Fisch Foods

Farfelle with Creamy Wild Mushroom Sauce

2012-02-01T11:29:00.000-08:00

WOW! I think this is going to be my "go to" recipe if we're running late and need supper. Not only was this super easy to make, but it was so good. I actually said to Ry that a lot of people will just make a box of macaroni and cheese quick if they don't have time to cook, but they could make something like this instead. This is going to be my "mac and cheese" for crazy weeknights.....and even for those not so crazy weeknights. :)

Recipe from Cooking Light

Ingredients

1 pound farfalle (bow tie pasta)
1 tablespoon butter
12 ounces presliced exotic mushroom blend
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup finely chopped shallots
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup dry white wine
2/3 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Minced fresh parsley (optional)

Directions

Cook pasta according to package directions omitting salt and fat; drain.

Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, onion, shallots, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper; cook 12 minutes or until liquid evaporates and mushrooms are tender, stirring occasionally. Add wine; cook 2 minutes or until liquid evaporates, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.

Add cooked pasta, whipping cream, cheese, and 2 tablespoons parsley, tossing gently to coat. Stir in remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Garnish with minced fresh parsley, if desired. Serve immediately.

Nutrition
Serving Size 1 1/4 cups
Calories 336
Fat 11.4g
Protein 12.1g
Carb 47.5g
Fiber 2.3g
Chol 36mg
Iron 2.3mg
Sodium 577mg
Calc 124mg

Southwestern Layered Bean Dip

2012-01-22T14:10:00.000-08:00

First of all I'd like to say Happy 2nd Blogiversary to Fisch Foods!!! That's right, we've been sharing the recipes that we make in our very own kitchen for two whole years now. What a better way to celebrate then to share our most recent 5 fish rated discovery.

Ryan found this recipe and we've made it a few times this month. It's a perfect Sunday afternoon munchie. I think it's safe to say that this is going to be one that we make on a regular basis. When you read the ingredients you'll see it's got all the good stuff, and I think that the fresh veggies just make it taste refreshing.

It even got two thumbs up from Mama Ellen (Ryan's Mom). Her and I both really loved the fresh avocados.

Recipe from Eating Well

Ingredients

1 16-ounce can nonfat refried beans, preferably “spicy”
1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed
4 scallions, sliced
1/2 cup prepared salsa
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 cup pickled jalapeño slices, chopped
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack, or Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1 1/2 cups chopped romaine lettuce
1 medium tomato, chopped
1 medium avocado, chopped
1/4 cup canned sliced black olives, (optional)

Directions

Combine refried beans, black beans, scallions, salsa, cumin, chili powder and jalapeños in a medium bowl. Transfer to a shallow 2-quart microwave-safe dish; sprinkle with cheese.
Microwave on High until the cheese is melted and the beans are hot, 3 to 5 minutes.
Spread sour cream evenly over the hot bean mixture, then scatter with lettuce, tomato, avocado and olives (if using).

Nutrition
12 servings, about 1/2 cup each
Per serving:
146 calories
7 g fat ( 3 g sat , 3 g mono )
12 mg cholesterol
15 g carbohydrates
7 g protein
5 g fiber
288 mg sodium
164 mg potassium

Pesto Cheese Ball and my award

2012-01-06T10:46:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!!! Whew....(insert big sigh of relief). Even though I LOVE the holidays it's nice to see a few days open up on our calendar now that they're over.

This is a picture of yours truly with my awards. That's right!!! I won best appetizer at one of our family Christmas'. Do you like my "King/Queen of the Kitchen Crown"? It doesn't get any more regal than a Santa hat labeled with puffy paint. So fun!!!

Anyhow....I won with this masterpiece of an appetizer. It's like lasagna on cracker. Just fabulous!!!

This recipe came from Paula Deen, but I discovered it at a holiday wine tasting party that we were at. My hubby pulled me over and told me to taste it. I was hooked! I had to get the recipe. So Ryan and I listened to how our friend's Mom made it. Then...I had to get the recipe again the next day, because even though Ryan has an excellent memory....after a few glasses of wine we didn't want to rely on just that to make it correctly.

We even had a discussion on how it couldn't possibly be Paula Deen's recipe. Why were we skeptical? No stick of butter anywhere in the ingredients.

You know...come to think of it, I never did give a speech when I won....

Eh hem....

First of all I would like to thank the Ross' for inviting us over to their wonderful wine tasting party where I was able to discover this dish. It was soooo much fun, and we hope to be invited back next year. (At least invite me even if you don't want to invite Ryan...just kidding honey...sort of. )

Next I would like to thank the McGuire's for hosting the family Christmas party where I was honored to win this prestigious award. That was another fabulous party, and what a brilliant way to get people to bring unique and fun appetizers for people to graze at. Man was I stuffed, but I totally could have kept eating it was so good.

Last but most definitely not least.....I'd like to thank my husband Ryan for taking time out to arm wrestle me while I was in the middle of making this delectable treat so that he could use his sense of smell to realize that I wasn't paying attention and I chopped cilantro instead of parsley before I added it to the dip.

Now....I just have to be on the lookout for next Christmas' contest entry!!!

Enjoy everybody. Wishing you a healthy and happy 2012 from Fisch Foods!!!

Recipe from Paula Deen

Ingredients

1 -8oz pkg sliced provolone
2 -8oz pkg cream cheese (room temperature)
20 pistachios, shelled
2 cloves garlic
1/2 c fresh basil
1/2 c fresh parsley
1/2 c pine nuts
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
3 oz oil packed sundried tomatoes

Directions

Line medium bowl with plastic wrap. Reserve 3 slices of provolone. Line bowl with provolone. Process cream cheese, pistachio and one clove of garlic in food processor and clean. Next process basil, parsley, pine nuts and remaining clove of garlic in food processor. Dissolve pepper and salt in olive oil and add to running machine. Drain tomatoes and puree. Spread some cream cheese mixture over provolone. Spread pesto, then 1/2 c remaining cream cheese mixture, then sundried tomato puree then remaining cream cheese then last three pieces of provolone. Freeze until firm (keeps up to 3 months in freezer).

Shrimp Hot and Sour Soup

2011-12-28T11:20:00.000-08:00

When we order Chinese food we usually order hot and sour soup with our entree. So of course, we had to try and make it at home. What a perfect Fall/Winter soup to make on a Sunday. It turned out great, and was excellent warmed up the next day for leftovers. Ry likes a lot of spice and I like just a little. This recipe has just enough spice, but not too much.

Ingredients

8 cups chicken broth
7 tablespoons soy sauce
1 bag of shrimp - tails removed
1 oz pkg fresh mushrooms, diced
1 1/2 tablespoon garlic chili sauce
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/2 cup white vinegar
1 cup canned bamboo shoots, julienned
7 oz block of tofu, cut into 1/4 inch dice
4 tablespoons cornstarch
4 tablespoons cold water
2 eggs, beaten
5 green onion stalks, diced (including tops)
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

Directions

Bring chicken broth to a simmer in a large pot.

Add soy sauce, shrimp, mushrooms and garlic red chili paste.

Simmer for five minutes.

Add white pepper, white vinegar, bamboo shoots, tofu.

Simmer for five minutes.

Combine four tablespoons of cornstarch with four tablespoons of cold water in a cup. Stir until mixture is smooth. Add cornstarch mixture to soup and stir well.

Simmer for five minutes until soup is thickened.

Beat eggs in a cup until yolk and white are combined. Pour beaten egg slowly, in a fine stream into soup. Stir soup several times.

Wait 30 seconds.

Add green onions and sesame oil to soup. Stir well. Remove from heat.

Serve hot.

Stuffed Green Peppers

2011-11-30T06:29:00.000-08:00

Ry made this recipe one weeknight for supper. It was great!!! I have never had stuffed peppers before, but now I'm hooked for sure. One stuffed pepper each was just enough to fill us up and there were extra to warm up for yummy lunches the next day at work.

Ingredients

2 cups water
1 cup uncooked Brown rice
4 large green bell peppers, halved and seeded
1 pounds lean ground beef or turkey
1 onion, diced
2-3 cloves garlic
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes with garlic and olive oil
2 cups finely shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions

In a medium saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add rice and stir. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place peppers in a 9x13 inch baking dish (lightly oiled.)

In a large saucepan over medium heat, brown the ground beef; drain. Return to heat and mix in onion, cooked rice, garlic, salt and pepper(if desired.) Pour in diced tomatoes and mix thoroughly. Let simmer for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

Spoon the meat mixture into each of the green peppers and cover with foil.

Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes.

Remove Foil and bake for 10 more minutes.

Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over the top of each stuffed pepper.

Return to the oven and bake until cheese is lightly browned, about 5 to 10 minutes.

Pan-Seared Chicken Breasts with Walnuts and Apples

2011-11-10T06:37:00.000-08:00

I can't even begin to explain this recipe. It was great. It's like eating dinner and dessert at the same time. The flavors together just rocked. Both Ry and I were pleasantly surprised. This is a must try. Plus, it was a perfect Fall dish to use up some of our apples that we got from the apple orchard that we didn't can or freeze. Even if you're skeptical you should still try it.

Recipe from Flat Belly Diet Cookbook

Ingredients

1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
2 teaspoons canola oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (5 ounces each)
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 Granny Smith apple, unpeeled, quartered and sliced
1 small red onion, quartered and sliced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup apple cider

Directions

Place the walnuts in a large nonstick skillet and cook over medium-high heat, shaking the pan often, for 3 to 5 minutes, or until lightly toasted. Transfer to plate.

Return the skillet to medium-high heat and add the oil. Lightly dust the chicken with the flour on both sides. Place the chicken smooth side down in the skillet. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, or until browned on the bottom. Flip and continue cooking for 4 to 5 minutes, or until cooked through. Transfer to plate.

Add the apple, onion, salt, and pepper to the skillet. Toss for about 2 minutes, or until the browned bits in the bottom of the skillet are clinging to the apples. Add the cider. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a brisk simmer. Cook for 4 minutes, or until the cider is reduced by about half. Add the reserved chicken and any accumulated juices on the plate and toss to coat. Serve the chicken with the apple-onion mixture spooned over the top. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the toasted walnuts over each serving.

Nutrition per serving (4 servings)

317 calories
35g protein
13g carbohydrates
14g fat
1.5g saturated fat
80mg cholesterol
240mg sodium
2g fiber

Vegetarian Lasagna with Tofu

2011-10-31T08:18:00.000-07:00

We tried it again and liked it again! I'm referring to tofu.

This veggie lasagna turned out pretty good. It was nice to have a casserole type dish that was healthier and not so heavy. I love lasagna, but not so much after eating it because I usually get this extremely full and sick feeling.......until now. This was tasty, flavorful, but....it was a tad bit runny I'd have to say. Otherwise, it was very good and tasty warmed up for leftovers. Next time I think I'll make it ahead of time and keep it in the fridge overnight to see if that helps, because that can make a difference.

Recipe from Flat Belly Family Cookbook

Ingredients

2 cans (14.5 ounces each) no-salt-added basil-oregano-garlic diced tomatoes
1 package (12 ounces) soft silken tofu
6 no boil lasagna noodles (4 ounces) (I used regular whole wheat noodles I had in the cupboard)
1/4 cup pesto sauce
4 cups baby spinach
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded reduced-fat Italian cheese blend
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 F. Coat an 8x8 baking dish with cooking spray.

Cook the tomatoes in a small nonstick skillet over medium heat until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.

Place a strainer over the sink or a bowl and crumble in the tofu, squeezing it dry of excess liquid. Set aside.

Spread one-third of the tomatoes over the bottom of the baking dish. Layer ingredients in this order: 2 noodles, 2 tablespoons pesto, half the tofu, 2 cups spinach, 1/3 cup cheese, and 1/8 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Spread one-third of the tomatoes over the top. Repeat a second layer: 2 noodles, the remaining 2 tablespoons of pesto, the remaining tofu, the remaining 2 cups spinach, 1/3 cup of the cheese, and the remaining 1/8 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Place the remaining 2 noodles on top. Cover with the remaining tomatoes. Set the remaining 1/3 cup cheese aside. Cover the dish tightly with foil.

Bake for 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbling. Carefully remove the foil and, with a spatula, gently press down the corners of the noodles to submerge in sauce. Sprinkle with the reserved cheese. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes, or until the top is slightly browned. Remove and let rest for 10 minutes before cutting.

Nutrition
4 servings
363 calories
14g protein
38g carbohydrates
14g fat
5g saturated fat
20 mg cholesterol
610 mg sodium
6g fiber

Taco Salad

2011-10-12T08:25:00.000-07:00

This was a creation of our very own. We had some leftovers and produce that needed to be used up so we decided to get creative. We piled it all together and the result was this yummy masterpiece. It was not only filling, but refreshing and it's a healthier version of the taco salads that we're used to.

Ingredients

Spring mix lettuce
Turkey burger (can be leftover taco meat)
1 can black beans
Shredded cheese
Avocado
Tortilla chips
Sour cream
Penzey's Bold Taco Seasoning
Tomatoes

Directions

Brown turkey burger and add the Penzey's Bold Taco Seasoning or taco seasoning of your choice. You can also use leftover seasoned hamburgers from last nights tacos.

Drain and rinse black beans and warm up in the microwave.

Crush the tortilla chips and dice up the avocado and tomatoes.

Layer all of the ingredients on top of lettuce.

Tam Tam's Wonton Tapas

2011-09-21T08:32:00.000-07:00

We had our niece and nephew, Evan and Brianna, over for dinner, but this time I wanted to do something new.......something fun. It's easy to make the old stand byes like spaghetti or tacos, but why not have it all!!!

I just thought it would be cool to have a little buffet of finger food for them to choose from. I think the chicken salad and the spaghetti ones were the favorites. I like the BBQ ones myself. That's kind of what's fun about these. Everybody gets what they want, and they're fun to eat. No silverware required.

Ingredients

1 lb turkey burger or lean ground beef browned

BBQ
2 Tblsp ketchup
1 tsp mustard
1 tsp brown sugar

Taco
1 tsp Penzey's Taco Seasoning
Cheddar Cheese

Spaghetti
1/4 to 1/2 cup spaghetti sauce
1 tsp Italian herb seasoning
Mozzarello or Parmesan

Chicken Salad
1 can chicken
1 Tbs greek yogurt
1 Tbs Miracle Whip
2 stalks celery

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Get out 4 bowls so you have one for each flavor.

Put 1 1/4 cup of the cooked turkey burger or lean ground beef in three of the bowls.

Set the cheese aside. Then mix each of the remaining ingredients listed for each flavor in its own bowl of meat.

Spray muffin pans with nonstick spray. Press each wonton wrap in the muffin pan to form a cup. Bake the empty shells for 8 minutes.

