My husband and I have been having this Blackened Chicken with Avocado and Cucumber Salsa recipe on repeat. We absolutely love it. It’s one of those dishes that’s got it all; it’s great tasting, nutritious, easy to make and very satisfying.

I like to use my grill to prepare this dish, but if you feel like it’s currently too cold to be outside grilling, then you can definitely use your oven’s broiler to prepare it. If you plan on using you’re broiler instead of your grill, be sure to arrange the oven’s rack so that the chicken is two inches from the heat and set your broiler on high; place chicken breasts side by side on a baking sheet and broil each side for 14 minutes. Voila. Super easy.

I’m gonna switch gears now and tell you about my weekend ahead. I am so excited that I can barely wait! My husband and I are driving to a beautiful small town, which is about two hours from where we live, called McCall. It’s an adorable place, where people are kind, the living is easy and the scenery is beautiful. The lodge where we are staying at has a lake next to it and is surrounded by gorgeous mountains, so as you can imagine, it is very picturesque. McCall has long been one of our favorite places to go in Idaho whenever we are craving a quick weekend getaway; it’s close enough to our city to where we are not spending half a day driving to get to it, but far away enough from our city to where we are able to unwind and disconnect from a busy schedule. It’s a wonderful place to recharge and escape. We tend to go on these little weekend escapes during the fall and winter months, because that’s when these kinds of Idaho mountain towns are the most beautiful. We love our state.

There is so much beauty to experience during the fall and winter months up in the mountains. It can be so tranquil and serene.

See, I love seasons (cold ones included). And the strange part is that I didn’t grow up with them, so I am not sure where my love for them comes from. I grew up in a country where there is very straightforward weather; sunny in the summer and rainy in the winter, with temperatures ranging from 55 degrees Fahrenheit (min) to 80 degrees Fahrenheit (max). Totally mild. And I was one hundred percent used to totally mild. So you can only imagine what a shock it was for me to move to Idaho. I was a mess at the beginning, to the point where my new Idaho friends laughed hard about the fact that I wouldn’t leave the house without a huge winter-like coat in September. There I was, wearing something like a parka while everyone around me were still wearing flip flops. Gah! The tropical bird in me was freaking out.

Now, after living in Idaho for eleven plus years, I’ve become accustomed to the inevitable weather changes and I crave each season just at the time when that season is about to come. I now appreciate colder temperatures, and have learned to keep the parka stored away until snow hits the ground.

I cannot imagine life without the beauty of the scenery when the leaves change in fall, without the gorgeous snow covered mountains in the winter, without the cheerful chirping of the birds and the gorgeous bright colors of the flowers in spring, and without those long summer days with incredible sunsets that come after 9pm. There is so much beauty to behold in every season.

Right now, we find ourselves welcoming fall. The leaves are already changing colors, making every corner look cozy and gorgeous. People are starting to decorate the outside of their homes in orange and brown hues, stores are now selling pumpkins, and local restaurants are adapting their menus to include seasonal produce. I mean, isn’t it like a nice little novel? That’s how I feel about life right now. We are blessed beyond measure.

I’ll try to take some fun photos of McCall in fall, and share them with you guys via Instagram. Have a great weekend…and enjoy this easy, healthy and yummy recipe with the ones you love!



Blackened Chicken with Avocado and Cucumber Salsa Save Print Prep time 4 hours Cook time 14 mins Total time 4 hours 14 mins Author: Mariel Lewis Serves: 6 chicken breasts Ingredients For the Blackened Chicken:

6 organic chicken breasts

2 tablespoons grape seed oil

3 teaspoons chili powder

2 teaspoons smoked paprika

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

3 teaspoons cumin

1 teaspoon coriander

1 teaspoon dried oregano

2 teaspoons sea salt

½ teaspoon black pepper Instructions Mix all spices in a small bowl and set aside. Rinse and pat dry chicken breast with paper towels. Add chicken to a large mixing bowl and drizzle grape seed oil on top. Add in spice mix, and use your hands to make sure the mix covers every chicken breast. Cover your mixing bowl wit lid and refrigerate for 4 hours (but no longer than 2 hours) before grilling. Turn grill on to medium-high. Once hot (about 5 minutes), add chicken breasts and close lid. Let each side cook for 7 minutes. Remove from grill, top with Avocado and Cucumber Salsa, and enjoy! Notes Tools You’ll Need:

- Large mixing bowl with lid

- Measuring spoons

- Grill

- Grilling tongs 3.5.3208

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