Category Archives: Mid-day

Lunch or Brunch, or something in that realm

Lemon Rosemary Chicken on Sauteed Cabbage

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LemonRosemaryChicken

Ok… so, in my “About Me” I said clearly that I’m not perfect, and my recipes won’t be perfect. They won’t always turn out perfect either! Today’s dinner is one of those examples! I wasn’t sure I wanted to post anything, BUT, I know that if I had changed the cooking time that the chicken would have been really good! So: Here goes!

Ingredients:

8 Chicken tenderloins (still frozen) or 3 Chicken Breasts (frozen)
1 TB olive oil
Juice AND zest of 1 lemon
1 tsp. minced garlic (or one clove)
1 cup low sodium chicken broth
1 tsp rosemary (chopped, and then place the almost empty stems into broth)
2 tsp. chives
1 tsp. chopped parsley for garnish

Put into crock pot on LOW for 4 hours. 5 Hours MAX! What I need, is a crock pot with a timer…  🙂 I cooked the chicken for over 7 hours… it was a bit dry! Flavor was great though! 🙂 Better next time.

 

 

 

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And now for the cabbage! I gotta say, you have to like cabbage for this one, but I was sick of the chicken and rice recipes, so cabbage it was! I took about 1/4 of the head of cabbage and cut it into smaller pieces. Then I cut up 1/5 of the onion and chopped and put it into a skillet with 2 TB olive oil with 1 tsp of garlic (minced), or 1/2 tsp garlic powder. Sautee until translucent and slightly browned. YUM! (Season with salt and pepper to taste)

The roll is the Honey Wheat rolls that I’ve made before. The recipe is SOO easy! It only takes 30 minutes too! Here’s the recipe: http://www.ihearteating.com/2013/07/29/30-minute-honey-wheat-rolls/

Homemade Chicken Nuggets!

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Dairy Free, Egg Free, kid friendly… homemade chicken nuggets!

I make these in small batches, because I have a picky eater that doesn’t like “reheated” homemade nuggets. They taste great to me, when frozen, if reheated… but he’s who they are for, so I just do a few at a time.

My recipe for that is below. If you want to do a larger batch, and freeze and reheat, just double or triple the recipe.

(I make these if the Perdue Simply Smart chicken nuggets are not on sale, because those are the only ones he likes/can eat with his food allergies)

Ingredients:

  • 5 boneless skinless chicken tenderloins
  • 1/4 cup coconut milk
  • 1/4 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp flax seed meal
  • 1 tbsp paprika
  • 1 tsp each salt & black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 cup coconut oil or sunflower oil for frying

Cut the boneless skinless chicken tenderloins in to little chunks (about 1 inch pieces)

Throw the chicken pieces in to a ziplog bag and add the 1/4 cup of coconut milk.  Marinate it in the fridge for an hour.  After an hour, take out your marinated chicken and pour out any excess coconut milk from the bag.

Grab your dry ingredients (all purpose flour, flax seed meal, paprika, garlic powder, salt, pepper) and stir them all together in a bowl.  Heat up your cooking oil of choice at medium fire, and while you wait for that to heat up, go to the next step. Place pieces of chicken into bowl with the dry ingredients and toss/stir around so that it gets very well coated. Basically massage/stir it around. Then, start frying your chicken pieces!  Try not to crowd them in the skillet.  It takes a few minutes on both sides to cook thoroughly.  You’ll know when it’s ready when it’s a golden brown color on both sides. 10.  When the nuggets are ready, place it on a plate with a dry paper towels to help remove some of the excess grease from cooking them. Then… dip into ketchup, or a different sauce of your choice… and enjoy!

Lighter Version of Banana Bread… and JUST AS GOOD!

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lighterbananabread

2 large bananas
1/2 cup honey
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 cage free egg
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1/2 cup half&half
1/4 cup apple sauce
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp baking soda
3 tsp baking powder
2 cups all purpose flour

 

Preheat oven to 350. Grease bread loaf pan, unless it’s non stick.

Mix all dry ingredients into a large bowl, make sure to mix well.

Mix all wet ingredients in another bowl, make sure to mix thoroughly.

Add liquid mix to dry mix and stir thoroughly.

Put into bread loaf pan and cook for approximately 55 to 65 minutes. I always start checking the colour around 50 minutes, should be a nice golden brown. Insert a toothpick in centre to check if it’s done. Toothpick may be moist from bananas, just make sure it’s not moist from batter.

Let bread cool in pans for about 5 to 10 minutes. Run a knife along outside edge to loosen sides.

Looking for something sweet, add chocolate chips! You can also add walnuts or pecans for extra flavor!

Homemade Pot-Pie!

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The above pictures shows the progression of Homemade Pot-Pie! (I didn’t make the crust homemade, because I had one leftover in my freezer. You buy a box w/2, use only 1, and you’ve got an extra in your freezer for whatever!! Pot Pie for me!)