Spoon each flavor in the baked cups and add the cheese to the spaghetti and taco flavors. Return the spaghetti and taco wonton tapas to the oven and bake just long enough to melt the cheese. Serve.

These make great appetizers. Feel free to add any of your favorite toppings. We added sour cream, tomatoes, and sliced olives to the taco flavor.

Red Beet Cupcakes

2011-09-06T09:01:00.000-07:00

I saw this recipe and I HAD to make it. I don't like cake myself, but I really wanted a healthier dessert to make as a guiltless treat for Ryan. What's a healthier dessert than one made from a vegetable?

The only reason we gave it three fishes is because the frosting was a bit over the top. If you put a regular frosting or cream cheese frosting on top it would have been four or five fishes.

When getting an opinion on these I went for all age groups and types. Most people thought it was pretty good, but gave suggestions of different toppings to have instead of the beet frosting. Multiple people commented on how it tasted a lot like carrot cake, and how moist the cake was. Some even said that the flavor reminded them of Christmas.

The one taste tester that I was most interested in was our nephew Evan. He's seven, and is a huge fan of cupcakes. So when we had him over as a dinner guest, that was his dessert. We didn't reveal that the dessert was made from beets. The only thing he knew was that it was a cupcake.

As soon as he picked up the cupcake I just watched as he took the first bite.....then the second.....then the third....until it was gone!!! He kept looking at me like he was thinking "What's your deal? Seriously? You're going to take my picture eating a cupcake? It's a cupcake. Get real."

He had no idea how excited I was for his opinion. I expected him to say that he was full or that he didn't want anymore, but he kept eating and said it was good!!! The three fishes come from Ryan's point of view since I don't like cake, but I wonder what he would have rated it if he didn't know there were beets in it. I figure...if a seven year old will down it and like it, I don't think it can be all that bad. Do you?

Recipe from Weelicious

(makes 14 cupcakes)

Ingredients

2 Cups All Purpose Flour
2 Tsp Baking Powder
1/2 Tsp Baking Soda
1/2 Tsp Salt
2 Large Eggs
1 Cup Milk
1/2 Cup Honey
1/3 Cup Vegetable or Canola Oil
1 Large Beet, roasted, cooled, peeled and pureed, about 3/4 cup
2 Tsp Vanilla Extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. Sift the first 4 ingredients into a bowl.

3. In a separate bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients.

4. Slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet and combine.

5. Pour about 1/3 cup into lined muffin tins and bake for 25 minutes (OR?) until a tooth pick comes out clean.

6. Cool and serve.

Beet Cream Cheese Frosting (Make 2 Cups)

1- 8 oz Pkg. Cream Cheese, room temperature 
1/2 Cup Unsalted Butter, room temperature 
1/2 Cup Powdered Sugar
1 Medium Beet, roasted, cooled, peeled and pureed, about ½ cup
1 Tsp Vanilla

Frosting Directions

1. Place all the ingredients in a mixer and beat on medium to high speed until fluffy.

2. Spread on cupcakes.

Baked Zucchini Fries

2011-09-01T06:00:00.000-07:00

We had so much zucchini from our garden that we really had to get creative on things to do with it. These fries were definitely a good idea. The perfect side dish for a summer grill out.

Recipe is from Our Best Bites

Ingredients

1-2 lb. zucchini

1/2 c. panko bread crumbs
1/2 tbsp italian seasoning
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
2 eggs

Directions:

Slice zucchini into 3" long "fries"

In a small bowl mix bread crumbs, italian seasoning, garlic powder and parmesan cheese.

Line a baking sheet with Aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray.

In a shallow plate whisk eggs.

Pour bread crumb mixture into a shallow plate (only use a few tablespoons at a time.)

Dip each Zucchini fry into Egg (shaking off excess), then dredge it in the Bread Crumb mixture until evenly coated.

Place fries on cookie sheet and bake at 425 for 10-15 minutes. Turn Fries and bake an additional 10-15 minutes.

Serve with Marinara or Ranch.

Zucchini Lasagna

2011-08-23T06:59:00.000-07:00

Even though we finished making a batch of zucchini salsa, the zucchini still kept multiplying in the garden. Don't get me wrong, we're not complaining or anything. We just needed to find some new recipes to use it up so it didn't go to waste.

I was at a wedding recently when my cousin and I were discussing our gardens and I had mentioned how much zucchini we had. She said,"Why don't you use it for lasagna noodles?"

I thought about this and all I could think was....BRILLIANT!!! So I created this delicious recipe the next night for supper. Thanks for the suggestion Brenda!!!

The best part about this recipe is that if you have kids that love lasagna, they'll love this. The flavor is fabulous, and you can't even tell it's zucchini that you're eating. I'm not even joking, you can't! So for all you parents out there....mums the word.

Ingredients

1 lb lean ground beef or turkey burger
1 24 ounce jar Newman's Own Marinara Sauce
1 14.5 ounce can basil, garlic, oregano diced tomatoes, drain
2 large zucchini peeled and sliced lengthwise (similar to lasagna noodles)
1 medium onion, chopped
2 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Low Fat Cottage Cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Brown hamburger and chopped onion.

Add marinara sauce and diced tomatoes to the hamburger mixture.

Put peeled and sliced zucchini in the microwave for 2 minutes to soften up.

Spray pan with cooking spray.

Assemble the lasagna by putting layer of zucchini slices down to cover the bottom of the pan, half of the meat sauce, half the cottage cheese, and half the mozzarella. Repeat layers until all the ingredients are used up.

Bake for 45 minutes and let cool.

Jicama-Kiwi Salad with Fresh Basil Lemon Vinaigrette

2011-08-18T07:22:00.000-07:00

We made this side salad with chicken and pineapple salsa when we had our friends Kanndie and Jason over for supper. It was a yummy salad except I wasn't a fan of the dressing. I was happy eating it with no dressing at all. It was very refreshing otherwise.

There is kind of a funny story about this salad. Ryan had planned our menu for the night and I went to Whole Foods to get the ingredients. Anybody that knows us knows that we are spreadsheet people. I went right down the spreadsheet and checked all of the supplies off my grocery list. The only problem was that I had no idea where to find Jicama at. In fact, I had never even heard of it before. So I stopped an employee that was sorting through some produce and said,"Excuse me, do you know where I can find the Jicama?" I pronounced it Jick-ama and it's really pronounced like Hick-ama.

Done laughing? Okay...moving on....

Anyhow, I think the woman may have thought it was my first time grocery shopping ever so she was nice enough to explain to me that the skin needs to be peeled off before eating it. It's got a rough outer layer like a turnip or beet if you're not familiar.

When we got it home and Ry started chopping I snuck a piece, because I had to immediately try the piece of produce that made me feel like an idiot. I LOVED it. It's crunchy like an apple but doesn't have as strong of a flavor. It is a great addition to any salad, or to munch on by itself.....without the skin of course.

Recipe from Enlightening Cooking

Makes 1 generous serving (but you can double or triple)

2-1/2 cups assorted greens (e.g., spinach, arugula, mache), washed and spun dry

1 kiwifruit, peeled and halved lengthwise, then sliced into half moons

1/2 cup peeled, thinly sliced jicama (sprinkle with a bit of lemon juice to prevent browning)

2-3 tbsp broken walnut halves, toasted

Fresh Basil-Lemon Vinaigrette (see recipe below)

Toss the greens, kiwifruit, and jicama in a shallow soup bowl. Drizzle with 1-2 tbsp of the vinigrette to coat and sprinkle with walnuts. Serve at once.

Fresh Basil-Lemon Vinaigrette

1 cup packed fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped

1 small garlic clove, minced

1 tsp finely grated lemon zest

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1-1/2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

salt & freshly cracked black pepper

Combine the basil, garlic and lemon zest in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add the oil and lemon juice and process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Makes about 1/2 cup. (this will keep in the refrigerator, stored in a tightly-lidded jar, for about 5 days).

Smothered Chicken

2011-08-15T09:51:00.000-07:00

Summer.......full of fun get togethers and cookouts, but lots of food that's not so good for you. Since we've eaten more than our share of carbs this past weekend we thought we'd slow it down and have a few low carb meals this week. This was a good one. It was easy to make and delicious. Also extremely filling and good for leftovers.

Recipe from Low Carb Cooking

Ingredients

4 boneless skinless chicken breast
5 cloves of garlic (or to taste)
3 tbs of olive oil
2 green bell peppers
2 sweet onions
2 cups of cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Cut up the peppers and onions and cook them until soft, set aside. Brown the chicken in the olive oil and garlic.Transfer to 350 degree oven and cook until done. Add the peppers and onions on top of the chicken and top with cheese. Place it back in the oven until the cheese is melted.

Broccoli-Bacon Salad

2011-08-11T08:30:00.000-07:00

Ryan LOVES broccoli, but not everybody does. Can you imagine such a thing? Here's a yummy salad that will make everybody crave this misunderstood green veggie. Even the kiddies will ask for seconds.

Recipe from Eating Well

Ingredients

1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup low-fat mayonnaise
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
2 teaspoons cider vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
4 cups finely chopped broccoli crowns , (see Tip)
1 8-ounce can sliced water chestnuts, rinsed and chopped
3 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
3 tablespoons dried cranberries
Freshly ground pepper , to taste

Directions

1.Whisk garlic, mayonnaise, sour cream, vinegar and sugar in a large bowl. Add broccoli, water chestnuts, bacon, cranberries and pepper; stir to coat with the dressing.

Tips & Notes

Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day.

Tip: Most supermarkets sell broccoli crowns, which are the tops of the bunches, with the stalks cut off. Although crowns are more expensive than entire bunches, they are convenient and there is considerably less waste.

NutritionPer serving: Serving is 1 cup
89 calories
4 g fat ( 1 g sat , 1 g mono )
8 mg cholesterol
12 g carbohydrates
1 g added sugars
4 g protein
3 g fiber
200 mg sodium
193 mg potassium

Crockpot Chicken Taco Chili

2011-08-08T07:50:00.000-07:00

This recipe was easy to make. It's your average taco dish. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't a WOW recipe either. You could serve this with brown rice or even on a whole wheat tortilla shell if you want, but remember that adds on to the nutritional value.

Recipe from Gina's Skinny Recipes

Ingredients

1 onion, chopped
1 16-oz can black beans
1 16-oz can kidney beans
1 8-oz can tomato sauce
10 oz package frozen corn kernels
2 14.5-oz cans diced tomatoes w/chilies
1 packet taco seasoning
1 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp chili powder
24 oz (3-4) boneless skinless chicken breasts
chili peppers, chopped (optional)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

Combine beans, onion, chili peppers, corn, tomato sauce, cumin, chili powder and taco seasoning in a slow cooker. Place chicken on top and cover. Cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 6 hours. Half hour before serving, remove chicken and shred. Return chicken to slow cooker and stir in. Top with fresh cilantro. Also try it with low fat cheese and sour cream (extra points).

Nutrition
Servings: 10
Size: 1 1/4 cups
Old Points: 3 pts • Points+: 5 pts

Calories: 203.7
Fat: 1.4 g
Carb: 33.3 g
Fiber: 10.0 g
Protein: 16.9 g

Grilled Chicken with Strawberry Pineapple Salsa

2011-08-01T08:02:00.000-07:00

Jason, Kanndie, and Bella came over for supper so we decided to all try this. Well....except for Bella she was only 5 months old so she was more interested in her bottle at the time.

We had this on chicken but I can see eating this with chips or adding it to a salad. Although the chicken was a bit tough that we ate it with, the salsa was fabulous!!! It had great flavor.

We first had this at another gathering we were at and we wanted to attempt to make it ourselves. This is one that we'll definitely make again, and we hope that Jason and Kanndie enjoyed it!!!

Recipe from the American Heart Association

Ingredients

1 teaspoon canola or corn oil

Salsa

2 slices fresh pineapple, each 1/2 inch thick, patted dry

1 cup whole strawberries (about 5 ounces), diced

1/4 cup finely chopped red onion

3 to 4 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves

1 to 2 teaspoons sugar

1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 medium lemon

Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 4 ounces each), all visible fat discarded

2 teaspoons salt-free steak seasoning blend

1/4 teaspoon salt

Cooking Instructions

Preheat the grill on medium high. Brush a grill pan or grill rack with the oil. Heat the grill pan or rack on the grill for about 2 minutes, or until hot. Grill the pineapple for 2 minutes on each side. Transfer to a cutting board and let cool slightly, about 2 minutes, before chopping.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, stir together the remaining salsa ingredients except the lemon. Grate 1 teaspoon lemon zest, reserving the lemon. Stir the zest and chopped pineapple into the strawberry mixture. Set aside.

Sprinkle both sides of the chicken with the seasoning blend and salt. Grill for 5 minutes on each side, or until no longer pink in the center. Transfer to plates. Squeeze the reserved lemon over the chicken. Serve with the salsa on the side.

Nutritional AnalysisPer serving
Calories Per Serving 191
Total Fat 3 g
Saturated Fat 0.5 g
Trans Fat 0.0 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.5 g
Monounsaturated Fat 1.0 g
Cholestero l66 mg
Sodium 223 mg
Carbohydrates 14 g
Fiber 2 g
Sugar 10 g
Protein 27 g

This recipe is brought to you by the American Heart Association’s Face the Fats campaign. Recipe copyright © 2009 by the American Heart Association. Look for other delicious recipes in American Heart Association cookbooks, available from booksellers everywhere, and at deliciousdecisions.org.

Black Bean Brownies

2011-07-28T06:20:00.000-07:00

One of our friends had a heart attack last year, and like us, their family made drastic changes to their eating habits. One of the recipes that they raved about were black bean brownies. It was exciting for them, because they were able to satisfy their sweet tooth and not have to feel guilty.

Only two ingredients! No oil or eggs needed. It doesn't get any easier than that. Feel free to add nuts to this recipe too.

Ingredients

1 box of brownie mix (we used dark chocolate brownie mix)
1 can of black beans

Directions

Drain the black beans and rinse. Put the black beans in the food processor or blender and puree. Add the dry brownie mix to the black beans and mix. Pour into cake pan and bake according to instructions on box.

Mexican Lasagna

2011-07-20T07:13:00.000-07:00

This delicious recipe came from my Uncle Wil. I'm not sure where he got it from, but it's fabulous!!! You can't beat healthy and delicious. Plus it's quick, easy, and makes wonderful leftovers.

Ryan and I liked the flavor so much that we might just use this mix of spices from now on when we make other Mexican dishes. Thanks Uncle Wil!!!

