Pesto chicken salad

 Bake: Chicken breast spinkle with lemon pepper /herb style seasoning.

 Chop: sundried tomatoes onion celery pesto mayo black pepper walnuts roasted red bell pepper spinach or lettuce

 bake chicken, remove skin, chop/shred mix with chopped ingredients. 

spread on bread or rolls

top with red bell pepper and spinach

Fruity Chicken Salad

 Chop: apple celery dried cranberries mayo Pepper pecans 

 Bake chick breast sprinkled with 5 spice powder and pepper. mix w mayo and chopped ingredients. 

Very good on foccacia.

Greek Zucchini

Zucchini and feta were definitely on the menu but I needed a recipe. The inspiration for this dish came from Veggie Mama. She posted a recipe for zucchini boats that looked and sounded delicious. I wanted something with a few less steps and did a little research to come up with this one... I also had some grape tomatoes that needed to be used up. Quite tasty for a clean out the frig dish! 

 2 med zucchini, sliced 1/2 grape tomatoes, sliced in half 3 cloves garlic Black Pepper Oregano 1/3 c feta cheese water Saute veggies, garlic, pepper and oregano in a little water with lid until just tender. Sprinkle with feta and allow to melt.

Braised Cabbage with Ham

The braised cabbage recipe I usually make is with bacon, so in the interest of better health I made it with ham today. Well okay we didn't have any bacon but whatever, its still healthier. Trader Joe's had a spiral sliced unsmoked ham (nitate free) on sale a couple months ago and we had just eaten a ham so there were lots of leftovers and I froze them. This is a great strategy. We have been pulling out ham to make omelets, breakfast sandwiches, Hawaiian pizzas (as well as other pizzas), Sugie added some to her pork and beans the other day (very tasty) and now braised cabbage. 

 1 whole sweet onion, cut up 1 cup of ham (more or less) torn in bite size pieces 1 medium head of cabbage, chopped roughly into 1 inch pieces 4 cloves of garlic butter olive oil black pepper to taste 1 c chicken broth (optional) 3 T white wine Brown the ham in a little butter, remove. Add onion , saute in a little olive oil til tender. Put ham back in cook a few more minutes, then add cabbage. Stir and cook a few minutes. Add Chicken broth and garlic. Cook for about 15 minutes til cabbage reaches the tenderness you prefer. Add wine, stir and cook for another minute or two. Serve with a nice french or Italian bread. Notes: I like to cut the onions "chinese" style: cut in half vertically (thru the root)remove peel and cut off root. slice from one end to the other so you end up with little wedges. The original recipe called for 8 ounces of bacon. I never used that much. Usually about 4 slices, sometimes less. The original recipe used 1 clove of garlic, I like a little more :) I use much less than the original 2 T of butter and a little less than the 1 T olive oil called for. The chicken broth is my own addition since al dente vegetables are scorned here. It also gives it a little sauce which is good. As usual I omitted the salt. I didn't miss it at all, especially since the ham provides plenty on its own.

Squash Mushroom Medley

Grandma Bressler used to make a squash casserole that I liked, unfortunately I never got the recipe from her but I suspect it was made with mushroom soup. I was looking for a similar recipe online but decided to shortcut and save calories with this improvised but tasty dish.

1 yellow squash, sliced

1 zucchini, sliced

2 mushrooms, sliced

1 slice of onion chopped

pepper

dash of butter

splash of milk

Sauté until veggies are tender, about 10 -20 minutes depending on freshness and thickness of slices.

Notes:

It was fine as is, but I might try some herbs next time.

I didn't brown them but you could if you like.

Watercress and Mushroom Omelet

I am currently looking for ways to eat watercress which happens to be in season right now too. I was curious to find out how to eat it (besides throwing it in a salad with other greens) and discovered that it is quite the little nutrition powerhouse and is apparently fairly inexpensive too. This recipe is delicious! I made this to serve two people.

1 tsp butter

3 mushrooms, sliced

2 scallions, chopped fairly small

about 1/2 to 3/4 c fresh watercress, stems removed and chopped roughly

3 lg eggs

1-2 T half n half

black pepper

swiss cheese

Reserve about 1/3 of the chopped watercress to add after cooking with the cheese.

Melt just enough butter to cover the bottom of a nonstick skillet.

Sauté mushrooms sprinkled with black pepper on low heat about 2 minutes, add scallions continue to sauté another 2 minutes, then add watercress and saute 1 more minute. I didn't brown any of these just softened them.

Combine eggs, black pepper, and half n half (or milk or water) in a bowl whisk them until well mixed. Pour over the softened veges and cook over medium to low heat. Flip and put cheese and reserved watercress on half then fold over. Turn off heat when eggs are done and allow to sit about one minute to melt the cheese.

