Spicy Chicken Fajita Tostada Salad

4 oz chicken breast
2 cups cut lettuce
1/4 cup sliced onion
1/4 cup sliced green pepper
2 mushrooms sliced
1/3 cup black beans
1/4 cup salsa
1-2 Tbsp low fat sour cream
1-2 tsp chipotle tabasco sauce
2 tbsp shredded cheese - optional
seasoning - garlic powder, chili powder, cayenne pepper, ground cumin
1 tortilla - (i used josephs, which is a super healthy whole wheat kind)

spray both sides of tortilla with non stick spray, place in oven at 350 until golden brown and crispy (if you have a convection oven it will puff up like a whopee cushion)
flip at the 1/2 way point to brown both sides
while that is baking heat a pan and spray with non stick spray
generously season both sides of chicken with the 4 spices, cook chicken through, then remove from pan and cut into cubes
while chicken is cooling slightly lightly saute the veggies and the beans

place the tortilla down top with lettuce, top with veggies and chicken, top with salsa and sour cream.

If you have made the tortilla cushion you can carefully slice it in half and use half as the base and half as the topping.

Enjoy!

Cucumber Turkey Sandwich

I adore cucumber sandwiches with dill dressings but today I also needed some more protein and being lazy and not wanting to cook up some chicken I decided a turkey sandwich was in order. Fresh dill was on sale at the store so here is what I came up with.

For 1 Sandwich

2 Slices of toasted bread
1/4 english cucumber, sliced thinly using a knife or mandolin
2 heaping tbsp Creamy Dill Spread (below)
3 oz turkey lunchmeat
2 slices of mild white cheese (havarti would be excellent!)

slather both pieces of bread with a heaping tbsp of the spread and place a single layer of cucumber on top of the spread. Place turkey on sandwich close up and enjoy!

You could also add some feta cheese to the spread or add some cheese to the sandwich.
The layering of the sandwich is-

Bread
Spread
Cucumber
Cheese (optional)
Turkey
Cheese (optional)
Cucumber
Spread
Bread



Creamy Dill Spread

1 handful fresh dill, chopped (if using dried stick with 1 tbsp)
1/2 handful fresh parsley (if using dry stick with 1/2-3/4 tbsp)
1 green onion, greens chopped only (no fresh, use a tsp of dried chives)
1/2 cup sour cream (or greek yogurt)
1/4 cup cream cheese softened
1 clove garlic grated into a paste over bowl
1/4 small onion grated into the bowl
2 tbsp parmesean cheese (I used fresh grated)
1 tsp lemon zest
*1 tsp lemon juice (see below)
feta cheese (optional)
salt
pepper
nutmeg

mix the sour cream and cream cheese together until combined
add in chopped herbs and grated veggies
stir in lemon juice, zest and cheese
season with salt and pepper along with just a hint of nutmeg

*use just a little lemon juice as it will thin out the spread a lot, start with a few drops and add up to 1 tsp. you also don't have to use any at all if you would rather not.

Banana Fosters Pancakes

YUM! So we were talking about bananas fosters the other day at work and I decided that something a little fun would be to do them in pancake form (plus we had bananas that needed to get used). This sauce would be great on pancakes, waffles, crepes, or served over ice cream. Plus its super simple to make!

4 bananas cut into chunks
2 tbsp butter
3 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp granulated sugar
1/2 oz dark rum (optional)
1/2 tsp vanilla
salt
cinnamon
cloves

Melt the butter in a pan over medium high heat
saute bananas lightly
add the sugars, let meld with butter
add a pinch of salt and cinnamon, and 1/2 that amount of cloves
add the vanilla and the dark rum, light on fire
once the flame has died out serve immediately or refrigerate and reheat before eating.

As for the pancake recipe you can use whatever is your favorite this is mine because it doesn't use buttermilk, and although they are never as good as my moms (cause who can ever make pancakes as good as moms, right?) recipe they are quite tasty.


Whole Wheat Pancakes Although using wheat flour is optional you can substitute the wheat flour for all purpose flour if you'd prefer.

Croque Madame Waffle

So I got sick of making normal waffles with berries at work so today I made a croque madame sandwich in waffle form. And its a great idea for anyone who wants to use their waffle iron more but are sick of normal waffles!

Basic Waffle Batter- you can use you're favorite or even use the premade box just add water stuff! It doesn't matter because you are going to add things to it!

My Basic Waffle Batter-

1 ½ cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 Tbsp Flour
1 ½ cups milk
½ cup oil
3 eggs, lightly beaten

Sift together dry ingredients, mix together wet ingredients, stir together wet and dry until just combined.

Then add 1/2 cup of finely chopped turkey and 1/4 cup shredded cheese per waffle.

To make this more of a croque monsieur substitute finely chopped ham for the turkey.
As for the cheese you could use swiss, gouda, monterey jack blend, yellow or white cheddar, fontina, etc, whatever sounds good to you.

To serve top with a fried egg and some mornay sauce (recipe as follows) and garnish with chopped chives.