Ingredients

1/2 lb ground beef (I used just ground turkey)
1/2 lb ground turkey
1/2 cup onion, chopped
2 cans tomato sauce (8 ounces each)
1 can Eden Foods Black Beans
1 can (8oz) whole kernel corn
1 can (4 oz) chopped green chilies
2 teapsoons Swanson Chili Powder
1 teapsoon Swanson Cumin
1/4 teapsoon Swanson Garlic Powder
1/2 teapsoon Swanson Oregano Flakes
1/2 teapsoon crushed red pepper
6 whole wheat tortillas
1 cup shredded cheese, divided

Directions:

Brown beef, turkey and onion in large skillet. Drain off any excess fat. Drain and rinse the black beans. Mix in tomato sauce, beans, corn and green chilies. Stir in all spices, except red pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Add red pepper to taste, if desired.

Spray 9x13 baking dish with no-stick cooking spray. Spread 1/2 cup of the beef mixture on bottom. Top with three of the tortillas. Layer with half of the remaining beef mixture and top with 1/2 cup of shredded cheese -- any variety you like. Top with remaining tortillas, followed by remaining beef mixture and sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Bake at 350° for 15 minutes or until heated through.

Makes 12 servings.

Nutritional information (per serving):

Calories 168
Fat 3 grams
Protein 15 grams
Sodium 130 mg
Carbohydrates 22 grams
Fiber 4 grams

Seven-Layer Salad (Healthier)

2011-07-18T07:59:00.000-07:00

Summer is a tough time to keep up with a healthy eating habit. It's difficult, because most people don't cheer or make another trip to the potluck buffet when the veggie tray arrives. Summer is wonderful because most vegetables and fruits are in season, but most people add a bunch of unhealthy ingredients to their dishes so it kind of voids out the nutrition of the fresh produce. Like seven layer salad for example. It's a staple at every family reunion and backyard barbecue. It has so many unwanted calories in it that I feel guilty putting it on my plate.

We grill out and have friends over so much during the summer that I had to come up with a healthier "go to" salad. I have made this recipe a few times now, and everybody has loved it. Plus there's no guilt having this on my plate. Thank you Eating Well!!!!

Recipe from Eating Well

Ingredients

8 cups shredded romaine lettuce
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1 medium yellow bell pepper, diced
1 cup halved grape tomatoes , or quartered cherry tomatoes
1 cup sliced celery
1/2 cup sliced scallions
3/4 cup nonfat plain yogurt
3/4 cup low-fat mayonnaise
2 teaspoons cider vinegar
1-2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup thinly sliced fresh basil
3 strips cooked bacon, crumbled

Directions

1.Place lettuce in a large bowl. Layer peas, bell pepper, tomatoes, celery and scallions on top.

2.Whisk yogurt, mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar to taste, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a medium bowl until smooth. Spread the dressing evenly over the top of the salad (an offset spatula is handy for this, if you have one). Sprinkle with cheese, basil and bacon. Serve room temperature or chilled.

Tips & Notes

Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day. Sprinkle with basil just before serving.

NutritionPer serving: Serving 1 cup
84 calories
4 g fat ( 1 g sat , 0 g mono )
7 mg cholesterol
10 g carbohydrates
2 g added sugars
5 g protein
2 g fiber
355 mg sodium
234 mg potassium

Clearly Fresh Bags Product Review

2011-07-14T08:24:00.000-07:00

CLEARLY FRESH BAGS

As many of you know, one of the most difficult things about eating healthy is keeping fresh fruits and vegetables in the house. It seems that every time we go to the fridge to grab the produce we purchased earlier in the week for a recipe, it has already gone bad. This REALLY makes it difficult if you are like us and plan your meals a week ahead of time and purchase all your fruits and veggies at once.

When we were asked to do a product review for Clearly Fresh Bags, I can say that we were skeptical to say the least, but we ended up eating our words (pun intended).

They claim that their product uses "BreatheWay technology which allows fresh produce to breathe naturally and last longer". You can not only use them in the fridge, but you can use them for produce that can be left on your countertop. We tried both.

For our first test we used two things that we use a lot of, strawberries and bananas.

I went grocery shopping on Thursday and one week later our results were obvious. They really worked! Our bananas that were not in the Clearly Fresh Bag turned brown while the ones that were in the bag barely had even a speckle on it.

As far as the strawberries go, the pictures speak for themselves. The strawberries not in the bag were as mushy as the brown bananas and pretty much inedible, and you'll notice the mold on them as well. They're starting to get as much fur on them as our beagle. The strawberries that were in the Clearly Fresh Bags still looked good and were quite tasty!

FABULOUS!!!

At less than $4 for 10 bags, these are clearly a money saver!!! Less trips to the store for fresh produce? Sign us up!!!

Click Here to Learn More about Clearly Fresh Bags
Click Here to Get your Clearly Fresh Bags

Stay Tuned, we will be sharing more of our reviews of Clearly Fresh Bags in the near future!

We are not getting paid by Clearly Fresh Bags we were simply asked to give our honest opinion of their product.

Fish Nuggets with Tartar Sauce

2011-07-06T06:26:00.000-07:00

I don't know anybody who didn't eat fish sticks or fish nuggets as a kid. It was always a quick and easy meal for Mom to make that made the kiddies happy. Well, these aren't any different when it comes to the response, it just comes with a little bit of an extra effort that's needed when it comes to preparation. We enjoyed these, and REALLY liked the tartar sauce.

Since these are a healthier version of fish nuggets you could either make some homemade sweet potato fries, or maybe have some cooked carrots as a side instead.

Recipe from Flat Belly Family Cookbook

Ingredients
1/4 cup canola oil mayonnaise
1 tablespoon chopped onion
1 teaspoon capers, chopped
1 teaspoon sweet pickle relish
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (we used unbleached all-purpose)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups panko bread crumbs
1 1/2 pounds cod fillets, fresh or thawed if frozen, cut into 20 equal pieces

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

Combine the mayonnaise, onion, capers, pickle relish, and lemon juice in a small bowl. Set the tartar sauce aside.

Arrange 3 shallow bowls or pie plates side by side. Fill the first with the flour, salt, and pepper; put the eggs in the second bowl and the bread crumbs in the third. Dredge each piece of fish first in the flour, then the eggs, and finally the bread crumbs.

Arrange the coated fish pieces on the baking sheet so that the pieces don't touch. Coat generously with cooking spray and bake for 5 minutes. Remove the baking shet, turn the pieces over, and coat again with cooking spray. Bake for 5 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork. Serve with the tartar sauce.

Nutrition per serving
4 servings
403 calories
38g protein
24g carbohydrates
16g fat
1.5g saturated fat
185 mg cholesterol
630 mg sodium
1 g fiber

Cashew, Tofu, and Broccoli Stir-Fry

2011-07-01T06:08:00.000-07:00

I'm going to just start this one out by being honest. When I glanced at the recipe I saw one thing..."stir fry". We like stir fry so I added it to my weekly menu, and wrote down the ingredients on my grocery list. Not once did it occur to me that there was no meat on any part of this recipe.

Now, with that being said we're most definitely not against meatless recipes, but neither of us had ever really eaten tofu before. So when it came around time to make this dish I decided to make it the way that it was intended in the cookbook. We tried it, and it rocked!!! Not only can we check tofu off of our list of things to try, but it's also on our list of ingredients to use on future recipes.

I know what you're going to ask....would I have made the same recipe if I had noticed right away that there was just tofu? I'd have to say yes. If there's one thing that both Ryan and I are good about, it's trying new foods.

We'd love to hear about some of your favorite recipes with tofu in them.

Recipe from Flat Belly Family Cookbook

Ingredients

1 container (14 ounces) firm light tofu
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
3 cups broccoli florets
3 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup unsalted cashews
3 scallions, chopped
2 cups cooked brown rice

Directions

Place te tofu on a paper towel set on a dinner plate. Top with a second paper towel and another dinner plate. Place a can or other similar weight on the upper plate and leave for 20 minutes to press excess water from the tofu.

Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Combine the soy sauce, honey, vinegar, and cornstarch in a small bowl.

Add the broccoli to the boiling water, return to a boil, and cook for 1 minute, or until bright green. Drain and set aside.

Transfer the tofu to a cutting board and cut into 1/2" to 3/4" cubes. Heat 2 teaspoons of the sesame oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tofu and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 to 5 minutes, or until lightly golden. Transfer the tofu to a plate and set aside.

Heat the remaining 1 teaspoon oil in the skillet. Add the pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 minute. Add the ginger and garlic and cook for 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Stir in the broccoli and tofu, and cook for 1 1/2 minutes, or until hot. Stir the soy sauce mixture to recombine and add to the skillet along with the cashews. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the scallions. Serve over the rice.

Nutrition per serving
4 servings
382 calories
16g protein
48g carbohydrates
15g fat
2.5g saturated fat
0 mg cholesterol
510 mg sodium
6 g fiber

Crunchy Crust Mac and Cheese

2011-06-23T18:41:00.000-07:00

I am a HUGE fan of macaroni and cheese. However, when giving up processed foods that was one of the sacrifices I had to make....sniff, sniff....

Anyhow (drying my eyes), this was a good attempt at a healthier alternative but not as flavorful as we had hoped. I'd make it again, but I'd try something different with the sauce to give it a little bit of zing. Another variety of cheese possibly.....or maybe more paprika...not sure. I'll keep you posted when I come up with the right mixture of flavors. In the meantime don't be afraid to share your favorite healthy homemade mac and cheese recipe with me.

Recipe from Flat Belly Diet Family Cookbook

Ingredients

4 ounces multigrain elbow macaroni
3 tablespoons panko bread crumbs
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cups fat-free milk
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat an 8x8 baking dish with cooking spray.

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook according to package directions. Drain, rinse with cold water, and drain again. Set aside.

Combine the bread crumbs and 2 teaspoons of the oil and stir with a fork to evenly coat.

Add the remaining 3 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon oil to a large saucepan. Set over medium-high heat. Whisk in the flour, paprika, salt, and pepper until smooth. Gradually add the milk, whisking constantly. Cook, whisking, for 5 minutes, or until thickened. Remove from the heat. Stir in the cheese until it melts. Stir in the macaroni. Pour into the baking dish. Top evenly with the crumb mixture.

Bake for 15 minutes, or until bubbling and golden. Allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Nutrition per serving
328 calories
14 g protein
31 g carbohydrates
17 g fat
3.5 g saturated fat
15 mg cholesterol
480 mg sodium
2 g fiber

Overnight Oatmeal

2011-06-20T19:19:00.000-07:00

A morning breakfast is a tough meal to follow through with at our house. Especially when we both have such a long commute. I know, I know, I can hear my Mom say,"If you got up even earlier you would have time to have a bowl of cereal." True, but it's recipes like this that allow us to hit the snooze just one more time, and still have the most important meal of the day.

This was a different sort of breakfast. Kind of refreshing actually. If you're looking for a sugary morning cereal, this isn't for you.

I used frozen mixed fruit with pineapple, strawberries, and mangoes but you can use any fruit that you like.
This was an extremely filling too.

Recipe altered from Whole Foods

Ingredients

2 cups rolled oats
2 cups lowfat milk or unsweetened soymilk or almondmilk
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup chopped pecans, walnuts or almonds
About 1 cup fruit (I used frozen and just thawed it overnight)

Directions
Combine oats, milk, zest and vanilla in a bowl, cover and refrigerate overnight. The next morning, scoop oatmeal into bowls and top with pecans and fruit.

Nutrition

Per serving (About 7 ¼ oz/202g-wt.): 320 calories (100 from fat), 11g total fat, 1.5g saturated fat, 13g protein, 44g total carbohydrate (5g dietary fiber, 17g sugar), 5mg cholesterol, 55mg sodium

Lemon Shrimp with Roasted Peppers

2011-06-13T06:11:00.000-07:00

This recipe was a nice surprise. I honestly didn't expect this to amount to much, but I was wrong (it was bound to happen sometime, but don't tell Ryan or I'll never hear the end of it). It was super easy to make and worth it! Good flavor, and good leftovers.

This was just another weeknight meal for us, but I would definitely make this if we had company coming for dinner. They would think we went all out (unless they read our website) when really there was hardly any effort involved. Enjoy!!!

Recipe from Flat Belly Diet Family Cookbook

Ingredients

1 pound peeled and deveined large shrimp
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
6 ounces multigrain spaghetti
1 roasted red pepper, rinsed, patted dry, and chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1/4 cup pesto sauce
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Directions

Combine the shrimp, lemon juice, and oil in a bowl. Refrigerate until ready to grill, but no more than 30 minutes.

Preheat the grill to medium-high. Remove the shrimp from the marinade (discard the marinade) and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and 1/8 teaspoon of the pepper. Thread the shrimp onto metal skewers or coat a grill basket with cooking spray (I just used a grill pan on my stove). Grill the shrimp 2 1/2 to 3 minutes per side, or until opaque. Transfer to a plate and keep warm.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti according to package directions. Drain and transfer to a large bowl. Toss with the grilled shrimp, roasted pepper, pesto, lemon zest, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper.

Nutrition per serving

391 calories
34 g protein
33 g carbohydrates
13 g fat
3 g saturated fat
175 mg cholesterol
670 mg sodium
4 g fiber

Sweet Potato Oven Fries w/ Curried Yogurt Dipping sauce

2011-06-10T05:53:00.000-07:00

Ryan and I LOVE when we go out to eat and the restaurant we're at offers sweet potato fries. Some places make them fabulous, and some are okay. So, we decided to try and make our own and had total success!!! These turned out great.

The curried yogurt dipping sauce was okay too. It was different, but okay. We served the fries with fish that we had made. The dipping sauce was good with the fish too.

Recipe inspired by radiogastronomy.com

Sweet Potato Oven Fries:

2 large sweet potatoes, washed, peeled, and cut lengthwise into 1/8 inch wedges
2 large white sweet potatoes, washed, peeled and cut lengthwise into 1/8 inch wedges
3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup cilantro leaves, washed, dried, and chopped fine
fleur de sel (Omitted)

1. Preheat oven to 425º F. Line a sheet pan with foil and place in hot oven for at least 5 minutes to get hot.

2. Using clean hands, toss sweet potato wedges with extra virgin olive oil, kosher salt, and freshly ground pepper until all surfaces are coated evenly.

3. Remove hot sheet pan from oven, and arrange coated sweet potato wedges in a single layer. Place sheet pan back in the oven and roast for about 25-30 minutes. About half-way through roasting time, flip the wedges onto the other side so that they brown evenly. Sweet potato wedges are ready when all sides are evenly browned and slightly crispy on the outside.

4. While oven fries are hot, sprinkle with a few flakes of fleur de sel and the chopped cilantro. Transfer to a serving dish.

Curried Yogurt Dipping Sauce:

1/4 cup mayonnaise (low fat)
1/2 cup plain yogurt (low fat)
Juice from 1/2 lemon
1 tbsp honey
1 1/2 tbsp curry powder
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. In a workbowl, mix together mayonnaise, yogurt, lemon juice, honey, and curry powder with a fork. Make sure there are no lumps and everything is incorporated evenly. Season to taste with salt and pepper, transfer to a serving bowl, and serve alongside the sweet potato oven fries.

