies/children. While it can be “hard” to either find sitters or leave your littles-it is so worth the work & emotional training for both babies & parents. When it becomes the normal “schedule”, kids will adapt. And parents can trust others to care & love their children. Each of our 6 kids adaptesd to Dad & Mom going out-some had a little more trouble than others but we stuck with it and they all became content & happy when we left.
I think it all comes down to trusting the LORD when we are not in “control”.
Just my 2 cents. Would love to meet you sometime or just talk through email or whayever :). Blessings-Hannah’s Mom :)
Meghan Birt says
Hi Julie (Hannahs’ mom). I’m typing this now and Hannah is over :) Ah, I used to dispose mushrooms myself and then around 18 I decided I didn’t just like them, I loved them. So weird??
I LOVE your tips for date nights and really appreciate you typing out your thoughts! I think a lot of it has to do with us not being as bold and creative as we need to be. And Tava does love others, so it’s mostly me and not her that it’s hard for!
And I would love to meet you sometime :). I’ll get your email from Hannah!!
Thank you! Meghan