White Mornay Sauce

1/2 small onion, cut into 4 pieces
2 cloves garlic, halved
1/4 cup melted butter
2 Tbsp Flour
1 quart milk
2 whole cloves
1 bay leaf
nutmeg
salt
white pepper
2 cups white cheese (blend of italian cheeses works well, asiago, parmesean, mozzarella, etc. Or swiss works will witha small amount of parmesean)

Saute the onion and garlic in melted butter until softened
add the flour and cook the roux for a minute or two
whisk in the milk, add the cloves, nutmeg, bay, salt and pepper
cook for about 20-30 minutes until thick and flavorful.
remove from heat, strain and stir in cheese. thin out with milk if necessary

The Ham Sandwich Mac and Cheese

The Ham Sandwich

6 oz Diced Ham
1 medium Onion small dice
4 cloves garlic minced
2 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp canola oil
2 heaping Tbsp Flour
3-4 cups low fat milk
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese or swiss
1 Tbsp mustard (your favorite, I use dijon)
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/2 box small shells, cooked to directions on box


Saute the onion and garlic in the butter and oil combination
Once softened add in the diced ham and saute until heated through
Add in the mustard
sprinkle the flour over the mixture and cook for a minute or two
Slowly stir in the milk until thickened and smooth
Stir in the cheese and remove from heat
Add in the cooked shells and serve
Garnish with either sliced green onion or chopped parsley.

Groumet S'Mores

Ok, so we've all made s'mores at some time in our lives, right? Well one day last season we were talking about s'mores and I figured for one of the luncheons I could make them in a way that would be able to be served in a restaurant. These are super rich and decedent but I love them!

1 cup graham cracker crumbs
4-5 Tbsp melted butter
1 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1/4 cup finely chopped or ground hazelnuts (or any type of nut you like)

8 oz semi sweet or milk chocolate chips
6 oz heavy cream
1/4 tsp rum extract (if you don't have rum you can use vanilla or almond)
1/4 tsp instant espresso (optional)

Marshmallow Fluff

Instructions:

If you can't find graham cracker crumbs in the grocery store just buy some graham crackers and crush them up either in a food processor or crush them in a zip top bag
grind up nuts in a food processor or finely chop them
mix together the graham cracker crumbs, nuts, and sugars before adding in the melted butter.
You want it to be fairly moist so that you end up with a nice crust
Press that into small ramekins, large pie tin or mini pie tins
Put into the fridge to let set

while that is setting heat up the heavy cream in a pan until it just starts to bubble along the edge, add in the instant espresso
pour the heavy cream over the chocolate chips add in the extract and stir until the chocolate is fully melted

pour a thin layer of chocolate into each ramekin or pie tin
This is a very rich chocolate, you don't have to use a lot, but its up to you how much you put in

Put that in the fridge to set up for about 30-60 mins

You have 2 options for the marshmallow fluff. You can either spread it on top with a knife which can be difficult because its so sticky, but you can either coat your knife with corn starch to spread it easier
Or you can put the fluff into a piping bag (or zip top bag with a tip cut off) and pipe it onto the chocolate.

Either way you do it, just go with whatever works best for you.

Finally to finish this off and give you that s'more feel toast the marshmallow under the broiler until golden brown

Garnish with chopped nuts and shaved chocolate

Beer and Cheese Chowder

So for whatever reason lately I've been obsessed with soups, strange cause the weather is getting warmer and you're less likely to want a thick and hearty or even just super hot thin soup. But I'm loving them either way! This is one of my favorites that I used to make at the Cheeky Monk in Denver. And I still make it from time to time cause its just delicious! You can't go wrong, beer and cheese together with sweet and regular potatoes! yum!

1 1/2 bottles of beer (I use New Castle Brown Ale, but you can use whatever you prefer, remember this flavor will be concentrated so use something you like! Lagers work great so do Ales)
1 large carrot diced
2-3 ribs of celery diced
1 large onion diced
2 large cloves garlic
1 sweet potato peeled and diced
1 russet potato peeled and diced
1 can vegetable or chicken stock/broth
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4-1/2 cup milk
1 Tbsp hot sauce (optional)
2 Tbsp cajun seasoning (optional)
2 cups of cheddar cheese or blend
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

dice up all the veggies to approx the same size. You want 1 part celery, 1 part carrot, 2 parts onion.
Saute all the veggies lightly, season with salt and pepper
deglaze the pan with the beer
let bubble away covered until veggies are softened about 20 mins
using either an immersion blender, food processor or blender blend until mostly smooth adding stock/broth to help blend if necessary
once blended return to the pot and add the rest of the stock/broth
bring to a bubble and add the cheese, hot sauce and cajun seasoning
once the cheese has melted add the sour cream and milk
if too thick thin our with more stock/broth
if too thin allow to cook down until thickened.

Garnish with a small dollop of sour cream and fresh chopped parsley

Portobello Mushroom Chicken Sandwich

I may be the self proclaimed queen of sandwiches! I LOVE them! And this one is no different. There are 2 different ways to make it, one as a sub and one as a more classic sandwich. I love both, Nick's fav is the sub.

2 portobello mushroom caps per sandwich
1 4-6 oz chicken breast per sandwich
2 Tbsp Light Honey Mustard Salad Dressing
1 Tbsp chopped sun dried tomatoes
1-2 slices of swiss or white american cheese per sandwich
1 sandwich thin or sub roll per sandwich
salt and pepper to taste

Mix together the sun dried tomatoes and the dressing set aside
cook the chicken breast through lightly seasoning with salt and pepper
scrape out the inside gills of the mushroom with a spoon and cook in a pan 3-4 mins each side lightly seasoning with salt and pepper
assemble the sandwich bottom bun, mushroom gill side up, top with cheese, then with the chicken breast and with another slice of cheese if desired, top with dressing mixture, top with the 2nd mushroom gill side down and finally finish with the top bun.