Tropical Papaya Fruit Salad

2 c papaya

2 grapefruit

2 oranges

1 can of pineapple in its own juice

Mix and chill.

Note: I saved most of the pineapple juice for another use.

Pork with Apples and Sweet Potatoes

I had purchased a whole pork loin and froze 2/3 of it without cutting it first so then had to thaw all of and come up with several recipes to use it up. This was pretty easy and even tastier than I expected.

 

about 1 lb of pork loin

apple, chopped, not peeled

sweet potato, chopped

Orange wedges and juice

sprinkle brown sugar

drizzle of honey

crushed fennel seed

crushed rosemary

black pepper

garlic powder

water

The amounts will depend on how much meat you have and how many people you are feeding, and how much you like each seasoning. Go light on the brown sugar as this is meant to be a savory dish

Put chopped apples and sweet potatoes on bottom of 7x11 pyrex baking dish (or whatever) and rest roast in center sprinkle seasonings on vegetables and meat. 

Bake 40 -60 minutes depending on the size of the roast.

Note:

I like to crumble the fennel seeds and rosemary so you don't get to much in one bite...

I usually put a little water (or other liquid) in the bottom of the pan to keep things moist and prevent the juices from burning while baking.

I think I will try adding some chopped onions next time to give it a little more complexity.

Cuban Style Black Bean Soup

I am finally getting around to making my black bean soup for the first time this winter (well okay its Spring now but you get the idea). I am posting the recipe I have been using for years although I made a few change this time which i will note at the end.

1 pound bag of dried black beans (soaked)

1 large (or two small) sweet onions, chopped (yellow would be fine since the're being cooked)

3-4 stalks of celery, chopped

3-4 carrots, sliced (I used 1/2 of a 1 lb bag of baby carrots)

3-4 large garlic cloves (more if small)

1 large jalapeño, finely chopped

1 ham bone (with some meat left on it)

1 15 oz can Hunts tomato sauce

1 c low sodium chicken stock or vegetable stock

6-8 c water

3 T red wine vinegar

1 bay leaf

1 1/2 tsp oregano

1 1/2 tsp cumin

1 tsp thyme

1/4 tsp summer savory

1/8 tsp allspice

black pepper

drizzle of olive oil to sauté the vegetables

In large soup pot, drizzle the olive oil and heat on low. Add the chopped onions, chop the next vegetable, add, stir and so on until all are in the pot then continue to sauté until onions and celery are soft, taking care not to let them brown.

Add remaining ingredients and make sure the ham bone is covered by liquids. Simmer about 2 hours. Remove ham bone after 1 1/2 hours and pick meat off, shred and return to pot (discard the bone).

Serve with a dollap of sour cream and chopped cilantro. I like to serve with corn bread but had some tamales in the freezer and served them instead.

Notes:

I normally use crushed red pepper but put in jalapeño instead this time. I keep some in the freezer most of the time and it seems like a more traditional ingredient so I made that part of the main recipe.

I used a 29 oz can tomato sauce this time, 1 c chicken broth 1 cup vege broth and a little less water. It was a more tomato-ey soup than usual but was very good.

I want to try adding a green bell pepper next time but did not have one on hand today.

I happened to have about a cup of chopped butternut squash in the frig so I threw that in and it was very good, plus added a little color.

Asian Cole Slaw

Here is another of my favorite dishes from Franklins that I have been trying to replicate. Not only is it very tasty but since there is no mayonnaise it's much healthier too. I really think the sweet chili sauce is the secret ingredient I have been trying to figure out...

Asian Slaw

shredded red cabbage

shredded carrots

sweet chili sauce

grated ginger

splash soy sauce

splash rice wine vinegar

cilantro

splash lime juice

scallions

Mix and marinate if you can wait long enough.

Some ideas to try:

scallions

sesame seeds

sesame oil

maybe leave out the soy sauce to lower sodium content...

AND SUNFLOWER SEEDS!!! <---this div="" good="" idea...="" is="" s="" sounds="" vickie="">

Broccoli Cheese Soup

I am not quite sure if this qualifies as health food since it is somewhat high in fat but it does contain vegetables if thats any consolation. McDonalds is now offering broccoli soup and thats where I got the inspiration to make this recipe. I am quite certain that mine has lower sodium content since I add no salt... If you think its a little bland you may want to add some. This was my first attempt at this dish so some tweaking will likely need to be done.

