Baked Pasta

This recipe is adapted from Iowa Girl Eats. The photo is hers.
Serves 7-9 about 440 calories per serving (if 7 people eat it)

• 4 cups uncooked bowtie pasta
• 1 pkg ground turkey
• garlic salt to taste
• pepper to taste
• 1 jar marinara sauce
• 1 c. parmesan shredded
• 2 c. shredded mozzarella (part skim)

Preheat oven to 400
Cook pasta according to package directions. Brown turkey in large pan and season with garlic salt and pepper. Add marinara sauce and heat on low. When pasta is cooked and drained add to meat mixture. Add parmesan. Place this mixture in a 11x14 inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray. Top with mozzarella and bake until bubbly (about 20 minutes).

Stir Fry

About 280 calories per serving (including rice). Serves 7

• 1/2 container light firm tofu sliced into squares
• 1 Tbs coconut oil
• 1 cup diced red pepper
• 2 cups broccoli
• 1 cup sliced red cabbage
• 1 &1/2 c shredded carrots
• 2 cloves crushed garlic
• 1&1/2 c shelled edamame
• 2 Tbs. soy sauce
• 20 cashews

In large frying pan or wok cook tofu in coconut oil, and sprinkle with a bit of cayenne pepper, until lightly browned. Push to sides and cook red pepper, broccoli, cabbage, and carrots until softened, and garlic, soy sauce, and edamame and cook until edamame is warmed through toss in the cashews. Serve with 1/2 cup rice per person.

Cream of Broccoli Soup

1. 

About 195 calories per serving


4 cups water
4 cups broccoli florets
2 tablespoons margarine
1 onion, chopped
1 large stalk celery, chopped
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons chicken bouillon powder
2 1/2 cups 1% milk
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup reduced fat shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

1. In a medium-sized cooking pot, add water and broccoli florets and bring to boil; reduce heat and cook for about 3 minutes. Drain, reserving all of the water.
2. In a food processor or blender, process half the cooked broccoli until fairly smooth. Chop remaining broccoli and set aside.
3. In a heavy-bottomed cooking pot, melt butter or margarine, add onion and celery and cook for about 3 to 4 minutes until soft. Stir in flour; cook, stirring constantly for about 1 to 2 minutes. Add reserved water and chicken bouillon granules, and bring to boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium; simmer, stirring constantly until thickened.
4. Stir in milk, nutmeg, pepper, and processed and chopped broccoli, and heat through. Adjust seasonings to taste. Serve garnished with grated cheddar cheese

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Simple Homemade Yogurt

This is a great yogurt! My daughter tells me she thinks it is different than store bought but way better! Here is a link to the video:
http://vimeo.com/9663719

Lighter Sesame Chicken

Originally from Iowa Girl Eats

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup brown rice
1/2 cup honey
4 Tablespoons sesame seeds
4Tablespoons soy sauce
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 egg whites
4 Tablespoons cornstarch
4 small chicken breasts (12oz), cut into 2″ pieces
salt & pepper
2 Tablespoon vegetable oil
4 green onions, chopped
4 cups broccoli florets

Directions:

1. Prepare rice according to package directions. Meanwhile, combine honey, sesame seeds, soy sauce, and garlic together in a small bowl then set aside. In a separate larger bowl, whisk together egg white and cornstarch until smooth. Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper then add to egg white mixture and toss to evenly coat.
2. In a small saucepan or steamer, steam broccoli until crisp tender then set aside.
3. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, then carefully add chicken. Cook for 3-4 minutes a side, or until cooked through. Turn off heat and remove skillet from burner. Add prepared sauce and green onions then toss to combine. Stir in broccoli, then scoop mixture into bowls over cooked rice.