Panfried Cod

2011-05-31T19:06:00.000-07:00

Ryan and I are big fans of seafood. So when we find a recipe that looks good, we jump right in with both fins and try it.

Some friends of ours recently asked us to go out for fish one Friday night, but we ended up having them over to make our own instead! This fish had great flavor, and it turned out pretty good but the batter didn't stay on the fish very well. So it was kind of crumbly.

Thanks for being our guinea pigs Tony and Bryony!!!

Recipe from Saveur.com (one of our favorite magazines!)

Ingredients

2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1 cup flour
1 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. finely chopped fresh parsley
4 fresh cod filets (about 6 oz. each)
3 tbsp. vegetable oil
Salt (we omitted)

Directions

1. Combine eggs with milk in a medium bowl.

2. In a separate bowl, mix together flour, paprika, pepper, and parsley.

3. Dip filets first in the egg mixture and then in the flour.

4. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Shake excess flour from filets, then fry, in batches if necessary, until fish flakes easily, about 2 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels, season with salt, and serve.

Slow Cooker Hungarian Beef Goulash

2011-05-24T17:26:00.000-07:00

Let me start off by saying this was a super easy recipe to make. I love my crockpot.

If you're a fan of paprika you're going to love this. We felt the paprika taste was a little overwhelming though. We ended up serving this on whole wheat egg noodles which we made when we got home from work, but we forgot to add the parsley on top as a garnish.

This wasn't a bad recipe for a weekday meal, and we REALLY liked the fact that it was ready when we got home.

Recipe from Eating Well

Ingredients

2 pounds beef stew meat, (such as chuck), trimmed and cubed
2 teaspoons caraway seeds
1 1/2-2 tablespoons sweet or hot paprika, (or a mixture of the two), preferably Hungarian
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 large or 2 medium onions, chopped
1 small red bell pepper, chopped
1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 14-ounce can reduced-sodium beef broth
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions

Place beef in a 4-quart or larger slow cooker. Crush caraway seeds with the bottom of a saucepan. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in paprika, salt and pepper. Sprinkle the beef with the spice mixture and toss to coat well. Top with onion and bell pepper.

Combine tomatoes, broth, Worcestershire sauce and garlic in a medium saucepan; bring to a simmer. Pour over the beef and vegetables. Place bay leaves on top. Cover and cook until the beef is very tender, 4 to 4 1/2 hours on high or 7 to 7 1/2 hours on low.

Discard the bay leaves; skim or blot any visible fat from the surface of the stew. Add the cornstarch mixture to the stew and cook on high, stirring 2 or 3 times, until slightly thickened, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve sprinkled with parsley.

Nutrition180 calories
5 g fat ( 2 g sat , 2 g mono )
48 mg cholesterol
6 g carbohydrates
0 g added sugars
25 g protein
1 g fiber
250 mg sodium
298 mg potassium

Chili-Dusted Avocado Potatoes

2011-05-19T07:10:00.000-07:00

Potato skins are one of our favorite appetizers to order when we go out. So when we saw this recipe we had to try it! These would be a good snack for the big game, or any get together, and the best part is that they're healthier than regular potato skins.

Recipe from Flat Belly Diet Family Cookbook

Ingredients

2 large russet (baking) potatoes
2 teaspoons canola oil
3/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/8 teaspoon salt (we omitted)
4 slices low-fat turky bacon
1 Hass avocado, cut into 16 slices
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup fat-free sour cream (optional)
Hot-pepper sauce (optional)

Directions

Preheat the grill to medium. Coat 1 side of a large sheet of heavy-duty foil with cooking spray.

Cut each potato lengthwise into 4 slices. Trim the rounded sides slightly so each slice sits flat. Rub evenly with the oil. Sprinkle the chili powder and salt evenly over the potatoes.

Grill the potatoes over direct heat for 5 minutes per side, or until browned. Place on the foil and place over indirect heat for 20 minutes, or until tender when peirced with a knife. Meanwhile, place the turkey bacon over direct heat. (if you're concerned that the bacon will fall through the grates, use a grill basket or another sheet of foil.) Grill for 1 minute per side, or until crisp. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

When the potatoes are tender, leave them over indirect heat and top each piece with a half slice of bacon, 2 slices of avocado, and 1 tablespoon of the cheese. Grill for about 4 minutes to melt the cheese. Serve hot topped with sour cream and hot sauce (if desired).

Nutrition per serving

290 calories
10 g protein
37 g carbohydrates
12 g fat
3 g saturated fat
20 mg cholesterol
330 mg sodium
5 g fiber

Chicken Sausage with Potatoes & Sauerkraut

2011-05-10T07:01:00.000-07:00

If you haven't already figured it out...we're from Wisconsin. The home of beer, brats, beer, cheese, beer, Bucky Badger, beer, the Brewers, beer, the Packers, beer...oh and did I mention beer? Well at our house, we don't cook brats without sauerkraut that's a given. You can turn your nose up all you want, but we LOVE sauerkraut. So when I saw this recipe I knew we should try it.

We used Turkey brats instead of chicken sausage, because we had some leftover from another recipe. Just for the record, please don't think that on game day we eat Turkey brats though. We like eating healthy, but we don't tailgate with turkey brats.

Anyhow, I was running errands after work, and when I got home Ryan looked at me and said,"What were you thinking?"

I had no idea what he was talking about, so I stood holding groceries wondering what happened.

He finished,"Why would you bookmark this recipe for us to make? It's got tons of sauerkraut and onions in it. You want me to eat this and still sleep in the same bed with me?"

I don't think I have to elaborate on what he was referring to. I knew at this point I was taking my life into my own hands, but the smell of the supper he just prepared took over and I had to risk it.

It was good, but it wasn't by any means fabulous. From looking at the ingredients you can pretty much tell how it's going to turn out. It was a good lunch to warm up the next day, but not a gourmet meal I would make if we had guests over (especially if they were spending the night).

Recipe from Eating Well magazine

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
12 ounce (4 links) cooked chicken sausage, halved lengthwise and cut into 2 to 3 inch pieces (we used turkey brats instead)
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
3 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, halved and cut into 1/4-inch slices
1 1/2 cups sauerkraut, rinsed
1 1/2 cups cups dry white wine
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon caraway seeds
1 bay leaf

Ingredients

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sausage and onion and cook, stirring frequently, until beginning to brown, about 4 minutes.

Add potatoes, sauerkraut, wine, pepper, caraway seeds and bay leaf; bring to a simmer. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are tender and most of the liquid has evaporated, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the bay leaf before serving.

Nutrition
295 calories
9g fat
60 mg cholesterol
24g carbohydrate
0 g added sugars
14 g protein
4 g fiber
554 mg sodium
545 mg potassium

Buffalo Chicken Salad

2011-05-06T08:40:00.000-07:00

Ryan and I LOVE buffalo wings...I'm not even joking....we seriously would eat them every day if they weren't so bad for you. So when we saw this recipe, we had to try it. It was good, and I really liked how the dressing and seasoning on the chicken gave us that buffalo flavor, but it wasn't overpowering or too spicy.

Usually when you order a salad like this at a restaurant, it's super high in sodium. Thank you Clean Eating for giving us a healthier buffalo chicken salad!!!

Recipe from Clean Eating Magazine

Ingredients

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Olive oil cooking spray
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp chili powder
1/8 tsp sea salt
1/2 sweet onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1/2 cup nonfat plain Greek-style yogurt
5 tbsp low-fat buttermilk
1 to 1 1/2 tbsp all-natural hot sauce
1 head romaine lettuce, thick spines removed, chopped
1 head red leaf lettuce, thick spines removed, chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
1 cup peeled and shredded carrots
2 oz blue cheese, crumbled (about 1/2 cup)

Instructions

Preheat broiler to high. Place chicken on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Lightly mist chicken with cooking spray and sprinkle evenly on both sides with paprika, chili powder and salt. Broil 6 to 8 inches from heat until center of chicken is no longer pink, about 6 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to a cutting board and let rest for 3 to 5 minutes before cutting into bite-size chunks.

In a blender, puree onion, yogurt, buttermilk and 1 tbsp hot sauce. Taste and add remaining hot sauce if you want more heat. Divide romaine and red leaf lettuces among 4 plates and top with bell pepper, tomatoes, carrots, and chicken, dividing each evenly. Serve yogurt mixture on the side or drizzle evenly over each plate. Sprinkle with blue cheese and serve immediately.

Nutrition

Calories 258
Total Fat 6
Sat Fat 6
Carbs 13
Fiber 4
Sugars 6
Protein 35
Sodium 416
Cholesterol 76

Chicken Gyros in Pitas with Yogurt and Cucumber Sauce

2011-05-03T06:47:00.000-07:00

We had a hankering for gyros! So since it's kind of our goal to try and find healthier recipes for our favorite foods, we decided to give this recipe a whirl. It was.....a success!!! It satisfied our craving, and we didn't have to feel guilty one bit.

Recipe from Prevention.com

Ingredients

3 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (4 ounces each)
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 multigrain pitas
1 cup chopped romaine lettuce
1/2 cup chopped tomato
1/3 cup thinly sliced red onion
1/4 cup crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese
1/2 cup plain nonfat yogurt
1/2 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and grated, excess liquid squeezed out
1/2 clove garlic, minced

Directions

Coat a grill pan with cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat. In a bowl, combine the chicken, oil, oregano, and pepper. Place on the pan and grill for 5 to 6 minutes per side, or until a thermometer inserted into the thickest portion registers 160°F and the juices run clear. Transfer to a cutting board and cut into thin slices.

Meanwhile, toast the pitas. With the tip of a knife, cut an opening in one side of each pita. Fill each pita with 1/4 cup romaine, 2 tablespoons tomato, 2 tablespoons onion, 1 tablespoon feta, and one-fourth of the chicken.

In a small bowl, combine the yogurt, cucumber, and garlic and spoon over the chicken.

Nutritional Facts per serving


CALORIES	323 CAL
FAT	5.2 G
SATURATEDFAT	1.5 G
SODIUM	539.9 MG
CARBOHYDRATES	40.8 G
TOTALSUGARS	4.4 G
DIETARY FIBER	5.8 G
PROTEIN	30.1 G

Philly Cheesesteak

2011-04-29T08:01:00.000-07:00

This is a "round two" recipe from the Italian Beef sandwiches we made. We just took the leftover meat, and created this. It just seemed right to eat Philly cheesesteaks and watch the rest of the basketball tournament. These were good, but not as fabulous as we had hoped. The cheese was a little "eh". So, if we were to make this again, we'd probably come up with a better cheese sauce recipe.

Recipe from lifesambrosia.com

Philly Cheesesteak

1 onion, sliced
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound thinly sliced round steak
1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
1 tablespoon Worcestershire
kosher salt and pepper to taste
2 hoagie rolls
cheese sauce (recipe follows)

Preheat your oven broiler.
In a skillet over medium heat, add butter and olive oil. When butter melts add onion. Cook until onions start to turn brown and caramelize, about 10-15 minutes. Remove and set aside.
In the same skillet add round steak, granulated garlic, worcestershire, salt and pepper. Cook until meat is cooked through, about 3 minutes.
Toast the hoagie rolls under the broiler until they turn golden, about 1 minute.
Layer the meat, onions and cheese sauce on the hoagie roll. Serve.

Cheese Sauce

2 tablespoons butter
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon flour
2 ounces cream cheese, softened
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
kosher salt and pepper to taste (omitted salt)

In a sauce pan over medium heat, melt butter. When butter has melted, whisk in flour. Cook 1 minute.
Slowly stir in milk.
Stir in cream cheese and shredded cheddar and cook until melted. Season to taste with salt and pepper

Italian Beef Sandwiches

2011-04-27T06:53:00.000-07:00

Now...I'm not going to even claim that these were as good as Al's Famous Italian Beef, because then I'd just be lying. I will say though that it curbed our craving for them. It was also an excellent dinner while watching basketball.

Recipe from Savuer.com (one of our favorite Magazines!)

Ingredients

1 tsp. red wine vinegar

3 pickled peppers, preferably sport, stemmed and

thinly sliced

3 ribs celery, thinly sliced

1 small jalapeño, stemmed and thinly sliced (optional)

1 tbsp. crushed red pepper flakes

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tsp. dried basil

2 tsp. dried oregano

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 trimmed beef sirloin tip roast (about 2 1⁄2 lbs.)

6 Italian rolls, split and warmed

Directions

1. Stir together the vinegar, peppers, celery, jalapeños, half the pepper flakes, and salt and pepper to taste in a bowl to make a relish. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

2. Heat oven to 425°. Combine remaining pepper flakes, basil, oregano, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste in a bowl. Place roast in a roasting pan; rub with half the spice mixture. Roast for 20 minutes; reduce heat to 350° and roast for 20 minutes more. Combine remaining spice mixture with 1 quart water; add to roasting pan. Continue roasting until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part reads 130°, 20–30 minutes. Transfer roast to cutting board; let cool slightly. Skim fat from broth.

3. Cut beef into thin slices. Reheat broth and beef together. Pile beef (with some of the broth) onto rolls, top with relish, and serve. For a "wet" version of the dish, dip the entire sandwich into broth before serving.

Our Favorite Blueberry Muffins

2011-04-18T08:04:00.000-07:00

I made these on Sunday morning, and they turned out fabulous!!! If blueberries are considered brain food, Ryan and I are going to be geniuses because we each devoured more than one. I won't bring ourselves to shame and tell you how many. Let's just say we liked them. It was also the perfect thing to make to put in our lunches this week for breakfast each day. So, enjoy this one!!!

Recipe from King Arthur Flour

Ingredients
6 tablespoons (3 ounces) butter
3/4 cup (5 1/4 ounces) sugar
2 large eggs
2 cups (8 1/2 ounces) King Arthur 100% Organic White Whole Wheat Flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 1/2 to 2 cups (about 1 pint) blueberries, either fresh or frozen, wild Maine berries preferred
1 tablespoon sugar mixed with 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)

Directions

Preheat your oven to 375°F. Grease 12 muffin cups generously; a vegetable oil pan spray works well.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until they're light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture, and beat well. Stir in the milk and vanilla. mixing only until smooth. Quickly stir in the berries. Note that frozen berries will probably turn your muffins blue, while fresh will keep the cake part golden.

Fill the muffin cups 3/4 to almost full, using all of the batter. Sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar. Bake the muffins for 25 to 30 minutes, until they're light golden brown, remove them from the oven, and place the pan on a rack to cool for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, run a knife around the edge of one muffin, and try to lift it out of the pan. (These muffins are very tender, and if they don't cool long enough, they'll crumble when you try to remove them from the pan.) If the muffin lifts out of the pan without crumbling, remove all of the muffins and cool them completely on a wire rack. If the muffin sticks or the top peels off, allow them to cool an additional 10 minutes, then try again. Yield: 12 muffins.