Broccoli Cheese Soup

2 T butter

1/2 chopped onion

Black pepper

Nutmeg

Low sodium chicken broth

1 small head broccoli

2 c Milk

4 0z Cheddar ( shredded or cut in small pieces to facilitate melting)

Melt butter in medium saucepan. Saute onion and black pepper until soft, do not brown.

Add nutmeg and chicken broth (vegetable broth would probably be good here as well).

when almost done add milk, heat, add cheese, melt.

Notes:

Do not allow milk to boil or it will curdle. It will taste fine but the texture is somewhat repulsive...If this happens, sprinkle shredded cheddar on individual bowls of soup to disguise the texture.

It needed more cheese, so I sprinkled it on top of each bowl.

I may try adding garlic next time...maybe a combination of cheeses...

Chipotle Chicken Quesadillas

Move over Franklins, I finally made a chicken quesadilla as good as theirs! lol. Heres a good way to use up some of the adobo sauce from the chipotles. Super easy too.

chicken breasts

adobo sauce (from the chipotle in adobo)

oregano

cumin

garlic powder

tortillas

cheese

salsa

sour cream

cilantro

I cut up some boneless chicken breasts in to 4-5 long strips, coat with adobo sauce, sprinkle with seasonings, broil in toaster oven for about 5 minutes per side, chop in small bite size pieces.

Lightly toast tortillas, put chicken on one half, top with cheese, fold in half, place in toaster oven to melt, add toppings and serve with the yummy pinto beans (or whatever).

Notes:

Trader Joe's Whole Grain with oatmeal and flaxseed tortillas really went well with the smoky flavored chicken.

Tortillas taste much better toasted. The trick is to get them toasted enough to taste good without drying them out too much and making them brittle. Be careful to allow for the extra cooking time when toasting them since they go back in the oven to melt the cheese.

I have been using Greek yogurt in place of sour cream as a healthier alternative.

I also made this with an uncut chicken breast, which was easier, though not quicker since it took longer to cook, and did not have as much of the adobo flavor. It was fine though and I didn't have to dirty a cutting board, knife , etc. Lazy version takes more like 10 minutes per side. This went with the leftover beans for a quick Monday night dinner.

Chipotle Pinto Beans

I finally made another attempt at Pinto beans. Last time I made them similar to other bean soup recipes and they were a bit bland and I couldn't seem to figure out how to liven them up. The answer: chipotles in adobo. Smoked sausage adds a nice smoky flavor which helps too.

1 lb pinto beans, soaked

1/2 lb smoked sausage (like kielbasa), sliced thinly

1 large onion, chopped

1/2 green bell pepper

3-4 garlic cloves, minced

3-4 carrots, sliced thinly

1-2 chipotles in adobo sauce, minced

1 can zucchini in tomato sauce

1 can whole tomatoes, smushed

1 small can tomato sauce (no salt added)

2 cups low sodium vegetable broth (or chicken broth)

2 cups water

black pepper

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp cumin

1 bay leaf

Brown the sausage in large soup pot. When almost done add onions and some black pepper and allow them to carmelize a bit too. Add bell pepper, carrots and garlic and allow to cook about 5 minutes or so (stir a few times) before adding liquid. Add remaining ingredients and allow to simmer about 2-3 hours or more (stirring occasionally) until the beans are softened.

I served these with chipotle chicken quesadillas (recipe will be in next post).

Notes:

I used 3 chipotles and it was a bit too hot. I will try 2 next time.

The zucchini in tomato sauce was just what I had on hand, but I liked it and will use it again.

The form of tomatoes you use can vary greatly. I prefer Hunts tomato products. the soups never taste right to me when I use other brands. (The zucchini was Del Monte). I am sure it just depends on what you are used to, as long as it is good quality.

Carrot Soup by Jackie

Submitted by Jackie:

Coconut Carrot Soup

carrots,
can of coconut milk,
dill seed,

S n P,
cilantro

Boil carrots until soft. Place in blender with all other ingredients, except
cilantro. Blend until smooth. Reheat, serve and top with cilantro.

Cannellini Bean burger (Jackie)

Submitted by:Jackie Green

I had to get creative with dinner this weekend thanks to the lack of groceries, thanks to the snow. I made both of these and they were delicious:

Cannellini Bean Burger

drained cannellini beans,
minced fresh ginger,
chili garlic sauce,
bread crumbs,
egg,
minced garlic,
couscous,
soy sauce,

fresh spinach (or any salad mix)

and

for coating:

sesame seeds,
flour,
salt n pepper

Fry garlic and ginger for 1-2 minutes. Mash the beans and add all
ingredients, except spinach. Shape into burger patties and coat in the coating mix. Fry in sesame oil until browned. Serve over a few spinach leaves. Great
with plum sauce.

Extra Healthy Chili

Here is my latest healthy take on chili...