Italian Chicken and Pasta

Heat oven to 375 degrees

• Chop 6 Roma tomatoes, 2 small cans of marinated artichoke hearts, and 3 cloves of fresh garlic. Transfer these to a large bowl and mix with 1 tsp sugar, 2 Tbs flour, and a generous amount of salt and pepper.
• Cut 3 chicken breasts into 2 inch pieces
• Put chicken in class pan and top with tomato mixture
• Cook for about 20 minutes
• Cook pasta while chicken is cooking
• Take out of oven and top with grated mozzarella (the amount you like)
• broil under broiler until bubbly
• Take out of oven and top with fresh basil
• Serve over cooked pasta

Slow Cooked Pork Carnitas

This is from Skinny Taste

Slow Cooked Pork Carnitas (Mexican Pulled Pork)
Servings: 8 • Serving Size: 4 oz (1/2 cup) • Old Points: 4 pts • Points+: 4 pts
Calories: 176 • Fat: 7.7g • Protein: 25.8 g • Carb: 1.3 g • Fiber: 0.1 g



Ingredients:

• 2.5 lb pork shoulder blade roast, lean, all fat removed
• 6 cloves garlic, cut into sliver
• cumin
• adobo sauce to taste
• garlic powder
• 3/4 cup 99% fat free chicken broth
• 2-3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (to taste)
• 2 bay leaves

Directions:

Season pork with salt and pepper. In a medium sauté pan on medium-high heat, brown pork on all sides for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Using a sharp knife, insert blade into pork, cutting small holes and insert garlic slivers. Season pork generously with cumin, adobo and garlic powder all over.

Pour chicken broth in the crockpot, add bay leaves and chipotle peppers. Place pork in crock pot and cover. Cook low for 8 hours. After 8 hours, shred pork using two forks and combine well with the juices that accumalated at the bottom. Remove bay leaves and adjust salt and cumin (you will probably need to add more). Let it cook another 15-30 minutes.

Cajun Chicken Pasta on the lighter side

This is from Skinny Taste and is a new favorite!

Cajun Chicken Pasta on the Lighter SideSkinnytaste.com
Servings: 5 • Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups • Old Points: 6 pts • Points+: 8 pts
Calories: 323.8 • Fat: 6.2 g • Protein: 25.9 g • Carb: 44.1 g • Fiber: 6.3 g • Sugar: 3.2 g
Sodium: 126.5 mg (without salt) 



Ingredients:

• 8 ounces uncooked linguine (I used part wheat part regular)
• 1 pound chicken breast strips
• 1-2 tsp Cajun seasoning (or to taste)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 medium yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 8 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 red onion, sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 medium tomatoes, diced
• 1 cup fat free low sodium chicken broth
• 1/3 cup skim milk ( I used soy)
• 1 tbsp flour
• 3 tbsp light cream cheese ( I used half light sour cream and hal cottage cheese)
• fresh cracked pepper
• 2 scallions, chopped
• salt to taste
•  cooking spray

Directions:

Prep all your vegetables. In a small blender make a slurry by combining milk, flour and cream cheese. Set aside. Season chicken generously with Cajun seasoning, garlic powder and salt.
Prepare pasta in salted water according to package directions

Heat a large heavy nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; spray with cooking spray and add half of the chicken. Sauté 5 to 6 minutes or until done, set aside on a plate and repeat with the remaining chicken. Set aside.

Add olive oil to the skillet and reduce to medium; add bell peppers, onions, and garlic to skillet, sauté 3-4 minutes.

Add mushrooms and tomatoes and sauté 3-4 more minutes or until vegetables are tender. Season with 1/4 tsp salt, garlic powder and fresh cracked pepper to taste.

Reduce heat to medium-low; add chicken broth and pour in slurry stirring about 2 minutes

Return chicken to skillet; adjust salt and Cajun seasoning to taste, cook another minute or two until hot, then add linguine; toss well to coat. Top with chopped scallions and enjoy!

Crispy Sweet Potato Fries

This recipe is from http://www.theartofdoingstuff.com/guaranteed-crispy-sweet-potato-fries-sriracha-mayo-dip/
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
3 peeled sweet potatoes cut smaller than steak fries but larger than shoestring.
Soak these in water for 1 hour.
Pat a bit dry then do three separate batches of the following: Put 1 Tbs cornstarch in a ziploc bag and add 1/3 of fries. Shake to coat. Put these on a baking sheet. Do the same with the remaining fries.
Drizzle with 1 Tbs olive oil on each batch of fries. Sprinkle with salt and toss with hands to coat. Arrange fries so they are not touching and have room to get crisp. Bake them for 15- 20 minutes

Amazing Turkey Burgers

3 pounds ground turkey

1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs

1/4 cup finely diced onion

2 egg whites, lightly beaten

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1 clove garlic, peeled and minced

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 Tbs worcestershire sauce

Mix all ingredients and grill. Juicy and yummy. My kids prefer these over regular burgars.