Nutritional information per serving (1 muffin, 84g):
202 cal
7.1g fat
4g protein
18g complex carbohydrates
13g sugar
1g dietary fiber
63mg cholesterol
179mg sodium
72mg potassium
78RE vitamin A
3mg vitamin C
1mg iron
95mg calcium
59mg phosphorus.

Tuna & Tomato Mac & Cheese

2011-04-15T06:42:00.000-07:00

This was a good quick recipe, and the only reason we gave it three fishes was because the cheese was a weird consistency. Otherwise the flavor was good. This is our new healthier version of tuna helper.

Recipe from Eating Well Magazine

Ingredients

8 ounces (about 3 cups) whole-wheat rotini pasta
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup nonfat milk, divided
1/2 cup grated extra-sharp Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup grated pepper Jack cheese
1/4 teaspoon ground ancho chile powder
1/4 teaspoon salt (this was omitted)
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 cups reduced fat cottage cheese, preferably low-sodium
1 5 to 6 ounce can chunk light tuna, drained and flaked
1 10-ounce can diced tomatoes with green chiles, drained
1/4 cup crumbled tortilla chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Cook pasta in a large saucepan of boiling water according to package directions. Drain and rinse.

Meanwhile, whisk flour and 2 tablespoons milk in a small bowl. Heat the remaining milk in a large ovenproof skillet over medium heat until steaming.

Gradually whisk a few tablespoons of the hot milk into the milk-flour mixture, then whisk this mixutre back into the skillet. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the sauce is smooth and slightley thickened, 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in Cheddar, pepper Jack, chile powder, salt and pepper.

Puree cottage cheese in a food processor or blender until very smooth, scraping down the sides as necessary. Stir into the sauce in the skillet. Add tuna and the pasta; stir well to coat with the sauce. Sprinkle drained tomatoes evenly over the top.

Bake until hot and bubbling, 20 to 25 minutes. Top with crumbled tortilla chips.

Nutrition

Calories 447
Fat 11g
Cholesterol 38 mg
Carbohydrates 55g
Added sugars 0g
Protein 34g
Fiber 5g
Sodium 723 mg
Potassium 395 mg

Honey-Nut Granola

2011-04-13T09:19:00.000-07:00

This granola rocks!!! Ryan was experimenting with some recipes one day, and came up with this. It's a great healthy snack, and I can't even begin to tell you how good it is on Breyer's All Natural vanilla ice cream. You feel like you're being REALLY naughty. It's also good to have a ziploc bag of it in your car or purse too when you feel like munching on something during your commute to or from work.

6 Cups Rolled Oats
2 Cups Slivered Almonds
1 Cup Pecans (rough chopped)
1 Cup Sunflower Seeds
1 1/2 Cup Dry Roasted Peanuts
3/4 Cup Brown Sugar
3/4 Cup Honey
1 Cup Blueberry Craisens
1 Cup Pomegranate Craisens
1 Cup Original Craisens (Cranberry)
1/2 Cup Canola Oil

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine the oats, nuts, seeds and brown sugar.

In a separate bowl, combine honey and oil. Combine both mixtures and pour onto 2 sheet pans. Cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes to achieve an even color.

Remove from oven and transfer into a large bowl. Let cool, stirring occasionally (to prevent clumps.) Add Craisins and mix until evenly distributed.

Homemade Lara-Type Bars

2011-04-10T15:07:00.000-07:00

Since we started biking and hiking last year Clif Bars and Lara Bars have become a favorite snack of ours. They're convenient to fit in a small backpack, and filling when you're out on the trails. Plus, it doesn't hurt that they're full of good, healthy stuff.

So to save a little bit of moola, we decided to just make our own. It was a hit! Now I take one with me for breakfast every morning. It doesn't get any easier than four ingredients and a food processor, and it's a good snack for the kiddies.

This is the Cranberry version, but if you click on this link, there are recipes for more flavors. http://enlightenedcooking.blogspot.com/2008/02/home-made-lara-bars-energy-bars-part-3.html
Recipe from

1/4 Cup Dates (rough chopped)
1/4 Cup Dried Craisens
1/3 Cup Almonds
1/8 tsp Cinnamon

Place the dates and craisens in a food processor. Pulse until processed to a paste. Transfer paste to a medium bowl (don’t clean processor).

Add the nuts to the processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add the nuts, along with the cinnamon, to the bowl with the fruit paste. Use your fingers to knead the nuts into the paste.

Divide mixture in half. Place each half on each of one of the sheets of plastic wrap. Wrap the plastic around each bar and start squishing into a bar shape form, 3 and 1/2 inches long, 1 inch wide and 3/4-inch thick); press against countertop to flatten bottom side, flattening top side and ends with flat of hand.

Tightly wrap the plastic around each bar and store in the refrigerator. Makes 2 bars.

Nutrition per Serving (1 bar): Calories 207; Fat 9.4 g (sat .8g, mono 5.2g, poly 3.1g); Protein 3.9g; Cholesterol 0mg; Carbohydrate 24.9g; Sodium 0.4mg. (Note: I did the nutrition analysis using Diet Analysis Plus 7.0.1)

Breaded Tandoori Chicken with Feta Pita Chips

2011-04-05T07:00:00.000-07:00

First of all let me just point out how much I like my subscription to Clean Eating Magazine. I always find a ton of great recipes in each one and never know where to start.

I liked this recipe a lot, because it was a full meal. The flavor of the chicken was really good, and I would definitely make the feta pita chips as an appetizer or a snack again. As for the vegetables....well you can't go wrong with cooked fresh veggies, and these are two of my favorites.

If you're looking for a light recipe, this is it.

Recipe from Clean Eating Magazine

Ingredients

3 whole-wheat pitas (7 inches in diameter), divided
4 oz low fat feta cheese
1 1/2 tsp curry powder, divided
2 egg whites
1/2 lb fresh green beans, trimmed
2 large carrots, cut into 1-inch long matchsticks
3 tsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 small yellow onion, minced
4 oz nonfat plain Greek-style yogurt
1 - 1lb boneless, skinless, untrimmed chicken breast
1/4 cup fresh minced cilantro for garnish, optional

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Use a paring knife to cut along the edges of 2 pitas, separating each into 2 circular halves. Lay 4 pita halves on baking sheets and crumble 1 oz feta onto each. Bake for 15 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Remove from oven and set aside.

Rip remaining pita into bite-size pieces and place into the bowl of a food processor. Process for about 1 minute or until pita pieces have become medium-fine bread crumbs. In a flat-bottomed soup bowl or mixing bowl, combine 1/2 cup bread crumbs with 1/2 tsp curry powder. Mix well and set aside. Place egg whites in another flat-bottomed bowl or mixing bowl and set aside.

Fill a medium pot halfway with water and bring to a boil on high heat. Add beans and carrots, reduce heat to medium-high and simmer for 5 minutes; drain. Stir in 1 tsp oil and ginger. Set aside.

Prepare tandori sauce: Heat 1 tsp oil in a large nonstick pan on medium for 1 minute. Add onion and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in garlic and remaining 1 tsp curry powder and cook for 2 more minutes, stirring often. Remove from heat, stir in yogurt and set aside.

Trim visible fat from chicken, discard fat. Butterfly chicken: Place breast on a cutting board and press down firmly with 1 hand. Holding a sharp chef's knife parallel to the cutting board and positioned along 1 of the longer sides, carefully cut breast in half, each piece about 1/2-inch thick. (If breast is very thick, butterfly it twice.) The cut each half into 2-4oz "wings" (for a total of 4-4oz portions).

Dip "wings" in egg whites, then press both sides firmly into bread-crumb mixture.

Remove tandoori sauce from pan and heat remaining 1 tsp oil in same pan for 1 minute. Add chicken, workingin batches if necessary, and cook for 3 minutes. Carefully turn "wings" over with heat-proof tongs and cook for 2 minutes. If flesh is not opaque and cooked through, cook for 2 more minutes and check again. Serve each chicken "wing" with 2 tbsp tandoori sauce, 1 pita half and about 1/2 cup bean-carrot mixture. Garnish with cilantro, if desired.

Nutrition Information

Calories 333
Total Fat 9g
Saturated Fat 3g
Monounsaturated Fat 3g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Carbs 38g
Fiber 5g
Sugars 4g
Protein 40g
Sodium 612mg
Cholesterol 75mg

Lemon Chicken with Olives

2011-04-05T06:59:00.000-07:00

I'm a huge fan of olives. When I say I'm a fan.....I could literally sit and eat a whole bowl of them. In fact, it's a running joke with one of our friends that when they come over I better get out the olives, because I've usually got a stock pile of them in our pantry.

So when I saw this recipe I was really excited. The chicken had really good flavor to it. I liked the olives with it, but Ryan didn't. He likes olives, but he thought is was a weird combination. We rated this three fishes, but if you try this recipe, let me know what you think. If you love olives like I do though, I'm sure you'll rate it higher.

Recipe from Real Simple

Ingredients

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons lemon zest, plus 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
kosher salt and pepper
1 1/2 pounds chicken cutlets
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 shallots, thinly sliced (omitted, because we didn't have any)
1 cup pitted green olives
1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine (such as Sauvignon Blanc)

Directions

Mix the flour, cumin, lemon zest, and ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper on a flat plate. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and dredge in the mixture.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken in 2 batches until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.

Wipe out the skillet and return to medium heat. Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil. Add the shallots and cook until soft, 5 to 7 minutes.

Stir in the olives, parsley, lemon juice, and wine and bring to a boil. Return the chicken to the pan, nestling it in the olives and shallots.

Reduce heat to low and cook, covered, until the chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes. Divide among plates.

Nutritional Information

Per ServingCalories 425
Calories From Fat 30%
Fat 14g
Sat Fat 1g
Cholesterol 66mg
Sodium 739mg
Carbohydrate 39g
Fiber 1g
Sugar 7g
Protein 6g

Golden Potato Chowder

2011-04-01T08:27:00.000-07:00

I made this recipe on a Saturday. I am actually embarrassed to say that it was recently. I say I'm embarrassed because this soup was our lunch the day that Ryan was taking down our Christmas lights. Yes, hold the emails I realize that it's after Valentine's Day and St. Patrick's Day, but to our defense it was really cold out. Okay, not a good excuse, but what can I say.

I also should mention that soup is NOT my strong point. In fact, when I tell Ryan that I'm trying a new soup, he cringes. I can hear you all tell me how easy soup is already, but for some reason something always goes wrong with it and the flavor just doesn't seem right. Now that we're choosing to eat healthier and we watch our sodium it's seems more difficult to find the right flavors. So, I am determined to make some soups, stews, and chowders flawlessly yet healthy to redeem myself.

Anyhow, the Thursday before I had made corned beef and cabbage, and I still had a big tupperware bowl of veggies left. So, instead of recutting carrots and potatoes I used the leftovers and then added the rest of the ingredients listed.

I am proud to say it got two thumbs up, and Ryan had two big bowls of it. Ta Da!!! Thank you, thank you, hold the applause.

Recipe from Clean Eating Magazine

Ingredients

1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 small yellow onion, chopped
2 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch thick slices
8 oz white mushrooms, cut into quarters
3 cups reduced sodium, low-fat chicken broth
1lb spaghetti squash, skin and seeds removed, flesh cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1lb redskin potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 tsp dried sage
6 oz nitrate-free, reduced sodium, low-fat ham, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1/2 cup skim milk
2 oz light cream cheese

Directions

Heat oil in a large stockpot on medium for 1 minute. Add onion, carrots and mushrroms. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in broth, squash, potatoes and sage. Bring soup to a boil on high heat, then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in ham and heat through.

Meanwhile, in a small pot on low heat add milk and cream cheese. Cook, whisking constantly, for 1 minute or until mixture is smooth. Ladle 1 cup soup into milk mixture and whisk. Pour milk mixture back into stockpot and stir to combine. Serve immediately

Nutrition

Calories 277
Total Fat 7g
Sat Fat 2.5g
Monounsaturated Fat 2g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Carbohydrate 38g
Fiber 4g
Sugars 6g
Protein 19g
Sodium 520mg
Cholesterol 34mg

Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage

2011-03-28T06:27:00.000-07:00

HAPPY ST. PATTY'S DAY!!! Okay, I know it's a little late, but I still wanted to share this recipe.

Ryan has Irish heritage and this is a traditional Irish dish. I had never had corned beef until I met him, and I really like it. A few years ago we decided to make it a tradition to make corned beef and cabbage on St. Patrick's Day. So for the past three years we've had this scrumptious dish to celebrate the luck of the Irish. Each year I find a new recipe to try, and this is by far the best one yet.

Enjoy!!! If you didn't find your pot of gold at least you'll have a full tummy.

Recipe from Food Network

Ingredients

4 pounds lean raw corned beef brisket
3 tablespoons pickling spice (often included with brisket)
1 medium rutabaga, halved and cut into wedges
1 pound large carrots, cut into 4-inch pieces
1 1/4 pounds large fingerling potatoes
1 leek, white and light-green parts only, cut into 3-inch pieces
1/2 head Savoy cabbage, cut into wedges
1/3 cup horseradish, drained
1/3 cup creme fraeche or sour cream

Directions

Place the corned beef in a large slow cooker and scatter the pickling spices on top. Layer the rutabaga, carrots, potatoes and leek in the cooker (in this order for even cooking). Add enough hot water (4 to 5 cups) to cover the meat by at least 1 inch, put the lid on the slow cooker and cook on high, 7 to 8 hours.

Remove the meat and vegetables from the slow cooker and keep warm. Put the cabbage in a microwave-safe dish with 2 cups cooking liquid from the slow cooker, cover and microwave until tender, 7 to 10 minutes. Meanwhile, boil another cup of cooking liquid in a small skillet until reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Mix with the horseradish and creme fraeche in a small bowl.

Slice the corned beef and serve with the slow-cooked vegetables, cabbage and sauce; reserve about a quarter each of the meat and vegetables and 1 1/2 cups cooking liquid for Corned Beef Hash.

Chicken Cheesesteak Wrap Panini

2011-03-21T10:33:00.000-07:00

Two of our favorite sandwiches are Italian beef and Philly cheesesteak. So when we saw this we HAD to make it, and we weren't disappointed. This was so good. The only bad thing that we can say about this recipe is that it takes 2 pans and panini press, but that's a small price to pay for a wrap this good. Enjoy!!!