If you decide to do this in a sub roll you are going to need to slice up the mushroom then saute and either slice up or shred the chicken. With this one put the dressing mix down in the roll first then top with shredded or chopped chicken, and then cheese. If desired melt the cheese under the broiler for a few minutes.

Carnitas

Normally I make shredded chicken enchiladas, BUT I bought some pork and didn't feel like having bbq pulled pork so I decided this would be a nice change. You can serve this a few different ways by shredding it and throwing it into tacos or a burrito or even on its own just as an entree with rice and beans on the side. As for me I'm making this into enchiladas cause they are my fav!

Pork Carnitas

3 whole garlic cloves
1 can condensed milk
1 can cola
Water to fill if necessary
Pork shoulder cut into parts with bone
2 cinnamon sticks
1 T cumin
1 T chili powder
1 t cayenne pepper
salt and pepper

Optional
Instead of cola - Dr Pepper, or Ginger Ale
1 onion
1/2 bell peppers
1 chile pepper (optional, Anaheim or poblano)

Sear pork in a hot skillet
Layer in pork and all veg into the crock pot
Sprinkle in cumin and add cinnamon sticks
Pour condensed milk and cola on top
Fill to top with water

Let cook for 8 hours on low or 4-5 hours on high
In a pot or in the oven for 3-4 hours keeping an eye on it.

To make enchiladas put a small amount of pork into a tortilla with some cheese, roll up and place in a casserole dish seam side down.

for a sauce you can either use a canned sauce or make your own with a can of diced tomatoes, some hot sauce, sauteed onion, and jalapeno. cook until flavors combined and spoon over filled tortillas, sprinkle with cheese and bake at 350 until cheese is bubbly!

serve with rice and beans if desired! YUM

Roasted Eggplant Parmesan

So it was Friday and we needed a meat free meal, and let me tell you, I was getting sick of Talapia... Its a great fish but gets boring after a while. While grocery shopping this week I picked up an eggplant (you want it to be firm with even coloring and as heavy as possible) not sure of when I was going to use it but sure that I wanted to at some point. When Friday came along and Nick reminded me that we needed to eat meat free at first I was super bummed, but then I remembered the eggplant. I was going to make a more classic eggplant parm where you bread the eggplant and pan fry it and then add the sauce and the cheese but decided I could make it healthier and full of flavor, so here is what I came up with. (if you double this you can just use 1 large can of tomatoes, or if you want left over sauce for tomorrow you can use 1 large can and double the amounts for everything else =])

Roasted Eggplant Parmesan
serves 2; 45 mins

1 Eggplant
1 small can stewed tomatoes
1/4 cup onion – diced
2 cloves garlic
1/2 T sugar
4 slices mozzarella or 1 cup shredded
1/4 cup graded or shredded Parmesan cheese
garlic powder
Italian seasoning
olive oil or olive oil spray
salt and pepper

Instructions:

cut eggplant into 4 thick slices
(optional let them weep – sprinkle each side with salt and let sit for 15-20 mins, this pulls some of the bitterness out of the eggplant, however nowadays its not really necessary unless you're using organic or home grown eggplant, after 20 mins dry with paper towel and continue with recipe)

drizzle each side with olive oil then sprinkle with
salt and pepper
garlic powder
italian seasoning
roast in a 350 degree oven for 15 mins on a broiler pan or slotted pan
flip and repeat seasoning on other side for another 20 mins

while eggplant is roasting

Heat about a tablespoon of oil in a pot
saute onion until slightly softened
add garlic, saute for few minutes
add entire can of tomatoes with juice
add 2 Tbsp Italian seasoning and the sugar
let come to a bubble
take potato masher and mash up tomatoes
let cook down a little until slightly thickened.

Once eggplant is roasted move to a casserole dish
top with tomato sauce
sprinkle a little Parmesan over entire casserole
top with mozzarella cheese and sprinkle with more Parmesan

bake in 425 degree oven until golden brown and bubbly.

Serve over pasta and with garlic bread

Chicken Apple Mac and Cheese

So after wanting to do something different with some Mac and Cheese I decided to do chicken apple sausage without the sausage! And it tastes a whole lot like it, Yum!

Chicken Apple Mac and Cheese
30 mins – serves 2-3

1/2 box medium shells (or any small pasta)
1 large chicken breast – diced
3 slices of bacon sliced thin
3 cloves garlic minced
1/2 medium onion diced
2 T butter – up to if needed
2 T flour
2-3 cups milk
1/2 package shredded cheddar mix (white and yellow if you can find it)
1 apple – small diced (granny smith)
1.5 tsp sage
1.5 tsp fennel seed
fresh grated nutmeg (optional, if available)
salt and pepper
breadcrumbs and cheese to garnish
sliced green onion to garnish

Instructions:

slightly under cook pasta according to box

cook the diced chicken and remove it from the pot
render the bacon and remove bacon from the pot leaving the rendered fat
add onion and apple to the pot, let soften slightly
add garlic, fennel seed and sage
once cooked add the flour, stir together, if too thick, add a little more butter
let flour cook out for a few minutes and add the milk
Start with 2 cups and if necessary add up to 1 more cup
season with salt pepper and nutmeg (optional)
once thickened add in cheese, remove from heat and stir until combined

add drained pasta, chicken, and bacon to cheese sauce, stir to combine
transfer to a casserole dish (sprayed with non stick spray)
sprinkle with a little more cheese and breadcrumbs

Bake at 350 until golden brown and melted

serve and garnish with sliced green onion

Pulled Pork Eggs Benedict

I LOOOVVVEEEE eggs benedict! So much, I can't even begin to tell you! Every so often when I go out for breakfast if there is a different type of it on the menu I'll order it in a heartbeat! While I was working at Disney, my friend and I went out to breakfast at the Wilderness Lodge and I got some beef brisket eggs benedict, which was a large portion of beef brisket over large english muffins with 2 poached eggs and a classic hollandaise sauce. It was probably one of the best eggs benedicts I've EVER had!!! So I figured If you can have beef brisket you could have lots of other stuff too! So here is my favorite!