Chickpea and Tomato Salad with Basil

1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

About 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved

25 large basil leaves, chopped

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

2 tsp olive oil

1/2 tbsp honey (10g)

pinch of salt

Toss all ingredients together and chill for at least 20 minutes, allowing all the flavors to merge.

This is from http://greenlitebites.com/2011/06/20/chickpea-and-tomato-salad-with-fresh-basil/

Quinoa, corn and edamame salad

 I added about 1 cup of grape tomatoes

2 cups frozen, shelled, edamame

1 cup frozen corn

1 cup cooked, cooled quinoa

1 green onion, sliced

1/2 red sweet bell pepper, diced

1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 tsp cumin

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1⁄8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Dash cayenne

Briefly boil the edamame and the corn until tender. Drain very well and cool completely.

In a large bowl combine the edamame, corn, quinoa, green onion, red pepper and cilantro. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, lime juice, salt, chili powder, cumin, thyme, black pepper and cayenne until emulsified. Drizzle over the salad and toss to coat.

Servings » About 8 (1/2 cup) servings

Layered salad

This is from fatgirlstrappedinaskinnybody.com

Balsamic Vinaigrette
Recipe from Creative Kitchen Adventures
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1-2 tbsp water (more or less depending on the consistency you want)
2 tbsp honey (can be replaced with agave or brown sugar)
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
Directions
Place all ingredients into a small jar (canning jar). Anything with a lid works well.
Shake to mix thoroughly. Stores in fridge for 1-2 weeks.

*Or use my blending method: throw everything in the blender, blend for about 30 seconds, then store in a jar for 1-2 weeks.
Salad
Makes 2 salads (Salads pictured were made in 32 oz mason jars)
1 cup cooked quinoa
2 big handfuls spinach
1 cup chopped mushrooms
1 cup cherry tomatoes
1/2 red onion, diced
4 tbsp balsamic vinagrette
Layer the ingredients in the jar as follows:
dressing
onion
mushrooms
tomatoes
quinoa
spinach
The most important part of the layering is making sure the dressing and the spinach (or whatever ‘leaf’ you choose) don’t touch. As long as they stay separate, these salads can be made up to 4 days in advance and will stay fresh in the fridge with a lid on. This is one of my tricks to eating salad everyday for lunch at work. I make a few jars on Sunday night and just grab one to bring to work everyday. When you’re ready to eat, just shake it up.

 

Egg, Tomato, Spinach, and Avacado Stack

This is so good for breakfast or lunch!

• Steam a bowl full of spinach in the microwave and drizzle with 1/2 Tbs. lemon juice
• Spray pan with pam and cook egg on medium low until it is cooked how you like it (salt and pepper for seasoning)
• Add a slice of lowfat swiss cheese on top of egg
• Top spinach with tomato and a few slices of avacado then top with the egg.

Quinoa Patties

These are great on a bun as a veggie burger or just as a patty topped with tomatoes, maybe some avacado, whatever you want! These are so flavorful and I loved them as leftovers.

This came from Eating Well Living Thinner

2 rounded cups cooked quinoa (I used red quinoa)

3/4 cup shredded low fat cheddar cheese (or other variety, if you prefer)

1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese

1 medium carrot, finely grated (OR 1 cup shredded zucchini, squeezed dry)

3 eggs

3 tablespoons all purpose flour

4 green onions, including white parts chopped

1 /2 teaspoon Stevia or sugar

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

Mix all ingredients and spray your grill or pan with cooking spray and cook until browned and set up.

Best Ever Healthier Banana Bread

This is a recipes that I altered so much to make it healthier and to my taste that I will claim it for my own. It is the best I have ever had!

Ingredients:

• 1/4 c. melted coconut oil
• 1/4 c apple sauce
• 1/4 c brown sugar
• 1/4 c Stevia
• 1/4 c honey
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 3/4 c wheat flour
• 3/4 c. white flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 c light sour cream
• 3 very ripe bananas, mashed
• 1/4 c chia seeds
• 1/4 c. unsweetened coconut

Preheat oven to 350
Mix melted butter, applesauce and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Next add flours, baking soda, and salt. Mix well then add sour cream, bananas, nuts, and coconut.
Prepare pan/pans (I used mini loaf pans) with pam. Pour into prepared pans, sprinkle with sugar in the raw if desired (gives a nice crunch) and bake for 40- 60 minutes (depending on size of pan), or until toothpick comes out with only a slight amount of the bread on the toothpick.