1/2 pound ground beef

1 whole onion, chopped (2 if small)

1 small (or 1/2 large) green bell pepper, chopped

1/4 large red bell pepper, chopped (optional)

2-4 cloves garlic

2-4 carrots, thinly sliced , chopped or grated

2 15 oz cans diced tomatoes (with basil garlic oregano or plain)

1 15 oz can tomato sauce

1 can dark red kidney beans

1 can light red kidney beans

2 cans black beans

1 can cannelini beans (aka white kidney beans)

1 can chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans)

2-4 cups of water

1 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp ground red pepper (more if you want it spicy)

1 tsp oregano

2 tsp cumin

2 Tbsp chili powder

Brown ground beef, add one at a time all the vegetables allowing each to cook a few minutes before the next addition. Then add all liquids, beans and spices. Cook a bout 2 hours.

Notes:

You can make with just kidney beans if you want a more traditional version or any combination you like/have on hand.

I use some low sodium tomato products and some regular so I don't change the flavor too much, and rinse the beans to lower the sodium content and make it healthier.

If you want the nutrition without changing the texture or look, grate or shred (or use food processor) the carrots before cooking. The flavor doesn't stand out so that's not an issue (probably makes it a little sweeter tasting). Definitely adds lots of vitamins though.

Make a pot on Sunday and eat leftovers all week.

I serve the leftovers with grated cheddar cheese on the top of the already reheated bowl of chili and let it melt on top... yummy!

Leftover Lamb Fajitas

I bought a marinated lamb roast (with rosemary and other herbs) from Aldi recently and it was delicious. There were lots of leftovers though. So i looked for a recipe that I happened to have all the ingredient for and made lamb fajitas.

Lamb, cut in strips

onion strips

red and green bell pepper strips

a splash of worchestershire sauce

cumin

oregano

black pepper

crushed red pepper

butter

olive oil

tortillas

sour cream or greek yogurt

salsa

cilantro

Saute lamb strips in butter and spices. Saute vegetables in spices and worchestershire sauce. combine and serve with toasted tortillas (heat in pan until they are slightly brown and a little puffy) Add toppings as desired.

Note: Fajitas are usually made with lime juice, I just didn't have any on hand. Could add while cooking or with the toppings.

I have also done this with leftover beef and it would probably work with chicken or pork as well.

Pumpkin Pancakes

This recipe came from Martha Stewart

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons sugar; 2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon each cinnamon, ground ginger

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

a pinch of ground cloves.

Mix dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Stir together 1 cup milk, 6 tablespoons canned pumpkin puree, 2 tablespoons melted butter, and 1 egg in 2nd bowl; fold mixture into dry ingredients.

Melt some butter in a skillet over medium heat; pour in 1/4 cup batter for each pancake. Cook pancakes about 3 minutes per side; serve with butter and syrup.

My optional add – ins: ground flaxseed for added fiber and omega-3. May try ground pecans or walnuts next time. I think I forgot the ground cloves and it was fine, but will add them next time.

Smoked Salmon Spread

If life gives you lemons, make lemonade... if life gives you smoked salmon make salmon spread:)

4 ounces cream cheese

1 tsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp horseradish

1/4 finely chopped sweet onion

black pepper

1/2 cup of smoke salmon, roughly chopped

Mix cream cheese and next 4 ingredients, then gently mix in salmon. Top with parsley or dill and roasted red pepper strips. Refrigerate for a couple of hours and serve with crackers.

Taste and adjust quantities to your own preferences

Tis the season for zuppa tuscana

This soup is based on Olive Garden's Zuppa Toscana.

1-2 Italian Sausage links, sliced thinly

Bacon
1 med onion, chopped
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
2-3 potatoes, diced
1/2 bunch of kale,
2 cups low sodium Chicken broth
2 cups water

black pepper
pinch of crushed red pepper

1/4 tsp fennel seed ( I grind it up in a mortar and pestle)
milk or cream (or half n half)

Brown sausage and onions. Add garlic and stir for 1-2 minutes. Add remaining ingredients except milk. When potatoes are tender and kale is tender add milk , heat through.

Note:

The original recipe calls for bacon too ( brown it with the sausage and onion) but I didn't have any and it tasted just fine.

I have used many different types of sausages, Apple smoked chicken sausage, turkey sausage, etc. to make it healthier. I even used a bratwurst once when it was all I had on hand and they were all good.

I find the fennel seed to strong if left whole, but it adds a nice flavor to the soup.

I use mostly milk with a small amount of cream to give it the rich flavor without all the fat.

I sometimes add a bit of wine before the milk too, if I have some leftover, but it is optional.