Pulled Pork Eggs Benedict

2 English Muffins - toasted to your liking and lightly buttered
4 eggs
6 oz left over pulled pork

Sauce
1 egg yolk
2-3 oz melted butter
1/2 tsp dijon (optional)
lemon juice or warm water
salt and pepper to taste
dash of cayenne pepper

[So you could poach your eggs, but I prefer over easy, they have more flavor and are easier to make. But you could poach them if you prefer (just use a pot with water and cider vinegar)]

So Toast English muffins
Heat up pulled pork (with bbq sauce on it) either in microwave or in a pan
cook eggs however you prefer

To make a quick hollandaise sauce

place egg yolk in a small pan and whip up slightly until light in color
add the dijon if desired, this will help keep the sauce from breaking
over a flame whip egg while slowly adding in melted butter
remove from heat, squeeze in a little lemon juice or water to thin out
season with salt pepper and cayenne.

Serve immediately.

Although it is not a classic hollandaise it is close and much easier to make than a classic one. If you want to make a more classic one use clarified butter (milk solids removed) and leave out the dijon, this is more of a stabilizer making it easier to make in a pan rather than in a double boiler. It isn't a necessity in either case but I find it does make things a little easier and quicker.

Any questions let me know!
Enjoy!

Better for you Hollandaise

Ok, so Although I ADORE eggs benedict and hollandaise sauce in general it is really not good for you at about 250-350 calories per serving. So I decided I needed to come up with a substitute that would work for those of us who LOVE it but can't afford to clog our arteries or add to our hips!

1 egg yolk
4 oz plain yogurt (not greek, its too thick and won't combined well) or low fat sour cream can be used as well
lemon juice or warm water if you prefer it a little less tangy
cayenne pepper
salt and pepper
*1 T butter - Optional

-stir together the yogurt and egg yolk, which will first thin out but as it starts to cook will thicken.
-Keep it moving in order to still not curdle the egg.
-It is ok to simmer this sauce as its more stable than classic however keep it moving so it doesn't burn or stick to the bottom.
-Once thickened and heated through add in the lemon juice just enough to thin it out to a good consistency
-season with salt, pepper and cayenne

This version has only 75 calories per serving and this makes 2 servings! Although it doesn't quite have the richness that a classic hollandaise if you are looking to still eat what you want without the clogged arteries this is a better option that the classic.

*If you want the best of both worlds, finish this one off with 1 tbsp of butter and stir in until smooth and combined. This will add 50 calories for each serving but give a richness that you're missing!

Honey Dijon Chicken and Mash

This is another one of my go to recipes. Its quick and easy and has many different applications. You can have it as I've demonstrated but you can also serve it over whole chicken with a side of veg and mash. You could serve it over rice, or even over pasta. You can also use pork chops or pork tenderloin. And I haven't tried it but chicken apple sausage and this would probably be good as well.

1 heaping tablespoon of whole grain Dijon (I use country dijon by grey poupon, although you can use regular dijon instead)
1 heaping tablespoon of honey
1 tsp dried thyme (1 tbsp fresh)
1 tsp dried parsley (1 tbsp fresh)
1/2 cup milk (for creamier use cream or evap milk)
12 oz of chicken (cubed if you want it to cook quicker)
1 tbsp flour
green onion or parsley to garnish

Toss the chicken (or pork) in the flour to lightly coat
cook the chicken until cooked through, remove from pan
add the dijon and honey, stir together
stir in the milk, let return to a boil
return the chicken to the pan
let cook down until thickened

Serve over or next to mashed potatoes, rice or pasta. Garnish with fresh green onion or parsley
2 servings per recipe

The sauce is only 75 calories per serving! and the chicken is about 180 calories which makes this a super delicious good for you meal!

Happy Eating!

Giant BBQ Chicken Bruschetta

Nick's parents came over for lunch today and we made a roast whole chicken. It was really tasty but when dinner came around I didn't quite feel like cooking, we had too relaxing of a day for me to spend a lot of time in the kitchen, so instead I came up with this, using all leftovers from lunch! Its super quick, super easy, and really tasty! Serve with your favorite veggies or salad and you've got yourself a whole meal!

2 large pieces of thin good quality bread
olive oil
6-8 oz shredded chicken breast
4 Tbsp bbq sauce
2 oz shredded cheese
1/2-1 cup left over mashed potatoes
2 Tbsp French fried onions (optional)
garnish with parsley

drizzle the olive oil over the bread and stick under the broiler until crispy
heat the shredded chicken up and toss with bbq sauce
Spread the heated up mashed potatoes on the crispy bread
top with the bbq chicken
top with cheese
stick under the broiler to melt the cheese
top with the french fried onions and the parsley

Enjoy, you can either eat it like you would bruschetta just picking it up and eating it or you can eat it with a knife and fork! Can you say YUM!!!