Recipe from Clean Eating Magazine

Ingredients

1 large yellow onion, very thinly sliced (about 4 cups)

2 tbsp malt vinegar

1 large red bell pepper, sliced into 1/4-inch strips

8 oz cremini mushrooms, stemmed and thinly sliced (about 2 cups)

2- 4 oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced into about 1/8 to 1/4 inch pieces

1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper

2 oz low-fat cheddar cheese, grated (1/2 cup)

1/4 cup 1% milk

4 large whole-wheat or multi grain wraps (about 12 inches in diameter)

Instructions

Heat a large saute pan on high. When skillet is hot, add onion and stir constantly for 2 minutes, until onion begins to soften and release a bit of liquid. Reduce heat to medium-high and cook onion for 2 more minutes without stirring.

Add vinegar and 1/4 cup water, a bit at a time, stirring and scraping any brown bits from bottom of skillet as liquid evaporates. Reduce heat to low and let onion simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until very soft, sweet and golden.

Meanwhile, heat a separate large saute pan on high. Add red pepper and mushrooms to hot, dry pan and saute for 2 minutes, stirring constantly as vegetables soften and release some liquid. Reduce heat to medium-low and let vegetables simmer for 5 more minutes, until very soft and most of liquid has evaporated.

Increase heat to high and add chicken to pan. Saute for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring often, until chicken is cooked all the way through. Season with black pepper, cover pan and reduce heat to very low to keep mixture warm.

When onions are very soft, add cheese and milk to skillet, stirring as cheese melts into onion.

Place a quarter of chicken mixture and quarter of onions in a line on bottom third of each wrap, leaving about 2 inches empty on each end. Roll the bottom end over mixture, squeezing gently around filling. Continue to roll up the rest of the wrap. If any filling spills out as you roll, simply add it back in through the ends.

Place wrap on a hot panini press, seam-side-down. Press wrap for 2 minutes or according to manufacturer directions to toast. Alternatively, position wrap on a hot grill pan on medium-high heat. Set a small, heavy saucepan on top of wrap to press it down gently and grill for 2 minutes, until grill marks are visible and wrap is crisp and toasted. Carefully turn wrap over and repeat on opposite side.

Move pressed wrap to a cutting board. Starting 2 inches from 1 end, cut wrap diagonally toward other end, creating a triangular piece. Reposition knife and cut again, starting at the top of the last cut and down toward the other end of the wrap. Continue cutting in this manner until you are left with 4 or 5 triangles.

Nutrition

Calories 273

Total Fat 5g

Sat Fat 1g

Carbs 31g

Fiber 4g

Sugar 5g

Protein 23g

Sodium 307mg

Cholesterol 38mg

Baked Manicotti Bundles Stuffed With Tilapia & Mozzarella

2011-03-10T05:42:00.000-08:00

This recipe was fabulous! It's Ash Wednesday so I needed to make a dish with fish in it. We're obviously big fans of fish if you can't tell.

Anyhow, this recipe was featured on the front page of the Clean Eating Magazine and it looked good. It was more than good though. Definitely one that we'll make again.

Recipe from Clean Eating Magazine

Ingredients

olive oil or cooking spray

3 to 4 green onions (enough to yield 10 layers)

10 whole-wheat lasagna noodles

1 carrot, peeled

1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil

12 oz fresh tilapia fillets (or other mild white fish)

4 oz light cream cheese

1/2 cup skim milk

1/2 tsp dried dill

1/2 tsp sea salt

2 oz. reduced-fat mozzarella cheese, grated, divided

fresh dill for garnish, optional

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly mist an 8x8 inch glass pan with cooking spray and set aside.

Rinse onions well, trim off white tops and discard. With the tip of a paring knife, score the upper end of the connected layers one by one so that each can be carefully removed and set aside.

Prepare lasagna noodles according to package directions. During the final 90 seconds of cooking, add reserved onion layers. Then lift out layers with heat-proof tongs and set aside before draining pasta. Rinse pasta well and set aside.

Grade carrot in a small bowl. Set aside.

Place a large nonstick pan on medium heat and add oil. Heat for 1 minute, then add tilapia, briefly shaking pan to prevent fish from sticking. Cover and cook for 3 minutes. Carefully flip fillets over and cook for 1 minute. Break fillets up with a heat-proof spatula. If pieces are not cooked through and opaque, cook for 1 more minute. Remove from heat and set aside.

Add cream cheese, milk, dried dill and salt to a medium saucepan. Use a knife or spatula to break cream cheese up into smaller pieces. Place pan on low-heat and cook, whisking constantly, for about 1 minute or until cream cheese has melted. Add half of mozzarella and continue heating and whisking for 30 seconds or until mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and scoop out 1/2 cup cheese mixture; set aside and reserve.

Stir carrots and tilapia into pan with cheese mixture. Lay lasagna noodles out on a large cutting board with shorter edges parallel to bottom edge of cutting board. Place 2 tbsp tilapia-cheese mixture on bottom edge of each noodle. Gently roll each noodle from the bottom edge to the top, pressing lightly and making a bundle that stays together without squeezing filling out. Tie each bundle with an onion layer and place prepared glass pan.

Spoon reserved 1/2 cup cheese mixture over bundled manicotti and top with remaining mozzarella. Bake for 25 minutes or until mozzarella is melted and beginning to turn gold brown. Garnish with fresh dill, if desired, and serve.

Nutrition

Calories 447

Total Fat 12g

Sat Fat 5g

Monounsaturated Fat 3g

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Cholesterol 64mg

Sugars 3g

Cholesterol 64mg

Carbs 49g

Fiber 9g

Herbed - Honey Mustard Turkey Pitas

2011-03-08T07:27:00.000-08:00

I just thawed out a couple pounds of turkey burger and cooked it up one night. Half I used for spaghetti sauce, and I put the rest in the fridge for the next night.

So since I needed to come up with a masterpiece to use some already cooked turkey burger, I searched on one of my favorite websites for healthy recipes http://www.prevention.com/ and found this scrumptious meal. We weren't expecting much, but it turned out pretty good and this will be one that we would definitely recommend. Easy and tasty!

Recipe from Prevention.com
Ingredients

1 tablespoon canola oil
1 1/4 pounds extra-lean ground turkey
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
6 whole wheat pitas (6" diameter), halved
3/4 cup light honey-mustard dressing
2 cups chopped fresh spinach
2 tomatoes, diced
1/3 cup diced red onion

Directions

PREHEAT the oven to 350°F.

HEAT the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the turkey, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the turkey is no longer pink. Stir in the basil, parsley, and rosemary. Remove from the heat.

MEANWHILE, wrap the pitas in foil and heat for 5 minutes. Spread a thin layer of dressing inside each pita half. Spoon turkey into each. Top the pitas with the spinach, tomatoes, and onion. Drizzle with the remaining dressing.

Nutritional Facts per serving


CALORIES	318.8 CAL
FAT	7.9 G
SATURATEDFAT	0.6 G
SODIUM	768.9 MG
CARBOHYDRATES	37 G
TOTALSUGARS	7.8 G
DIETARY FIBER	4.6 G
PROTEIN	28.9 G

Grilled Chicken Breasts with Pan-Roasted Tomatoes and Olives

2011-03-02T09:43:00.000-08:00

I really love the mixture of chicken and pasta, but this was just okay. It wasn't as flavorful as we had hoped which is why we rated it 3 fish. If not for the tomatoes and olives it would have been kind of bland. So, if I were to make this again, I would add a bit more garlic and fresh rosemary instead of thyme.

Recipe from the Flat Belly Diet Family Cookbook

Ingredients

6 ounces multigrain penne pasta (we used rotini because that's what we had in the cupboard)

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1/2 teaspoon salt (we omitted)

Ground black pepper

1 pint grape tomatoes, halved

40 pitted black olives

2 garlic cloves, smashed

1 sprig fresh rosemary or thyme (we used thyme)

Chopped parsley, for garnish

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions. Drain and cover to keep warm while you're grilling.

2. Preheat the grill to medium-high.

3. Drizzle 1 teaspoon of the oil over the chicken. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper to taste.

4. Combine the remaining 1 teaspoon oil, the tomatoes, olives, garlic, and rosemary in an ovenproof skillet (cast iron is ideal).

5. Arrange the skillet and chicken on the grill. Cook the chicken for 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until a thermometer inserted in the thickest part registers 165 F. Meanwhile, cook the tomatoes until fragrant and juicy. Remove the chicken from the grill and let rest for 5 minutes. Cook the tomatoes a few minutes longer, if desired. Discard the rosemary sprig.

6. Slice the chicken into thing strips and toss with the pasta and tomato sauce. Garnish with chopped parsley.

Nutrition (this information does not reflect our changes in the recipe)
363 CALORIES
35 G PROTEIN
35 G CARBOHYDRATES
9 G FAT
1.5 G SATURATED FAT
65 MG CHOLESTEROL
770 MG SODIUM
5 G FIBER

Caramelized Onion and Swiss Burgers

2011-02-14T08:44:00.000-08:00

I'm gonna be honest with this one......we made the mistake of buying the jumbo pack of Arnold Sandwich Flatbreads from Sam's and we needed to use them up so we decided to make burgers. They turned out pretty flippin' good though. Get it? Flippin'? Okay...sorry.

Anyhow, we switched it up with the bun and we didn't use beef, we used turkey burger instead, and as always we omitted salt because we love our hearts.

This recipe also helped with Spring fever too, because there ain't nothin' like a grilled burger. MMMMmmm!

Recipe altered from Flat Belly Family Cookbook

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 yellow onions, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon salt (we omitted)
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 pound 93% lean ground beef (we used ground turkey burger)
1/4 cup black olive tapenade
4 slices (3/4 ounce each) reduced-fat Swiss cheese
4 multigrain English Muffins, toasted (we used Arnold Sandwich Flatbread)
1/2 tomato, cut into 4 slices

Directions

1. Preheat the grill to medium-high.

2. Heat the oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the onions, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 9 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the heat and season with 1/4 teaspon of the salt and 1/8 teaspoon of the pepper.

3. Meanwhile, gently combine the beef, 2 tablespoons of the tapenade, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper in a bowl. Form the mixture into 4 patties 1/2" thick. Set on a grill rack coated with cooking spray. Grill for 5 minutes without turning. Turn and grill for 4 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted sideways registers 160 F. Transfer the burgers to a plate. Top each burger with 1 slice of cheese and let rest 1 to 2 minutes to melt the cheese.

4. Spread the bottom half of each English muffin with 1 1/2 teaspoons of the remaining tapenade. Top each with 1 tomato slice, one-fourth of the onions, and a burger. Top each burger with 1 of the remaining English muffin halves.

Nutrition (this nutrition information is for the original recipe and does reflect our changes)
434 CALORIES
37 G PROTEIN
31 G CARBOHYDRATES
22 G FAT
6 G SATURATED FAT
80 MG CHOLESTEROL
500 MG SODIUM
9 G FIBER

Tam Tam's Chunky Chili

2011-02-10T07:06:00.000-08:00

Today was a day to make chili if there ever was one. We woke up snowed in with the drifts at the end of our driveway over 3 ft deep, and the drifts in our yard over the top of our lilac bushes. They closed my building and cancelled work. I felt like a kid who just got school called off!!! Except....I wasn't wearing footy pajamas....I wish.

Anyhow, instead of going sledding I did the next best thing. I made chili!!! Not just any chili. My chili. I've been making this chili forever, and this is the first time that I ever actually measured the ingredients out so that I could share it with you guys. I hope you like it, because after about an hour of plowing and shoveling the driveway Ryan was sooooo happy to come inside to a nice hot bowl of chili.

Ingredients

1 lb ground turkey
1 - 14.5 ounces low sodium diced tomatoes
1 - 28 ounces tomato sauce
1 - 16 ounces kidney beans drained and rinsed
2 or 3 Tblsp chili powder
2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 Tblsp minced onion
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground red pepper

Directions
1. Cook ground turkey.

2. Put cooked ground turkey and all the other ingredients in a pot and let simmer for an hour stirring occassionally.
Serve with a dollop of sour cream and shredded cheese. So good!!!

Nutrtional Information Calculated through Spark People
Servings 8
Calories 165.6
Total Fat 4.8g
Cholesterol 40.0mg
Sodium 842.7mg
Potassium 600.4mg
Total Carbohydrate 17.3
Protein 15.0g

Peanut Butter - Strawberry Wrap

2011-02-09T07:38:00.000-08:00

We got the Flat Belly Diet Family Cookbook. Just flipping through it I was really excited to try a bunch of the recipes. This was one that caught my eye RIGHT away. I love PB and J's! Ever since I was a kid I've loved them, but this takes them to the next level with fresh strawberries. If you don't have real strawberries to use jam/jelly would work just fine too, or if you're an Elvis fan....bananas would make a good substitute too. YUM!!!

I can't wait to have my friend's kids over here to make them as a snack.

Recipe from Flat Belly Family Cookbook

Ingredients
1 whole wheat tortilla (8")
2 tablespoons natural unsalted crunchy peanut butter (we used our homemade)
1/2 cup sliced strawberries

Directions
Lay the tortilla on a work surface. Spread with the peanut butter. Cover with the strawberries. Roll into a tube. Slice on the diagonal into the desired number of pieces.

Nutrition
332 CALORIES
10 G PROTEIN
31 G CARBOHYDRATES
19 G FAT
2 G SATURATED FAT
0 MG CHOLESTEROL
230 MG SODIUM
7 G FIBER

Rich and Creamy Coleslaw

2011-02-04T07:35:00.000-08:00

This was made for the Packer vs. Bear game to pair with our pulled pork. Nothing better than coleslaw on a pulled pork sandwich. Lots of our guests for the big game liked it, but Ryan only wanted to give it two fishes because it didn't taste like "traditional" coleslaw.

The rest of the crowd thought it was good, but had a different taste.

Recipe from Prevention.com

Ingredients

12 ounces green cabbage, finely shredded
12 ounces red cabbage, finely shredded
2 medium carrots, coarsely shredded
1/2 cup chopped scallions
1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt1/4 cup nonfat sour cream2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
2 teaspoons pickle relish
1 teaspoon honey
1/4 teaspoon dijon mustard1/4 teaspoon dill, celery or caraway seeds
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 pinch paprika

Alternate
For extra sweetness and crunch, add 1/2 cup chopped sweet red peppers. Or give the salad a more tangy flavor with 1/2 cup thinly sliced radishes.

Directions

In a large bowl, combine the green cabbage, red cabbage, carrots and scallions.

In a small bowl, whisk together the yogurt, sour cream, chives, vinegar, relish, honey, mustard, dill or celery or caraway seeds and pepper. Add to the cabbage mixture and toss until well-combined. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. Just before serving, sprinkle with the paprika.