Lemon Orzo Salad with Asparagus and Tomatoes



Number of Servings: 8

Ingredients

12 oz. orzo 1 bunch fresh asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces 1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved 1 lemon, zested and juiced 4 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil 1 clove garlic, minced 2 Tbs. fresh parsley, minced Kosher salt Fresh ground pepper Grated Parmigiano Reggiano

Directions

Bring 2 large pots of water to boil. Add a big pinch of salt in each.

To one pot, add asparagus and blanch, about 2 to 3 minutes, depending on the thickness of your asparagus.

Place blanched asparagus in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking and keep them green.

To the second pot, add the orzo. Cook per package instructions. When tender, drain and place in a large bowl.

Add blanched asparagus and tomato halves.

Mix olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Stir into orzo and vegetables. Stir in parsley and grated Parmigiano Reggiano.

This can be served warm, room temperature or cold.

From http://www.abigmouthful.com/lemon-orzo-salad-with-asparagus-and-tomatoes/

Serving Size: 8

Number of Servings: 8

Nutritional Info

• Servings Per Recipe: 8
• Amount Per Serving
• Calories: 222.1

• Total Fat: 7.9 g
• Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
• Sodium: 3.1 mg
• Total Carbs: 34.9 g
• Dietary Fiber: 2.8 g
• Protein: 6.1 g

Baked Chicken Nuggets

• 16 oz (2 large) skinless boneless chicken breasts, cut into even bit sized pieces
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 6 tbsp whole wheat Italian seasoned breadcrumbs (I could only find white not wheat)
• 2 tbsp panko
• 2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
• olive oil spray or Pam 

Preheat oven to 425°. Spray a baking sheet with olive oil spray or Pam.

Put the olive oil, salt and pepper in a ziploc bag and the breadcrumbs, panko and parmesan cheese in another

Put chicken in olive oil then lift into bread crumb mixture and shake. Lift these out and place on baking sheet, spray top with olive oil or Pam and bake for about 8 minutes or until no longer pink in the middle.
Sooo good and you wont miss all the fat and oil from frying!

Healthy Shepherds Pie

My family loved this! The cauliflower does not diminish the taste and makes it so healthy.

This is another recipe from Iowagirleats.com but I changed a couple of things. The picture is her version because I forgot to take a picture.

For the mashed potatoes:

2 large potatoes
1 head cauliflower
2 Tablespoons butter
salt & pepper to taste

Peel and cut potatoes in 2 inch cubes. Cut up cauliflower. Boil potatoes for 5 minutes then add the cauliflower and cook for about 10 more minutes, or until very tender. Drain and "mash" the mixture. I used my Kitchen aid mixer. Warm the milk and butter and add to the potato mixture. Season with salt and pepper.

For the filling:

1 lb. ground turkey
1/3 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt & pepper
3 Tablespoons flour
2 Tablespoons  tomato paste
1 Tbs. each soy sauce & worchestershire sauce
1 can chicken broth
2 cups frozen vegetable medley

Brown the meat with onions and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Add the flour when the turkey is cooked. Next add the soy sauce, worchestershire sauce, tomato paste, and chicken broth.
Cook for 5 minutes then add the frozen vegetables.

Put this in a casserole dish and top with potatoes and sprinkle with some cheddar cheese ( I used reduced fat, about 1/2 cup), season with more salt and pepper and bake at 400 degrees until bubbly ( about 20-30 minutes).

Grilled Lemon Chicken with Sweet corn and Tomatoes

This recipe is from Iowa Girl Eats

Ingredients (serves 1) I quadrupled this for my family but only did 3 chicken breast and sliced them to put on top.