Non Chicken Marsala

So today Ash Wednesday, and that means no meat for lots of you. When I asked Nick what he wanted for dinner he said he would rather not eat meat today, and I wasn't sure what I had for hearty vegetables in the fridge but after looking this is what I came up with.

1lb of sliced mushrooms
1/2 c diced onion
3 cloves garlic minced
1 tbsp Italian seasoning
1 pinch red pepper flakes
salt and pepper
1 tbsp flour
1/2 can vegetable broth or stock
1 cup milk
2 oz marsala
1 oz parmesan cheese
1 tbsp oil

heat the oil in a pan
add in onion and mushrooms
let cook through until liquid has rendered
add in garlic and seasonings
Add in the flour and let cook for a minute or two
add in the marsala to deglaze the pan
let cook for a minute or two
add in the broth and let cook down for a minute or two
and lastly add in the milk and let cook down until thickened
stir in the parmesan cheese

Serve over mashed potatoes or pasta
garnish with chopped parsley or chives

Remember you can always add chicken to this and make it normal chicken marsala! A delicious option for days of the week that aren't ash wednesday =]

Happy eating!

Pasta Carbonara Florentine with Chicken

So while watching the Rachael Ray Show today I realized although I love pasta carbonara I've never made it! So here is what I came up with for our dinner tonight.

8-12 oz chicken breast cubed
2 slices of bacon, chopped
1 slice of bacon added to pasta water to infuse flavor
2 handfuls of kale or spinach (1/2 package of frozen chopped can be used if drained)
2 cloves garlic minced
1 small onion diced
2 Tbsp Italian Herbs Dried Seasoning
1/4 c ginger brandy (or wine, sherry, marsala... whatever you have)
3/4 c starchy cooking liquid from pasta
2 egg yolks (save whites for dessert, make little meringue cookies!)
1/2 lemon zested and juiced
1/4 c parmesan cheese
2 servings of pasta

Cook the pasta per box instructions while making the sauce
Cook chicken in a medium to large pan season with salt and pepper
remove chicken from pan and add in bacon, once cooked till crispy
add in kale or spinach (if using frozen add in just before you deglaze), garlic, onion, herbs and zest
once cooked down a bit deglaze the pan with the alcohol
remove 1/2 c of cooking liquid from pasta right before straining
add pasta and the chicken to the pan
add egg yolks to the starchy water stir quickly (so you don't scramble the yolks)
add to the pan constantly stirring until thickened and creamy.
finish off with parmesan cheese and lemon juice, toss and serve


Garnish with fresh parsley or chives


This is a fairly classic carbonara although ginger brandy isn't something that would typically be used, we currently have it in our house, so I figured I'd use it to give a hint of spice instead of using some red pepper flakes or some sort of chili pepper. Its a much milder heat and kind of gives it that little something extra that makes people curious about whats in it.

This is approx 550 calories per serving including everything!

If you have any questions feel free to let me know! Happy Eating!

Meringue Cookies

So I said you could use your left over egg whites to make meringue cookies so here is my recipe for those.

2 egg whites
3/4 c sugar
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla
small sprinkle of salt
chopped nuts, toffee bits or chocolate chips all optional

Preheat oven to 300 degrees (convection 250)

whip up the egg whites with the lemon juice and vanilla until firm
slowly whip in the sugar until shiny
Fold in toffee bits, nuts or chocolate chips if desired

on a parchment lined cookie sheet put rounded tablespoons of the meringue
for a fancier look use a piping bag
bake for about 20 mins or until golden brown

For more fun you can add a food coloring to make different colored meringues

Once cool you can add these to mixed berries and whipped cream for a delicious low fat dessert or you can dip them in melted chocolate or flatten the meringue out before baking and once out of the oven you could make sandwich meringues with frosting (either from the grocery store or home made)

Plain without nuts the recipe makes about 24 and is about 25 calories each!

Leftovers Episode I

So you've made my roasted pineapple alfredo and now you have lots of sauce left over. And you're really not wanting pasta the next day... So what do you do? Well first off you can freeze the left over sauce and let it thaw out in the fridge for 24 hours or so. (this makes things super convenient cause that means you could either make pasta in a few weeks when you want it... OR you could do this!!!)

Roasted Pineapple Teriyaki Burgers



This isn't quite as healthy of a meal, however it does range at about the 600 calorie mark, and for a burger that's not bad. Although you could easily make it healthier by substituting 93/7 ground beef, extra lean ground turkey, or ground chicken for the 80/20 ground beef I used.

10-12 oz of ground beef. (I do 4 oz for me, and 6 oz for Nick)
1 Tbsp Teriyaki sauce, whichever brand you like
2 oz of Feta Cheese
2 Tbsp chopped scallions/green onion + more to garnish
1 Tsp Garlic powder
1 Tsp onion powder or flakes
pepper to taste
1 cup roasted pineapple alfredo sauce
2 bulkie rolls or whatever kind of burger bun you prefer the calorie count includes 180 for the bun

In a large bowl mix together the top 8 ingredients, using your hands until well combined.
Form into 2 patties creating a divit in the center of them so that when they cook you end up with a flat patty instead of a puffed out patty
Grill your burgers to the doneness you prefer - for me med-rare, for Nick medium
while those are cooking heat up your left over sauce preferably in a pan so you can stir it regularly, but if thats not an option microwave works just as well

Plating of this gives you a few options, you can do this as an open faced knife and fork kind of burger with a slice of texas toast or bun on the bottom topped with the burger, smothered with sauce and then garnished with sliced green onion
Or
You can spread some of the sauce on the top and bottom bun (be liberal) and garnish both top and bottom with sliced green onion and place the burger in the middle to serve as a normal burger. You can also add lettuce red onion or whatever else you want to this burger.