Original Recipe: http://www.simplyscratch.com/2012/12/chicken-pot-pies.html

COOK TIME: 25-30 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 1 hour 30 minutes {give or take}

INGREDIENTS:

5 Boneless skinless chicken tenderloins (sauteed in skillet and cooked through, then diced)

2 TB butter

1.5 cup frozen mixed vegetables

2 Celery Stalks, diced small

1/2 sweet onion diced small

1 cup Chicken Broth

2 TB flour

2 teaspoons Kosher Salt, more or less to taste

1/2 teaspoons Black Pepper, more or less to taste

1 teaspoon cumin

1 frozen pie crust, thawed to room temperature

4 ramekins

 

DIRECTIONS:

TO Sautee the chicken: Place all chicken tenderloins into skillet w/1 turn olive oil (1 TB). Season with salt, pepper and a dash of coriander (1/2 tsp). Cook until BARELY cooked through.

TO MAKE THE POT PIES: Preheat your oven to 375 degrees and grease 4 10-ounce ramekins with olive oil cooking spray.

 

Thaw the pie crust out and use a bowl {slightly larger than the ramekin}, trace and cut out 4 circles, using the scraps to make more if needed. Keep the dough circles in the fridge so they stay cold.

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet.

Add in the onions and celery and cook for 5 minutes. Season with a teaspoon of kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper and 1/4 tsp cumin. Cook until the onions are soft.

Now add in 1 TB olive oil, and the 2 TB of flour to form a roux.

Pour in the 2 cups of chicken broth. Let that simmer, stirring occasionally until thickened 3-5 minutes. Then add the 3 TB of grated parmesan cheese.

Next add in the mixed frozen veggies, cooked chicken and season w/salt&pepper to taste. Stir.

Place the ramekins on a rimmed baking sheet. Spray w/ fat free olive oil cooking spray. (At this point, if you wanted to, you could add diced potato to the bottom of the ramekins.

Spoon the pot pie filling evenly, filling the ramekins to the brim. Let them cool down a bit before placing the pie dough over top and crimping the edges. With a sharp knife make slits for ventilation.

Slide the tray of pot pies into a preheated 375 degree oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the crust is golden.

Remove and let them cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!

NOTES:

*For a glossy top crust, try spraying w/cooking spray and sprinkling with sea salt.

Honey Lime “Guacamole”… or “A Twist on Guacamole”

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HoneyLimeCilantrodip

I could also call this “Messy Bowl” 🙂

original recipe: http://easyrecipestodo.blogspot.com/2013/11/grilled-corn-avocado-and-tomato-salad.html

INGREDIENTS
1 pint grape tomatoes (I’m not a big tomato fan… I only had a few in there for “garnish”…)
1 ripe avocado
1 bag of Steam Fresh sweet corn (or 2 ears freshly grilled corn from original recipe)
2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
HONEY LIME DRESSING
Juice of 1 lime
3 tbsp canola oil
1 tbsp honey
Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste
1/2 tsp garlic, minced
Dash of cayenne pepper

DIRECTIONS
Remove husks from corn and grill over medium heat for 10 minutes. The corn should have some brown spots and be tender and not mushy. Cut the corn off the cob then scrape the cob with the back of your knife to get the juices. Set aside and let cool. Slice the tomatoes in half. Dice the avocado and chop the cilantro.
HONEY LIME DRESSING
1. Add all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.
2. Combine the sliced tomatoes, avocado, cilantro and grilled corn and honey lime dressing and mix gently so everything is evenly coated. Be careful not to mash the avocados. Let the salad sit for 10-15 minutes to let flavors mingle. Enjoy.

Sunday Lunch

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There are a few recipes that need to go in here… so I’ll start with the simple.

Beets:

Fresh beets, cut up and boiled for 20 minutes. Then, drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with salt. YUM!

Guacamole:

2 avocados, sliced and diced
the juice of 1 lime
1/4 sweet onion
splash of hot sauce
1 small bunch of FRESH cilantro (about 1/4 cup)
grape tomatoes sliced in half (I used around 10)

Shrimp Caprese Orzo Pasta

Original recipe: http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=2746948

Minutes to Prepare: 5
Minutes to Cook: 10
Number of Servings: 4

 

Ingredients

Orzo Pasta, 1 cup 
Grape Tomatoes cut in 1/2, 1 cup 
1/2 tsp minced garlic
Basil, 1 tbsp
 White Balsamic Vinegar, 1 tbsp 
Salt, 1 dash
Pepper, black, 1 dash
*Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 1 tbsp
Juice of 1 lemon, plus the zest
Shrimp, raw, 10 medium
1/4 of a cucumber, sliced
FRESH mozzarella cut into slices
While orzo pasta is cooking according to box instructions, mix the tomatoes, half the garlic, the basil, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, and mozzarella cheese in a serving dish.In the oven, at 350 degrees, cook shrimp in the remaining garlic and the EVOO. About 8-15 minutes (depending on size and if they were frozen).

Drain pasta and stir together with diced tomato mixture and then top with cooked shrimp.