• 1 chicken breast, pounded thin
• 6 Tablespoons Homemade Lemon Dressing, divided
• 1/4 cup brown basmati rice, dry
• 1/2 cup water
• 3/4 cup fresh sweet corn, cut off the cob
• 1/4 cup red onion, minced
• salt & pepper
• 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered

Instructions

• Marinate chicken breast in 3 Tablespoons lemon dressing for 15-20 minutes. Grill on high heat then set aside when done.
• Bring water to a boil in a small saucepan. Stir in rice, place a tight fitting lid on top, turn the heat down to low and cook for 12-15 minutes, or until the rice is tender and all the water has been absorbed.
• Heat 1 Tablespoon lemon dressing in a skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté corn and red onion for 3-4 minutes, or until onion is soft. Add in cooked rice and 1 more Tablespoon lemon dressing. Season to taste with salt & pepper.
• Stir cherry tomatoes into corn and rice mixture, plate, then top with grilled chicken. Drizzle with remaining Tablespoon of lemon dressing.

Lemon Dressing:

Ingredients

• 2 lemons, juiced
• 6 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, microplaned or finely minced
• salt
• pepper

Instructions

• Place ingredients into a container with a tight fitting lid, like a mason jar, and shake to combine.

Asian Soup

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tb grated ginger root
• 1 tb prepared lemongrass (usually found in a tube in the produce section)
• 1 cup water
• 32 oz low sodium chicken broth
• 1 small grocery store rotisserie chicken, shredded
• 4 ounces  angel hair pasta
• juice from one lime
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced (optional)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large stock-pot over medium heat and saute garlic, ginger and lemongrass for 3 minutes.
2. Add water, chicken broth, lime juice, carrots, salt and red pepper and bring to a boil.
3. Add pasta and boil until pasta is al dente.
4. Remove from heat, stir in chicken, cilantro and green onions. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Roasted Lemon Potatoes

Ingredients:
2 pounds small yukon gold potatoes
4 tbsp olive oil
1/3 cup chicken broth
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp salt
coarse sea salt
paprika powder
3 garlic cloves
2 lemons
pepper
parsley
Directions:
Preheat your oven to 400F. In a bowl :

• Zest one lemon
• juice both lemons
• Get 4 tbsp oil, a really, really good pinch of black pepper, 1/4 to 1/2 tsp salt (no more than this), a heaping tsp oregano and 3 garlic cloves in there (grated or chopped of course).
• Now pour in 1/3 cup of chicken broth.
• Mix these together
• quarter or half potatoes and spread onto a baking sheet
• Pour mixture over and sprinkle with salt and paprika
• Put them in a preheated oven for 30 minutes, take them out, flip them over and put them back in for another 20 minutes. Check for readiness.
  Serve with a royal amount of chopped fresh parsley sprinkled all over.

You can also add asparagus for the last 20 minutes and stir together. I loved the potatoes and asparagus roasted together.

* This is originally from Kayotic Kitchen

Grilled Corn, Avacado and Tomato Salad with Honey Lime Dressing

This is from For The Love of Cooking

• 1 pint grape tomatoes
• 1 ripe avocado
• 2 ears of fresh sweet corn (or 2 cups frozen corn thawed)
• 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

Honey Lime Dressing:

• Juice of 1 lime
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp honey
• Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• Dash of cayenne pepper

Super Food Salad

Find this at:
http://iowagirleats.com/recipes/superfood-salad-with-lemon-vinaigrette/

I couldn't find pomegranates so when I cooked the shrimp I cooked it in olive oil, garlic, crushed red pepper, and threw in some Crasins.

Superfood Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette combines ultra-healthy and flavorful ingredients like quinoa, pomegranate, citrus, avocado and beans, in a light-yet-filling meal, that’s bursting with satisfying flavors and textures.
Eat by itself, or topped with shrimp or grilled chicken.

Superfood Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

Print this recipe!
Serves 5
Ingredients:
1/2 cup dry quinoa
1/3 cup red onion, chopped
1 orange, peeled and segments chopped
1 avocado, chopped
1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup pomegranate arils (about 1 pomegranate worth)
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
1/3 cup cilantro, chopped
salt & pepper
For the Lemon Vinaigrette:
2 lemons, juiced (need 1/4 cup juice)
2 garlic cloves, microplaned or finely minced
dash of sweetener (agave nectar, stevia or white sugar)
salt & pepper
6 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Directions:
1. Cook quinoa according to package directions. Set aside to cool.
2. For the Lemon Vinaigrette: combine all ingredients in a jar with a tight fitting lid, and shake to combine. Or, add lemon juice, garlic, sweetener, salt and pepper into a small bowl and whisk in oil.
3. Combine cooled quinoa with red onion, orange segments, avocado, beans, pomegranate arils, corn, cilantro, salt and pepper. Pour Lemon Vinaigrette over the salad and stir to combine. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Slow Cooker Korean Beef Tacos

WOW! Soooooo good!