Personally I think I'm going to go with the open faced for me but I'll make Nick the regular.

I hope you enjoy, and remember leftovers don't have to be boring! =]

Croque Madame Sandwich

Ok, so when I was working at The Cheeky Monk I loved this sandwich, its rich and flavorful and absolutely delicious! However, sometimes when its made classically it can be full of fat and calories. This way although not exact will give you a similar taste without all the bad stuff!

-1 sandwich thin or 2 slices of low cal bread
-4 oz of deli turkey meat or shredded chicken
-2 slices of low calorie cheese or 1 slice of regular cheese your choice- i'm using white american cause I always have it in my fridge.*
-1 egg
-cajun seasoning of your choice**
-1 tbsp light cream cheese

lightly toast bread
heat the turkey or cook the shredded chicken breast with cajun seasoning
top the turkey with a slice of cheese
on the top piece of bread spread the cream cheese
cook up the egg sunny side up or over easy
top the egg with the other slice of cheese cover to melt
top sandwich with the egg and cheese
eat with a fork and knife.

can you say yum!
the over easy egg runs all over the sandwich as you eat it and makes it gooey and delicious. I have also topped this with a little sundried tomato vinaigrette to give it a little extra zing. A honey dijon would also be good, although the dressings aren't necessary.

*If you are using regular cheese, use half inside and half on top. to make it go further rip it into little pieces before placing inside or on top, when it melts you won't realize it wasn't covering the entire sandwich

**The cajun seasoning is not a must but it does kick up the flavor a little bit. If you'd prefer you can heat up the meat with nothing and just season the egg with salt and pepper or if you're watching your sodium content just pepper.

Its only about 400 calories for the whole sandwich and who doesn't love that for a great breakfast brunch or lunch!

Enjoy!

Turkey Chicken Chili

On a super cold day we all have our comfort foods and for some of us Chili is just that. One problem! Chili can be loaded with fat and calories and can weigh you down! Try this one out you'll never miss the ground beef!

I say you won't miss it, however if you prefer you can use extra lean ground beef as well, but I do love the flavor of the chicken and turkey.

16 oz extra lean ground chicken
16-20 oz extra lean ground turkey
1 can Kidney Beans
1 can Black Beans
1 Red bell pepper (diced)
1 Green bell pepper (diced)
1 large onion (diced) + more for topping
1 jalapeno pepper (seeded and minced)
1 cherry pepper (seeded and minced)
1 yellow chili pepper (seeded and minced)
2-3 cloves garlic (minced)
1 can Stewed tomatoes
1 can chicken broth
1 Tbsp hot sauce
2 Tbsp Chili Powder
1/2 Tbsp Cumin
1 Tsp Pepper (white, black or mixed)
1 Tsp Garlic Powder
1 Tsp Onion Powder
1 pinch Red pepper flakes
cheese for topping

Brown the meats in a skillet using non stick cooking spray and once cooked through, strain.
Add all of the ingredients to the crock pot and cook for 3-4 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low.

If you don't have a crock pot and don't want to invest in one you can cook this in a pot on the stove over a low heat for 3-4 hours stirring occasionally in order to not burn the bottom.

For 1/8th of a pot - 300 calories, 2g fat, 25g carbs, 37g protein (plus your toppings, 60 calories for 1/2 oz cheese and a couple T of onions)

If you don't like beans- DON'T ADD THEM!
If you prefer to have extra lean ground beef - GO FOR IT!
If you want super SPICY - Add lots of peppers and some cayenne pepper and hot sauce
If you don't do spice - Don't add peppers or hot sauce!

Play with it a little, and have fun! Its super tasty!

Mini Mediterranean Stuffed Chicken Casserole

Talk about delicious wrapped into an individual little portion for everyone!!! So I love everything Mediterranean food wise. And this is no different. I came up with this because I love stuffed chicken but figured it would be more fun to have individualized!

12-16 oz of diced chicken
2 oz crumbled feta cheese
3 button mushrooms - finely chopped
1/4 onion diced
1 clove garlic
2 cups spinach - sauteed
1/4 cup + 2 T panko bread crumbs
Spray butter
2 ramekins

preheat oven to 350 degrees

-Saute spinach in oil with garlic, salt and pepper until wilted
-While that is cooking mix together in a bowl the feta, mushrooms, onion, pepper and 2T panko.
-Once spinach is wilted add to the mixture.
-Spray ramekins with non stick cooking spray
-Salt and pepper the chicken
-place 3-4 oz of diced chicken in the bottom of the ramekin
-add a layer of the filling
-add another 3-4 oz of diced chicken on top
-top with a couple tablespoons of panko bread crumbs
-Spray the top with a few sprays of spray butter (this will give it a little a nice golden brown)

Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until nice and golden brown all over on top!

Let cool for a few minutes and ENJOY!

Oh and if you have any filling left over save it! It makes a great breakfast burrito with some eggs and white American cheese mixed in OR a delicious little vegetarian lunch wrap!

Counts - Calories 315 per ramekin, 11 grams of fat, 13 grams of carbs, 42 grams of protein!