Serving Size: Makes 3-4 Dinner Portions

Number of Servings: 4

1/2 tsp. minced garlic

 

Greek Chicken:

adapted from this recipe: http://www.budgetbytes.com/2013/06/greek-marinated-chicken/

Ingredients
  • 1 cup plain greek yogurt
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp minced garlic
  • ½ Tbsp dried oregano $0.08
  • 1/2 small bunch fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1 medium lemon
  • ½ tsp ground himalayan sea salt
  • freshly cracked pepper $0.05
  • ÂĽ bunch fresh parsley $0.20
  • 3½ to 4 lbs chicken pieces $6.86
  • Instructions
    1. To make the marinade, combine the yogurt, olive oil, minced garlic, oregano, salt, and some freshly cracked pepper in a bowl. Use a fine holed cheese grater or a zester to scrape the thin layer of yellow zest from the lemon skin into the bowl. Also add the juice from half of the lemon (about 1-2 Tbsp). Stir until the ingredients are well combined. Roughly chop a big handful, or about ÂĽ bunch, of parsley and stir it into the marinade.
    2. Add the chicken pieces and marinade to a gallon sized zip top bag. Remove as much air as possible, close the bag tightly, and massage the bag to mix the contents and make sure the chicken is well coated. Refrigerate the bag for 30 minutes.
    3. After marinating for 30 minutes, either cook the chicken on a grill OR preheat the oven to 375 degrees in preparation to bake the chicken.
    4. To bake the chicken, place the chicken pieces in a large casserole dish (9×13). Bake the chicken in the preheated 375 degree oven for 45-60 minutes, or until golden brown on top.

 

 

Holy Yum Chicken!

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holyyumchicken

Holy Yum Chicken!!

Ok…. #1, this picture does NOT do this justice. Not at all. My plate is too big. That’s 1 1/2 chicken thighs… seriously. But this chicken… oh man. The name fits it perfectly! I did not change anything in this recipe. I cannot claim it as my own. So… if you want to experience this AMAZING chicken (you MUST like mustard to like this)…. go to this website for the recipe. You’ll be glad you did. Holy Yum chicken… mmmmmm!!!!!

http://www.tablefortwoblog.com/holy-yum-chicken/

AMAZING!!!!!

Creamy Dill White-fish

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CreamyDillFish

Adapted from this recipe: http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=2673535

Minutes to Prepare: 5
Minutes to Cook: 20
Number of Servings: 6

Ingredients

1.5 cup 2% low-fat cottage cheese
1 teaspoon fresh chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried (or fresh) dill
1/8 teaspoon cracked black pepper
6 (3-ounce) fresh tilapia fillets (I actually used Dover Sole. I prefer wild caught fish, and tilapia only had farm raised available.)
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons toasted panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)1/2 tsp garlic powder
3 TB grated parmesan cheeseCombine the cottage cheese with parsley, dill, garlic, salt, parmesan cheese and pepper in a small bowl. Arrange tilapia fillets on a foil covered sheet pan. Evenly spread the cottage cheese mixture over each filet. Sprinkle each with 1 tablespoon of panko breadcrumbs. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Then, at the end, broil on LOW for 3-5 minutes until crispy.

Serving Size: 6 servings; 1 piece of fish per serving

Crispy Pan Fried “Mexican” Chicken

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Adapted from this original recipe: http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=838597

1 pound boneless, skinless frozen chicken tenderloins
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1 cup low-sodium salsa
1 cup coconut milk (or buttermilk)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. 

Combine the panko, taco seasoning. cumin and salt in a shallow dish.
Soak the chicken in a bag w/the buttermilk or coconut milk for 30 minutes in the fridge. Then, coat in the seasoned bread crumbs. The original recipe called for you to then place on a sprayed baking sheet, and bake the chicken: Bake for 20 minutes or until the meat reaches 165 degrees. I personally thought it didn’t get crispy enough. I, therefore, heated 2 TB of olive oil in a skillet and pan fried the chicken for approximately 5 minutes per side. Serve with salsa. I also made a salad and corn to go with it. The salad dressing is my recipe as listed in a previous post.

Each serving: 3 ounces chicken and 1/4 cup salsa

#cookinghealthy #500caloriesorless #quickcooking

Hawaiian BBQ Burritos

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Adapted from this original recipe: http://mixandmatchmama.blogspot.com/2014/05/dinner-tonight-hawaiian-bbq-chicken.html

Ingredients:
5 Frozen Chicken Tenderloins
1 cup of your favorite BBQ sauce
1/4 cup of salsa (or use 1 seeded jalapeno)
1/2 (4 oz used) can of crushed pineapple
2 green onions (scallions) chopped
3 burrito sized tortillas
Shredded Cheese

(This recipe makes 3-4 burritos, you can add more chicken to make more. I usually cook for 2 people and have 1 person leftovers)

Put 1 TB of olive oil in the bottom of your skillet. Place the chicken tenderloins (still frozen) into your skillet, and top w/half of the BBQ sauce, and place lid. Cook on medium-medium high heat. It will take 15-20 min. to cook through. Then, take 2 forks and shred the meat. Then, add the remaining BBQ sauce, salsa and pineapple. Cover again, and just before serving, top with scallions.

Serve on burrito tortilla w/shredded cheese.