Nutritional Facts per serving

Servings 4CALORIES 97.8 CAL
FAT 0.4 G
SATURATED FAT 0.1 G
SODIUM 127.1 MG
CARBOHYDRATES 21.6 G
TOTAL SUGARS 12.2 G
DIETARY FIBER 5.2 G
PROTEIN 4.7 G

Pulled Pork

2011-02-04T07:34:00.000-08:00

This recipe was made especially for the big Packers vs. Bears playoff game. It must have been good luck, because the Packers won!!! (sorry Bears fans)

Anyhow, all of our guests seemed to like it. It was not only easy to make, but to me it seemed "lighter" than other pulled pork that I've had. Usually the sauce is really thick, sweet, and sugary when you use the bottled store-bought stuff. Heck, even some other recipes made from scratch are syrupy. This wasn't at all.

Plus....the best part about it was that if fit our needs for feeding multiple guests for the big game, and it wasn't as unhealthy as our usual pulled pork recipe that we would have normally made.

We also topped it off with some coleslaw that was really good. Having a bit of coleslaw on a pulled pork sandwich is sooooo good.

Recipe from Prevention.com

Ingredients

4 pound(s) boneless pork shoulder

1 tablespoon(s) cumin
2 tablespoon(s) garlic powder
1 tablespoon(s) chili powder
1 tablespoon(s) paprika
2 teaspoon(s) white pepper
1/4 cup(s) hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon(s) cocoa powder
1 teaspoon(s) (14.5 oz) can of diced tomatoes
Kaiser Rolls (I used whole wheat buns)

Directions

Mix the cumin, garlic powder, chili powder, paprika, and white pepper together. Thoroughly rub this spice mixture into the pork shoulder and let sit in the refrigerator overnight. Mix together the hoisin sauce, cocoa powder, vinegar, and tomatoes. Place sauce in the bottom of the slow cooker. Place pork shoulder over sauce. Cook on low for 6 hours. After five hours baste the pork shoulder with the sauce. Use two serving forks to shred the pork. Stir shredded pork into the sauce and cook for another hour.

Nutritional Facts per serving

CALORIES 295.4 CAL
FAT 13.5 G
SATURATED FAT 4.6 G
SODIUM 243.9 MG
CARBOHYDRATES 5.3 G
TOTAL SUGARS 2.2 G
DIETARY FIBER 1.1 G
PROTEIN 36.3 G

Slow Cooker Chicken Burritos

2011-02-03T06:55:00.000-08:00

There was a big snow storm in the forecast, and I knew that my daily commute was going to be a doozy.

So, I planned ahead and decided to use the best invention ever! No...not the Snuggy. The crock pot!!! Yes...I'm one of the gazillion people that have a Snuggy and I love the darn the thing. It's also leopard print which makes it sexy.....okay maybe not, but I don't care.

Anyhow, this was perfect, because I knew that while I was sitting in my car driving at a turtle's pace through the blizzard I had burrito filling waiting for me to throw into a whole wheat tortilla. Fabulous!!!

I did switch this recipe up a bit, because I forgot to cut up the chicken in pieces. So I just put both breasts in the crockpot (this is a PG website folks. You know I'm talking chicken.) When Ryan got home the chicken was cooked and shredded easily with a fork.

Recipe from Prevention.com

Ingredients
1 pound(s) boneless, skinless chicken breast tenders

2 tablespoon(s) all natural chicken broth
1 small finely chopped onion
1 clove minced garlic
2 seeded and chopped jalapenos
1 cup(s) whole kernel yellow corn, drained
1 3/4 teaspoon(s) chili powder
1 teaspoon(s) ground cumin
1 teaspoon(s) lime zest
2 tablespoon(s) lime juice
1 teaspoon(s) dried oregano
3 tablespoon(s) chopped fresh cilantro
6 - 10 inch flour tortillas (we used whole wheat)
1 1/2 cup(s) diced ripe tomatoes
3/4 cup(s) reduced fat sour cream
3/4 cup(s) reduced fat shredded mexican cheese blend

Directions

1.Place chicken on a cutting board and chop into bite-sized strips. Place in a crockpot on high. Stir in the broth, onion, garlic, jalapenos, corn, chili powder, cumin, zest, lime juice, oregano, and cilantro. Simmer on high for 5 hours. (I cooked it on low for 8 1/2 hours)

2.Place equal portions of chicken mixture in the center of the tortillas. Sprinkle with tomatoes and sour cream. Fold burrito up 2/3 of the way to the other side over the chicken mixture. Fold sides in towards the center.

3.Place on a large baking sheet. Sprinkle with shredded cheese. Broil for 2 minutes until cheese is bubbly.

Nutriton
CALORIES 439.1 CAL
FAT 13.8 G
SATURATED FAT 5.6 G
SODIUM 711.6 MG
CARBOHYDRATES 48.8 G
TOTAL SUGARS 5.1 G
DIETARY FIBER 4.5 G
PROTEIN 31 G

Chicken Cacciatore

2011-01-25T07:27:00.000-08:00

Recipe is from Prevention

Ingredients

4 oz Multigrain Rotini Pasta
2 tsp Olive Oil
1 lb Boneless, Skinless Chicken breast tenders cut into 1/2 “ pieces
1 pkg (8oz) Brown Mushrooms (cremini), quartered
½ Med Red Bell Pepper Cut into strips
1 sm Onion Chopped
2 Cloves Garlic minced
¼ tsp Salt
¼ tsp Black Pepper
1 can (14.5oz) no-salt-added basil-garlic-oregeno diced tomatoes
20 lg Pitted Black Olives
1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley

Directions
Prepare pasta per package directions.
Heat oil in large nonstick frying pan (with cover) over medium-high heat while making pasta. Add Chicken and cook, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, about 4 minutes. Transfer to bowl.

Combine mushrooms, bell pepper, onion, garlic, salt, and black pepper in pan. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms exude liquid, about 3 minutes. Uncover and cook until most of the liquid evaporates, about 8 minutes.

Stir in tomatoes (with juice) and reserved chicken with accumulated juices from bowl. Reduce Heat to a simmer.

Nutrition:
Calories: 322
Protein: 33 g
Carbs: 34 g
Fiber: 6 g
Fat: 6.5 g
Sat. Fat: 1 g
Sodium: 460 mg

Jammin' Jambalaya

2011-01-20T06:46:00.000-08:00

Recipe from Prevention Magazine

Ingredients

1 large onion, peeled and diced
3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 medium size sweet red peppers
1 can (15 oz) crushed tomatoes
1 C long grain brown rice
1 package (12 oz) andouille turkey (or chicken) sausage, cut into 1/2 inch thick rounds
1 tsp hot sauce
2 tbsp fresh thyme, minced (or 2 tsp dried)
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
2 C water
3 tbsp fresh parsley, minced
1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined

Directions

Place onion, garlic, celery, carrots, peppers, tomatoes, rice, and sausage in the crockpot in that order.

Add hot sauce, thyme, salt, pepper, and water.

Cover and cook on low for 8 to 9 hours.

One hour before it's finished cooking, toss in parsley and shrimp. Stir until well combined, adding more water if needed.

Garlic Spinach Chicken Wrap

2011-01-19T09:21:00.000-08:00

Recipe from Spark Recipes

Ingredients
1 boneless skinless chicken breast
3 Tbsp of some kind of marinade (we used Fat Free Italian Dressing)
1/4 cup provolone cheese
whole wheat tortilla wrap
fresh spinach
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1/4 cup diced onion

Directions

Sautee onion and garlic in marinade, add chicken. Cook until done. Place cheese, spiinach and sautee mix in wrap. Eat!

Low Fat Crockpot Beef Stroganoff

2011-01-17T14:18:00.000-08:00

Recipe from Prevention.com

Ingredients
1 1/2 lbs lean beef stew meat, cut into 1" cubes
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp salt (I omitted this)
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 lb mushrooms, sliced
1 C fat-free sour cream
1 can (10.75 oz) fat-free cream of mushroom soup
1 C water

Directions
1.Place all ingredients except sour cream in 4-quart or larger slow cooker. Stir to combine.
2.Cover. Cook on low 6 to 8 hours.
3.Stir in sour cream. Cover. Cook on high a few more minutes, or until heated through. Serve over hot cooked egg noodles or brown rice and garnish with chopped parsley, if desired.

Easy Slow Cooker Carnitas

2011-01-12T06:34:00.000-08:00

Recipe from Prevention.com

Ingredients

2 lb lean beef stew meat, cut into 1?2" pieces
3/4 cup mild salsa
2 Tbsp chopped chipotle chili peppers in adobo sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
1 c beef stock (we used Kitchen Basics) or water

Directions

Combine all ingredients in large slow cooker. Cover and cook on low 6 to 8 hours.

Can serve with cheese, onions, and a small dab of sour cream.

Baked Egg Rolls with Ground Turkey

2011-01-11T06:58:00.000-08:00

From: favediets.com

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon corn starch
• 4 cups finely shredded napa, Chinese or regular white cabbage
• 1 cup mung bean sprouts
• 1 medium or large carrot, finely grated (about 1/2 cup)
• 2 green onions, finely sliced
• 2-4 cloves garlic, finely chopped and divided
• 1/2 pound ground turkey
• 2 teaspoons ginger root, grated
• 1 pound egg roll skins (14-16)

Instructions

Mix soy sauce with corn starch. Set aside.

Spray non-stick skillet or wok with nonstick cooking spray or heat one tablespoon cooking oil.

Over high heat stir-fry 1-2 cloves garlic and ginger for a few seconds.

Add cabbage, bean sprouts, carrot and green onions. Stir fry a few minutes until cabbage is wilted.

If cooking meat, remove vegetables from pan. Add remaining 1-2 cloves garlic.

Add ground turkey or hamburger. Stir fry until no longer pink. Drain off any fat.

Add reserved soy sauce/corn starch and the vegetables. Cook 1 minute or so until thickened.

Remove from heat and allow to cool a little. Heat oven to 400 degrees F.

Spray a cookie sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Turn eggroll skin so it looks like a diamond.

Place 1/4 cup filling just below the center. Fold the lower point of the diamond over the filling tucking it under the filling. Fold the left and right corners over that. Tightly roll the egg roll.

Moisten the top corner with a bit of water to prevent it from unrolling. Repeat until you run out of skins or filling. (Note: Keep the eggroll skins in their wrapper or cover with a moist towel so they don't dry out.)

Should make at least 14 egg rolls. Place eggrolls seam side down on the pan. They can be close together but not touching.

Lightly spray the egg rolls with the nonstick cooking spray. Bake 15-20 minutes until golden brown.
Variation: Replace meat with about 1 cup mixture of mushrooms, more cabbage, bean sprouts and/or carrots.

Turkey and Tomato Panini

2011-01-09T17:45:00.000-08:00

Recipe from Eating Well

Ingredients

3 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise
2 tablespoons nonfat plain yogurt
2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
8 slices whole-wheat bread
8 ounces thinly sliced reduced-sodium deli turkey
8 tomato slices
2 teaspoons canola oil

Directions

Have four 15-ounce cans and a medium skillet (not nonstick) ready by the stove.
Combine mayonnaise, yogurt, Parmesan, basil, lemon juice and pepper in a small bowl. Spread about 2 teaspoons of the mixture on each slice of bread. Divide turkey and tomato slices among 4 slices of bread; top with the remaining bread.
Heat 1 teaspoon canola oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Place 2 panini in the pan. Place the medium skillet on top of the panini, then weigh it down with the cans. Cook the panini until golden on one side, about 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low, flip the panini, replace the top skillet and cans, and cook until the second side is golden, 1 to 3 minutes more. Repeat with another 1 teaspoon oil and the remaining panini.

Greek Turkey Burgers

2011-01-09T12:07:00.000-08:00

From: LaaLoosh.com

Ingredients:

Tzatziki Sauce:
- 1 container (6 oz) Yoplait© Greek Fat Free plain yogurt
- 1/4 cup chopped cucumber
- 3 tablespoons chopped red onion
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill weed
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ¼ tsp salt

Burgers:
- 1 lb lean ground turkey
- 1 cup crumbled fat free feta cheese (4 oz)
- 1/3 cup chopped red onion
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill weed
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 Arnold Select Sandwich Thins Multi-Grain
- 1 medium tomato, thinly sliced
- fresh lettuce leaves

Directions:

In small bowl, mix 1/2 cup yogurt and remaining sauce ingredients; refrigerate until serving.

Heat gas or charcoal grill. In medium bowl, mix all burger ingredients and remaining yogurt.

Shape mixture into 4 patties, about 1/2 inch thick.

Place patties on grill over medium heat. Cover grill; cook 8 to 10 minutes, turning after 5 minutes, until thermometer inserted in center of patties reads 160°F. Place burgers in buns with tomato slices and sauce.

If you choose to broil your burgers instead, broil patties with tops about 6 inches from heat 4 minutes; turn patties. Cook 6 to 8 minutes longer or until meat thermometer inserted in center of patties reads 160°F.

Place a patty on one of the sandwich thins, top with 1 tbsp of Tzatziki sauce, a few tomato slices and a few fresh lettuce leaves.

Entire recipe makes 4 burgers.

Serving size is 1 Greek Turkey burger with bun, 1 tbsp Tzatziki sauce and lettuce/tomato.

Each serving = 4 Point Total

Variation: Add some Kalamata Olives to the top of the burger.

New Year

2011-01-08T17:15:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year from Fischfoods.com!

We must apologize for our lack of posts over the past few months, but family obligations kept us out of the kitchen and away from the site. In the new year we are making a resolution to post several new and healthy recipes a month. Thank you to the faithful who have stuck with us, we hope the recipes we post will be worth the wait.

Tuscan Chicken with Beans

2010-08-06T11:49:00.000-07:00

Recipe from Flat Belly Diet book

Ingredients

1 cup cooked, chopped chicken breast (about 6 ounces)
1 cup low-sodium diced tomatoes flavored with garlic and onion, drained
2/3 cup no-salt-added canned white beans, rinsed and drained
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1 cup salad greens

Directions

In a bowl, toss together the chicken, tomatoes, beans, and vinegar

Divide the greens between 2 salad plates and top each with 1/2 of the chicken mixture. Serve over greens. Sprinkle with the almonds.

Banana Pancakes with Walnut Honey

2010-07-27T06:37:00.000-07:00

Recipe from Flat Belly Diet Cookbook

Ingredients

Pancake

1 1/3 cups Easy Pancake Mix
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup low-fat buttermilk
1/4 cup water
1 egg
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large banana, halved lengthwise and cut into thin slices
1/2 cup fresh raspberries

Walnut Honey

1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
1/3 cup honey
1 tablespoon water

Directions

To prepare the pancakes: Combine the pancake mix and cinnamon in a large bowl. Combine the buttermilk, water, egg, oil, and vanilla extract in a separate bowl. Whisk into the pancake mix and stir until smooth. Fold in the banana. Set aside.