Variations

The great thing about this recipe is you can add ingredients that you love! If I had kalamata olives I would have added those, sun dried tomatoes also work great and even some chopped bacon. If you want a little more of a creamy sauce you can add in 2 T of nonfat greek yogurt or sour cream into your filling.

If you preferred an Italian version use this filling -
4 T marinara sauce
2T panko bread crumbs
1 handful basil - wilted in garlic salt and pepper
2 oz mozzarella cheese

and for an Italian topping
1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
1 T parmesan cheese
spray butter

Bake and assemble the same way!

Roasted Pineapple Variations and Additions

So in my YouTube Video of this recipe I said I would list a couple of options for variations.

Here is the ORIGINAL RECIPE

To this you could add

1/4 cup of red or orange bell peppers
1/4 cup of green bell peppers

(saute these with the onion and garlic)

Or

2 cups of sauteed spinach
- saute fresh spinach with garlic and add toward the end of the cooking process
- or just add thawed and drained frozen chopped spinach towards the end of the cooking process, cooking long enough to heat through

Or

3-4 stalks of asparagus per person, cut into 3/4 inch segments, also sauteed with the onion and garlic

Or

I LOVE sugar snap peas with it, but since I like my sugar snap peas to have quite the crunch to them I usually saute them separately with a little butter and minced garlic until heated through and fold them into the sauce when done.

And last but not least

You can take just about any frozen veggies you want (preferably ones without a sauce) cook them in the microwave or in a separate pan and stir them in at the end. The very first time I made this, that is exactly what I did!

All of these options add more nutrition to this dish without adding a whole lot of extra calories! Have fun with it!

And remember you can switch up the protein with tons of different options!

-ground turkey or chicken (cook separately and fold in at the end or made into meatballs)
-turkey tenderloins
-chicken tenderloins
-light fish (cod, haddock, talapia, etc)
-shrimp
-scallops
-ham (preferably a lean thick cut)
-pork tenderloin (or any lean cut of pork)

Remember these will change the calorie count a little, but definitely give you many many options on how to change this dish up whenever you're craving something a little different! Just season them up with you favorite Cajun seasoning, and play around with the amount of the Cajun seasoning! The more you put the spicier it will be come and that's what really makes this sweet and spicy contrast work so well together!

My First Ever Video Blog!

So this was my first attempt at a video blog. I am a littler nervous about how I came off to people, but I guess you have to start somewhere right? I also did a mini cooking demo this morning of my favorite breakfast sandwich, but for that I used a video camera and since it is Nick's I don't know how to move it to the computer or how to edit it afterward. So hopefully tonight he will show me how to do that and I'll be able to post another video.

Its official!

I will be making my first video blog tomorrow! I'm really excited, but really nervous about it!!! I played around with some video editing software this evening, so I think I'm ready to get it started! I haven't decided what I am going to make yet. I'm thinking maybe some fresh pasta, its easy and delicious! And I've been craving it! Or maybe a marsala dish... hmm we shall see. Stay tuned, tomorrow is going to be a big day!

Talapia with Orange Sauce

Ok, so Nick and I had this the other night and it was actually way tastier than I expected it to be. I got the idea from a cookbook but changed the ingredients up a bit to make it my own.

2 T melted butter
1 orange zested and juiced
1/4 t ground ginger
1/2 t white pepper
1 t salt
1 T flour
1/2 c milk
cayenne pepper for garnish

2 4 oz talapia fillets

stir together the first 5 ingredients.
Brush a little over the talapia fillets
broil talapia for approx 10 mins until cooked through
while cooking in a small sauce pan heat the first 5 ingredients
once boiling, add flour and whisk together
add milk whisk until thickened, if too thick, add more milk to thin out

pour over talapia
serve with rice or couscous and a veggie of your choice (we used broccoli but snap peas or something else would work too)
sprinkle just a tiny bit of cayenne pepper on top for color and a little kick! don't forget it, it really makes all the difference in the world... makes the dish not too sweet

Serves 2 - Calories - Approx 270 each (does not include side dishes, just main dish and sauce)

Creative Comfort Foods

So everyone has their comfort food, mine is Mac and Cheese, with bacon and chicken, Nick's on the other hand is Pork Pie. His mom brings us pork pies on a regular basis frozen so that we can just bake them off whenever we want... However, while we were eating some yesterday it dawned on me that I could make it a little different and still give it the comfort food feel. I'll keep you guys posted on how it turns out! I have high hopes for it!

What are your favorites that you would like to be healthy and I'll work on a recipe!

Whole Wheat Pancakes

Whole Wheat Pancakes

3/4 c - Whole Wheat Flour
1/2 c - All Purpose Flour
3 T - Splenda or Sugar
2 t - Baking powder
1/4 t - Salt

2 - large eggs separated
1 c - fat free milk
3 T - Butter melted

Non stick cooking spray
Griddle heated to 350 degrees

Ok, so these pancakes take a little longer to make but they are delicious!!!

For starters, put first 5 ingredients together in a medium mixing bowl
In a small bowl mix together melted butter, milk and egg yolks
And lastly whip up egg whites (with a CLEAN whisk!) until firm peaks
Add the milk mixture to the dry mixture and stir till combined
fold in the egg whites into the mixture (don't stir or won't be as light and fluffy)

Take a large soup spoon and on a greased (sprayed) griddle use 2 spoon fulls in each pancake, cook until bubbles set on top (about 3-5 mins) then flip and cook for another 2-3 mins!