This is from A Year of Slow Cooking

3-4 pounds beef roast (I used a trimmed chuck roast)

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup soy sauce (La Choy and Tamari Wheat-Free are gluten free)

1 head garlic (peeled, but leave cloves intact--approx 10 cloves)

1/2 onion, diced

1 inch fresh ginger root, peeled and grated

2 tablespoons seasoned rice wine vinegar

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 whole jalapeno, diced (be careful! use gloves!)

The Directions.

Use a 6-quart slow cooker. Okay. This truly can't be any easier. I didn't brown my meat, but I did trim off the visible fat.  Throw everything in however you'd like.

Cover, and cook on low for 8-10 hours or until meat has fully shredded. Serve in soft corn tortillas with shredded cabbage salad and brown rice.

 Shredded cabbage:

1 bag shredded coleslaw from the grocery store's produce section

1 tablespoon soy sauce (la choy or tamari wheat-free)

2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar

salt and pepper to taste

toss together and serve immediately (it gets too wilty if you make it early in the day)

Spinach Salad with Moroccan Vinaigrette

My new favorite salad! I used a bit less olive oil and it was still great. Get ready to lick your plate! Where amount is not indicated use the amount you think you would like.

Spinach, rinsed and cut for salad

Red grapes, halved

Mushrooms, sliced

Green onions, sliced

Green/greek olives

Diced mozzarella

For a meal add grilled chicken (I used rotisserie chicken)

Dressing:

1 tbsp golden raisins

¼ tsp ground coriander

1/8 tsp cumin

½ cup carrot juice

2 Tbs. balsamic vinegar

4 sprigs fresh cilantro

1 tbsp plain yogurt

1 tsp honey

½ tsp red pepper flakes

½ tsp salt

½ cup olive oil

Place raisins in small bowl.  Toast coriander and cumin in 8-inch skillet over med heat until fragrant, 2-3 min.

Transfer spices to bowl with raisins.  Add carrot juice to skillet and simmer over med heat until reduced to ¼ cup, about 6 min.  Pour carrot juice over raisins and let cool to room temp.

Process carrot juice mixer, vinegar, cilantro, yogurt, honey, salt, and pepper flakes in blender until smooth.  With blender running, gradually add oil.

Crock Pot Teriyaki Chicken and Roasted Brussel Sprouts

6 boneless skinless chicken breasts (I used frozen)
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup soy sauce
6 tablespoons cider vinegar
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
3/4 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
4 1/2 teaspoons cold water
Hot cooked sprouted brown rice
chopped chives (optional)

Place chicken in a 4 qt. slow cooker. In a large bowl, combine the sugar, soy sauce, cider vinegar, ginger, garlic and pepper. Pour over chicken. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours or until chicken is tender. Remove chicken to a serving platter; keep warm. Skim fat from cooking liquid. Place liquid in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Combine cornstarch and water until smooth. Gradually stir into liquid and stir until sauce is thickend. Serve with chicken and rice. Top with chopped chives if desired.
Roasted Brussel Sprouts

2 lb. bag brussel sprouts, ends trimmed off and quartered
4 Tbs. olive oil
1 1/4 tsp kosher salt
3/4 tsp. black pepper

Put all ingredients in a ziploc bag and shake to mix then transfer to a roasting pan and cook at 400 degrees for 40 minutes or until tender and golden.

* chicken recipe originally from http://lakelurecottagekitchen.blogspot.com/2011/08/crock-pot-teriyaki-chicken.html

Waldorf Salad

 

I got this recipe from the Martha Stewart website but I changed it a bit:

 

2 heads of Bibb lettuce

2 stalks of celery, chopped

1 apple, diced

1/4 c. toasted almonds

1 or 2 breast of chicken grilled

2 chopped tomatoes

 

Mix these together and top with this yummy lowfat buttermilk dressing:

3/4 cup low-fat buttermilk

1/4 cup light mayonnanaise

2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoon minced chives

2 tablespoon chopped parsley

Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

 

 

 

 

 

Honey Crock Pot Chicken

I doubled this and served it over sprouted brown rice with a side of roasted butternut squash.