To prepare the walnut honey: Combine the walnuts, honey, and water in a small bowl.

Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and set over medium heat. Add the pancake batter in scant 1/4 cupfuls and cook, in batches, for about 2 minutes or until the pancakes have puffed and the undersides are lightly browned. Turn the pancakes and cook for about 2 minutes longer or until lightly browned. Serve with the walnut honey and raspberries.

Easy Pancake Mix

2010-07-27T06:36:00.000-07:00

Recipe from Flat Belly Diet Cookbook

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I used whole wheat)
1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
6 tablespoons yellow cornmeal
6 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

Combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl and mix well. Store in a cool, dry place.

Easy Crockpot Barbecue Ribs

2010-07-26T08:07:00.000-07:00

Recipe from Cooks.com

Ingredients

2+ lbs pork ribs
Water
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup water (use less for thicker sauce)
2 tbsp vinegar
2 tbsp oil
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tbsp minced dried onion
honey (if desired)
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 to 1 tsp chili powder
1/4 to 1/2 tsp paprika
dash of Worchestershire or soy sauce
dash of liquid smoke, if desired Preparations

Directions

In the morning, put the ribs in the crock pot with 1 to 2 inches of water. Cook on High for at least 4 hours or on low for 8 hours. The longer you cook the ribs, the more tender the meat will become.

About 1/2 to 1 hour before mealtime, drain off the water and mix together all the remaining ingredients to make barbeque sauce. Pour sauce over ribs and cook until mealtime.

Chicken with Romesco Sauce

2010-07-13T09:10:00.000-07:00

Recipe from Flat Belly Diet Cookbook

Ingredients

2 cloves garlic, smashed
1 slice firm whole grain bread, crust discarded and bread torn into pieces
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1 cup drained roasted red peppers (from a jar), coarsely chopped
1 tomato, seeded and coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (5 ounces each)

Directions

Toast the garlic and bread in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Add the almonds and continue cooking and stirring for 3 minutes or until the almonds are toasted. Transfer to a food processor fitted with a metal blade or a blender. Add the peppers, tomato, vinegar, paprika, salt, and oil and puree. Set aside.

Coat the same skillet with olive oil cooking spray and return to medium heat. Add the chicken and cook, turning once, for 5 minutes or until browned. Remove to a plate. Add the reserved almond mixture and bring to a simmer over medium heat.

Return the chicken to the skillet. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until the thermometer inserted in the thickest portion registers 165 degrees.

Mexican Chicken with Pepita Sauce

2010-07-12T09:01:00.000-07:00

Recipe from Flat Belly Diet Cookbook

Ingredients

2 teaspoons canola oil
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon flour
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 pound boneless skinless chicken tenders
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds

Directions

Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, cumin, oregano, and salt. Stir to mix. Cover and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes or until the vegetables have softened.

Add the flour and black pepper. Stir so the flour thoroughly coats the vegetables. Add the broth and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes or until thickened. Add the chicken. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until the chiekcen is cooked through. Add the pumpkin seeds and stir into the sauce.

Walnut Crusted Chicken Breasts with Pomegranate Syrup

2010-07-08T09:39:00.000-07:00

Recipe from the Flat Belly Diet Cookbook

Ingredients

1 egg
1 tablespoon water
1/2 cup walnuts, finely chopped
1/4 cup whole grain bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (5 ounces each)
2 cups pomegranate juice
1 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons minced crystallized ginger
6 cups mesclun or mixed greens

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.

Whick the egg with the water in a shallow dish. Combine the walnuts, bread crumbs, and salt in another shallow dish. Dip the chicken into the egg and then the nut mixture. Place on the prepared baking sheet and coat with cooking spray.

Bake, turning once, for 15 minutes or until a thermometer inserted in the thickest portion registers 165 degrees. Let rest for 10 minutes, then slice the breasts.

Meanwhile, bring the pomegranate juice, honey, and ginger to a boil. Boil for about 15 minutes or until reduced by half. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Arrange the mesclun on 4 plates. Place the chicken on top and drizzle with the pomegranate syrup.

Creamy Seafood Casserole

2010-07-07T11:36:00.000-07:00

Recipe from the Flat Belly Diet Cookbook

Ingredients

3/4 cup reduced-sodium fat-free chicken broth
3 medium carrots, sliced diagonally
1 small bunch asparagus, cut diagonally into 2"pieces
1 cup 1% milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon cornstarch, dissolved in 2 tablespoons cold water
1 pound medium shrimp, thawed if frozen, peeled and deveined, tails removed
3 scallions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons snipped fresh dill

Crust

1/2 cup shelled pistachios, finely chopped (not ground) in a food processor
1/4 cup Panko bread crumbs
2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spray a shallow 1 1/2-quart baking dish with olive oil spray.

To prepare the casserole: Bring the broth to a boil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the carrots and asparagus, cover, and cook, stirring often, for 3 minutes or until crisp-tender. Transfer to the prepared baking dish with a slotted spoon.

Add the milk, salt, and pepper to the broth in the skillet and bring to a boil. Stir the cornstarch mixture again and add the milk mixture. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened. Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the shrimp, scallions, and dill. Bring to a simmer and pour into the prepared baking dish.

To prepare the crust: Mix the pistachios and bread crumbs in a small bowl. Sprinkle evenly over the casserole. Drizzle with the oil. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the shrimp are opaque and the casserole is bubbly.

Zesty Chicken Fiesta

2010-06-28T06:34:00.000-07:00

Recipe from Flat Belly Diet book

Ingredients

2 cups cooked chicken breast chunks (10-12 ounces)
1 can (15 ounces) low-sodium black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14 ounces) no salt-added diced tomatoes (with juice)
1 tablespoon chili powder

Directions

In a nonstick skillet, combine the chicken, beans, tomatoes, and chili powder. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium high heat.

Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes.

Divide evenly among 4 salad plates and top each with 1/4 cup of the avocado and 1 tablespoon of the sour cream.

Mexican Seafood Pizza

2010-06-20T12:18:00.000-07:00

Recipe altered from Flat Belly Diet book for Men

Ingredients

2 flour tortillas (we used wheat tortillas)
2 teaspoon olive oil
6 ounces peeled and deveined medium shrimp
2/3 cup prepared mild salsa
4 ounces shredded reduced-fat Mexican blend cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Coat 2 baking sheets with cooking spray.

Set 1 tortilla on each baking sheet and lightly coat with cooking spray. Bake 6 to 7 minutes, until lightly browned and crisp. Remove from the oven and cool.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and cook 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.

Spread each tortilla with 1/3 cup salsa, leving a 3/4" border around the edge of each. Top each with avocado slices, cheese, and shrimp.

Bake 6 to 7 minutes, until the cheese melts. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with cilantro, and cut each into 4 wedges.

Almond-Crusted Chicken Breasts with Balsalmic Drizzle

2010-06-16T10:13:00.000-07:00

Recipe from the Flat Belly Diet book for Men

Ingredients

1 large egg
1 tablespoon water
1/2 cup almonds, finely chopped
1/4 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 (5-ounce) boneless skinless chicken breasts halves
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons honey

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.

Whisk the egg with the water in a shallow bowl. Combine the almonds, bread crumbs, and salt in another shallow bowl. Dip the chicken into the egg and then the nut mixture. Place on the prepared baking sheet and coat chicken with cooking spray.

Bake, turning once, for 15 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted into the thickest portion registers 165 degrees.

Meanwhile, bring the orange juice, vinegar, and honey to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Boil 9 to 10 minutes, until reduced by half. Serve over chicken.

Peanut Butter

2010-06-14T09:41:00.000-07:00

Recipe from Kids Health.org

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup unsalted roasted peanuts
1 tablespoon peanut oil

Utensils

Food processor
Bowl
Mixing spoon
Storage container (canning jar)
Measuring cups and spoons

Directions

Mix the peanuts with peanut oil, and pour the mixture into the food processor.

Process the mixture until very smooth.

Store your peanut butter in a sealed container in the refrigerator. It will be good for 2 weeks.

Mongolian Beef Stir Fry

2010-05-31T19:40:00.000-07:00

Recipe altered from the Flat Belly Diet Cookbook

Ingredients

3 ounces bean thread noodles (we used brown rice instead)
1 pound flank steak, cut across the grain into 1/4"-thick strips
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons dry sherry (optional), divided
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon peanut oil, divided
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
4 ounces shitake mushrooms, stemmed and thinly sliced
1 carrot, thinly sliced diagonally
12 scallions, chopped
1/2 cup slivered almonds
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 teaspoon chili-garlic sauce

Directions

Prepare the noodles or rice per the package directions, drain, and coarsely chop.

Combine the steak, 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of the sherry (if using), and the cornstarch in a bowl and mix well.

Heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in a large nonstick skillet or wok over high heat. Add the steak and cook, stirring often, for about 4 minutes or until no longer pink. Transfer to a plate and reserve.

Return the skillet to te stove top and heat the remaining 1 teaspoon oil over high heat. Add the ginger and mushrooms and cook, stirring often, for 2 to 3 minutes or until the mushrooms start to soften. Add the carrot, scallions, and almonds and cooke for 2 minutes longer. Add the noodles (or brown rice) and reserved steak and cook for 1 minute longer or until heated through.

Pour in the oyster sauce, chili-garlic sauce, remaining 1 tablespoon soy sauce, and remaining 1 tablespoon sherry and cook for 1 minute or until thickened. Serve immediately.

Pulled Pork Sliders with Creamy Coleslaw

2010-05-25T07:48:00.000-07:00

Recipe from the Flat Belly Diet for Men book

Ingredients

12 ounces lean pork tenderloin, trimmed, cut into 8 pieces
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
4 cups classic coleslaw mix
1/4 cup canola oil mayonnaise
2 teaspoons sugar (we used Splenda)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
8 (1/3-ounce) whole wheat potato rolls

Directions

Combine the pork, barbecue sauce, and 2 tablespoons vinegar in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 60 to 65 minutes, until very tender. Remove from the heat and shred with two forks.

Meanwhile, combine the remaining 1 tablespoon vinegar, coleslaw mix, mayonnnaise, sugar, and pepper in a bowl and toss well.

Fill rolls with pork and serve with coleslaw. (We actually put the coleslaw in the sandwich)

Bruschetta

2010-05-14T08:23:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

½ Loaf Whole Wheat Bread
1 large Tomato (sliced)
¾ lb fresh Mozzarella (cut into 1” squares)
6-8 Leaves fresh basil (chopped)
¼ pkg Spring Mix (rough chopped)
3-4 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
3-4 Tbsp Olive Oil

Directions

Slice Bread into bite-sized pieces. Drizzle olive oil over bread and lightly toast bread. Place tomato slices, mozzarella squares, basil and spring mix on bread. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar.

Whole Chicken in a Crock Pot

2010-05-13T09:28:00.000-07:00

Recipe from recipezaar.com

Ingredients

4 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 large roasting chicken
1 cup onion, chopped (optional)

Directions

In a small bowl, combine the spices.

Remove any giblets from chicken and clean chicken.

Rub spice mixture onto the chicken.

Place in resealable plastic bag and refrigerate overnight. (I usually skip this step because I'm always in a hurry).

When ready to cook, put chopped onion in bottom of crock pot.

Add chicken. No liquid is needed, the chicken will make it's own juices.

Cook on low 4-8 hours.

Fisch Foods

Farfelle with Creamy Wild Mushroom Sauce

Southwestern Layered Bean Dip

Ingredients

Directions

Nutrition12 servings, about 1/2 cup eachPer serving: 146 calories7 g fat ( 3 g sat , 3 g mono )12 mg cholesterol15 g carbohydrates7 g protein5 g fiber288 mg sodium164 mg potassium

Pesto Cheese Ball and my award

Recipe from Paula Deen

Ingredients

Directions

Shrimp Hot and Sour Soup

Stuffed Green Peppers

Pan-Seared Chicken Breasts with Walnuts and Apples

Vegetarian Lasagna with Tofu

Taco Salad

Tam Tam's Wonton Tapas

Red Beet Cupcakes

Baked Zucchini Fries

Zucchini Lasagna

Jicama-Kiwi Salad with Fresh Basil Lemon Vinaigrette

Smothered Chicken

Broccoli-Bacon Salad

Crockpot Chicken Taco Chili

Grilled Chicken with Strawberry Pineapple Salsa

Black Bean Brownies

Mexican Lasagna

Seven-Layer Salad (Healthier)

Clearly Fresh Bags Product Review

Fish Nuggets with Tartar Sauce

Cashew, Tofu, and Broccoli Stir-Fry

Crunchy Crust Mac and Cheese

Overnight Oatmeal

Lemon Shrimp with Roasted Peppers

Sweet Potato Oven Fries w/ Curried Yogurt Dipping sauce

Panfried Cod

Slow Cooker Hungarian Beef Goulash

Chili-Dusted Avocado Potatoes

Chicken Sausage with Potatoes & Sauerkraut

Buffalo Chicken Salad

Chicken Gyros in Pitas with Yogurt and Cucumber Sauce

Nutritional Facts per serving

Philly Cheesesteak

Italian Beef Sandwiches

Our Favorite Blueberry Muffins

Tuna & Tomato Mac & Cheese

Honey-Nut Granola

Homemade Lara-Type Bars

Breaded Tandoori Chicken with Feta Pita Chips

Lemon Chicken with Olives

Golden Potato Chowder

Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage

Chicken Cheesesteak Wrap Panini

Baked Manicotti Bundles Stuffed With Tilapia & Mozzarella

Herbed - Honey Mustard Turkey Pitas

Nutritional Facts per serving

Grilled Chicken Breasts with Pan-Roasted Tomatoes and Olives

Caramelized Onion and Swiss Burgers

Tam Tam's Chunky Chili

Peanut Butter - Strawberry Wrap

Rich and Creamy Coleslaw

Pulled Pork

Slow Cooker Chicken Burritos

Chicken Cacciatore

Jammin' Jambalaya

Garlic Spinach Chicken Wrap

Low Fat Crockpot Beef Stroganoff

Easy Slow Cooker Carnitas

Baked Egg Rolls with Ground Turkey

Turkey and Tomato Panini

Recipe from Eating Well

Ingredients

Greek Turkey Burgers

New Year

Tuscan Chicken with Beans

Banana Pancakes with Walnut Honey

Easy Pancake Mix

Easy Crockpot Barbecue Ribs

Chicken with Romesco Sauce

Mexican Chicken with Pepita Sauce

Walnut Crusted Chicken Breasts with Pomegranate Syrup

Nutrition
12 servings, about 1/2 cup each
Per serving:
146 calories
7 g fat ( 3 g sat , 3 g mono )
12 mg cholesterol
15 g carbohydrates
7 g protein
5 g fiber
288 mg sodium
164 mg potassium