Thats it! This recipe makes about 12 pancakes, and I'm putting a serving size down as 2 pancakes, although since they are low calorie, and relatively low fat you could easily have 3 and not feel guilty!

Stats - 178 calories; 8 g fat; 6 g protein; 21 g carbs.

They may not be the best, but they are definitely a million times better than what you would get in other places. They are super tasty!

Roasted Pineapple Alfredo with Cajun Chicken

Roasted Pineapple Alfredo with Cajun Chicken

This one may sound a little strange, but give it a chance! Its absolutely delicious with the spicy/sweet combination! I came up with it on my own, and LOVE it! Its a staple in our home!

1 can Pineapple slices in JUICE (if not roasting go with tidbits and save a step)
4 oz Feta Cheese (low fat or regular, the calorie count is usually the same, or close to it)
1/3 cup low fat or fat free milk
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 c diced onion
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 T flour
2 T canola oil or butter for creamier flavor

1/2 lb of fettuccine (I like the thickness of this noodle with the sauce, it mops up a little more)

4 - 4 oz chicken breasts, or 4 oz fillets of white fish (think cod, talapia, haddock), or 4 oz shrimp
Cajun spice blend (the grocery store offers Many options of these, the one I have right now is Webber brand)

Roast pineapple by laying slices on a broiler pan spraying with non stick cooking spray and sticking under the broiler for a few mins until lightly golden in color. Remove and let cool slice into small pieces once cooled.

Heat up the oil and saute the garlic and onion until softened, then add in the pineapple.
Add in the flour, stir for a moment then deglaze the pan with the pineapple juice, allow to come to a simmer for a few moments
add the chicken broth, return to a simmer.
Add the feta cheese and let thicken, thin out with the milk.
allow to cook down until fully combined and delicious

While the sauce is cooking, season the protein with your favorite cajun spice blend, and cook in non stick cooking spray. when using chicken, you can either dice up chicken before hand if you want it to cook quicker, serve it whole, or dice it up afterward.

serve both the protein and the sauce over the cooked pasta!

1/4 recipe of sauce is - 230 calories - 9 g fat, 23 g carbs, and 23 g protein
the pasta - approx 200 calories for 2 oz dried pasta (may vary by brand)
the chicken - approx 120 calories (may vary)

Total calorie count - 550 calories! Talk about a delicious dish that's low calorie! And its beyond delicious too!





And for an even better tasting dish make your own pasta!
One of the best gifts I ever received was a pasta roller, but it isn't necessary to have one as long as you have a rolling pin and either a knife or pizza cutter.

Stay tuned for my blog on home made pasta!

Breakfast Wednesdays

Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day! I could eat it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and NEVER get sick of it, so I figured I'd give some ideas for that too!

Mini Bagel Sandwiches

1 - mini bagel (like thomas whole wheat)
1 T - Philadelphia Light Cream Cheese
1 - large egg
2 slices - thin sliced bacon, or turkey bacon whichever you prefer

fry egg in non stick cooking spray
toast bagel
spread 1/2 T cream cheese on each side
cook bacon in pan, let drain if using regular bacon
cut bacon in half

layer sandwich accordingly

top
bacon
egg
bacon
bottom

Stats - 245 calories

If you want a more filling sandwich or would prefer 2 eggs for breakfast subsitute the mini bagel for bagel thins, so that you have more surface area, use 2 T cream cheese, and 2 or 4 slices of bacon depending on what you prefer

Stats - 380 calories

Much better than any breakfast you could get at a place!
Stay tuned for more delicious breakfasts!

Bon Appetit!

Healthy Menu Monday

The start of Healthy Menu Monday!

Ok, so ever monday I will be posting a recipe that is simple to make and makes you feel like you're eating a decadent meal, but without all the excess fat and calories! If you have any requests, feel free to email me! lrzuba@gmail.com!

Mushroom and Broccoli 'cream' Sauce
Servings for 2 (or 4 mini meals)
prep - 5 mins
cooking - 20 mins

7 oz - Mushrooms (sliced)
3 oz - Broccoli (cut into small pieces)
3 oz - Onion (diced)
1 clove - garlic
1 C - low fat or fat free milk
1 C - low sodium chicken broth
1 T - Olive or Canola Oil
1 T - All Purpose Flour (optional)
2 T - Parmesan Cheese (graded or shredded)

8 oz - Boneless skinless chicken breast (diced)

4 oz - whole wheat spaghetti

saute chicken using cooking spray with a little salt and pepper.
once cooked remove from pan and set aside.

add the oil to the pan and add all the veggies (mushroom, broccoli, onions and garlic)
season with a little salt and pepper.
saute until softened
*sprinkle flour over all veggies and stir in until combined, cook for about a minute
pour in the chicken stock and stir until combined, scraping up bits from the bottom of the pan
add in milk, stir
cook until slightly thickened

Serve 1 cup of sauce over 2 oz of cooked spaghetti, and 4 oz of diced chicken.
Top each serving with 1 T of parmesan cheese.

Calories - 515 calories; carbs - 58 g; fat - 10 g; protein - 30 g

If you prefer mini means, you can cook the same amount just use 1oz of cooked pasta per serving and only 1/2 cup of the sauce, still stick with the same amount of cheese and chicken and instead you're at only 355 calories total!

I promise you won't even miss the lack of cream!

* if you don't use flour, just keep in mind the sauce will take a little longer to cook down and thicken and you might end up with a little less sauce!