 

3/4 pound chicken (of your choice)

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1/2 cup honey

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/8 cup chopped onion (or 1/16 cup onion flakes)

1/8 cup ketchup

1 Tbs. vegetable oil

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

Season both sides of chicken with salt and pepper, put into crock pot. In a small bowl, combine honey, soy sauce, onion, ketchup, oil, garlic and pepper flakes. Pour over chicken. Cook on low for 3 hours or on high 1 1/2 hours. Shred chicken into bite size pieces, then return to pot and toss with sauce.

 

*This recipe and picture are from Mmm...Cafe.blogspot.com

Lighter General Tso's Chicken

The store didn't have snow peas so I used shelled edamame and a chopped red pepper. I also doubled the recipe for my larger family.

Prep Time 45 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Yield Serves 4

Add to Shopping List

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups long-grain brown rice
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1 pound snow peas, trimmed and halved crosswise
• 4 garlic cloves, sliced
• 2 teaspoons fresh ginger, grated and peeled
• 3 tablespoons light-brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
• 2 large egg whites
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, such as safflower

Directions

1. Cook rice according to package instructions. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, stir together 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 1/2 cup cold water until smooth. Add snow peas, garlic, ginger, sugar, soy sauce, and red-pepper flakes; toss to combine, and set aside.
2. In another bowl, whisk together egg whites, remaining 3 tablespoons cornstarch, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add chicken, and toss to coat.
3. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high. Lift half the chicken from egg-white mixture (shaking off excess), and add to skillet. Cook, turning occasionally, until golden, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate; repeat with remaining oil and chicken, and set aside (reserve skillet).
4. Add snow-pea mixture to skillet. Cover; cook until snow peas are tender and sauce has thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Return chicken to skillet (with any juices); toss to coat. Serve with rice.

*This was adapted from marthastewart.com

Wheat Berry and Bean Salad

This salad is sooo good and is a great leftover salad. My kids even ate it! Very healthy and tastey!

• Back On Track Wheat Berry and Bean Salad   Serving: Salad Ingredients:
  
  • 1 cup dry wheat berries, cooked and drained
  • 2 cups/500 ml cooked navy beans
  • 1 English cucumber, diced
  • 1 red pepper, diced
  • 1 large tomato, diced
  • 2 large garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 cup fresh parsley, diced with large stems removed
  • 4 green onions, diced
  • Kosher salt + pepper, to taste
  
  Dressing Ingredients:
  
  • 2-4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, to taste (I used 2 tbsp)
  • 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tsp hot mustard (I used regular)
  • 1 tbsp Tamari
  • 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  
  Directions: In a medium bowl, soak the wheat berries overnight in cold water. The next day, drain the wheat berries and place in a medium sized pot, covered in 3 inches of water. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium and simmer for 1 hour. Drain and cool.
  In a large bowl, mix together the diced vegetables (cucumber, red pepper, tomato, minced garlic, parsley, green onions). Add in cooked and drained navy beans (or other bean of choice) and stir.
  In a small bowl whisk together the dressing ingredients (olive oil, balsamic vinegar, mustard, Tamari, fresh lemon juice). Set aside.
  When the wheat berries are ready, drain and rinse and then stir into the salad. Add the dressing just before serving and stir well. Now season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Garnish with additional parsley if desired.
  Yield: 7.5-8 cups.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Vegetarian Vegetable Chili

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped carrots
• 1 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 1/2 cups chopped fresh mushrooms
• 1 (28 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes with liquid, chopped
• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, undrained
• 1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, undrained
• 1 (15 ounce) can pinto beans, undrained
• 1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1 1/2 tablespoons dried oregano
• 1 1/2 tablespoons dried basil
• 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
• salt to taste

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook and stir the garlic, onion, and carrots in the pot until tender. Mix in the green bell pepper and red bell pepper. Season with chili powder. Continue cooking 5 minutes, or until peppers are tender.
2. Mix the mushrooms into the pot. Stir in the tomatoes with liquid, black beans with liquid, kidney beans with liquid, pinto beans with liquid, and corn. Season with cumin, oregano, basil, and garlic powder and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and cook 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Nutritional Information

Amount Per Serving Calories: 98 | Total Fat: 1.8g | Cholesterol: 0mg

Vegetarian Crock Pot Chili

I really enjoyed this one

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/meatiest-vegetarian-chili-from-your-slow-cooker/detail.aspx

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 4 onions, chopped
• 2 green bell peppers, seeded and chopped
• 2 red bell peppers, seeded and chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (14 ounce) package firm tofu, drained and cubed
• 4 (15.5 ounce) cans black beans, drained
• 2 (15 ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 6 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 tablespoons dried oregano
• 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon liquid hot pepper sauce, such as Tabasco™

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions; cook and stir until they start to become soft. Add the green peppers, red peppers, garlic and tofu; cook and stir until vegetables are lightly browned and tender, the whole process should take about 10 minutes.
2. Pour the black beans into the slow cooker and set to Low. Stir in the vegetables and tomatoes. Season with salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder, oregano, vinegar and hot pepper sauce. Stir gently and cover. Cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours.

Nutritional Information

Amount Per Serving Calories: 455 | Total Fat: 18.2g | Cholesterol: 0mg

Montery Chili Chicken

This is also from Fit2Fat2Fit

4 breasts of chicken pounded thin. Season with Mrs. Dash and grill. While the chicken is grilling:
Chop 1 onion and 1 pkg mushrooms. Saute in 1 Tbs. butter for 5 minutes. Add 2 tsp minced garlic and 1 can chopped green chilis. Cook for a few more minutes. Put grilled chicken on a foil lined pan and top chili mixture and a bit of pepper jack cheese. Put in 350 degree oven until cheese melts. Voila! It's done!

Chinese Fried "Rice"

From Fit2Fat2Fit

6 scallions chopped
1 head of cauliflower finely chopped (this is the "rice")
2 tsp minced garlic

Cook these in about 1 tbs. olive oil for 4 or 5 minutes. Add a dash of ginger and 6 Tbs. soy sauce ( can use low sodium).
Add 1 lb meat of your choice ( I used shrimp)

When meat is cooked push this mixture to the side and add 3 whole eggs and the equivolent of 3 eggs in egg whites. Cook the eggs then mix it all together.
Enjoy!

Lime and Coconut Chicken

*from Chaos in the Kitchen

 

serves 4, prep 10 minutes, marinade up to 2 hours, cook 15 min, adapted from Fine Cooking, Winter 2006

• 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 3 tbsp oil
• zest of 1 lime
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 2 tsp curry powder
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• pinch cayenne
• 1 small fresh hot chili, such as Thai or Serrano, minced (optional)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• Fresh limes, cut into wedges

1. Trim fat from chicken breasts. Starting on thick side of the breasts slice the chicken breasts almost in half, then open each like a book.
2. Place each open breast between two pieces of plastic wrap, wax paper or inside a large, open, Ziploc bag.
3. Using a small heavy pan, bottle or smooth meat mallet lightly pound out each breast into even thickness.
4. Mix all remaining ingredients except fresh cilantro and limes.
5. Add chicken and marinade to a large bowl or ziploc bag and chill in the refrigerator for up to two hours.
6. Your chicken doesn’t take long to cook so you can use this time to get your dishes prepped and ready.
7. Once you are ready to cook the chicken, remove each breast from the marinade.
8. Pour the marinade into a small saucepan and bring to a rolling boil. Boil continuously for at least 2 minutes, stirring occasionally so it doesn’t burn.
9. In a heavy skillet or grill pan, heat a splash of oil over high heat.
10. Cook the chicken in batches to prevent over crowding the pan.
11. Place the breasts in the hot pan and cook without turning for a couple minutes
12. Flip the breasts over and cook until the other side is golden, it shouldn’t take long depending on the thickness of your chicken.
13. Place cooked breasts on a plate in a warm oven or under foil while cooking the remaining chicken.
14. Sprinkle with fresh lime juice and cilantro. Serve with sauce on the side.