Chicken Marsala Meatball Recipe

So this recipe came together from 2 ideas.  Last November I was looking into the menu of my favorite celebrity chef's new restaurant and saw Chicken Marsala Meatballs and thought that sounded interesting (Thanks Giada!)  Then I was talking to my Mom this weekend and she said she made Chicken Marsala for my Dad and he loved it, mushrooms and all (something he normally doesn't eat).  So with that I decided I was going to try making these Chicken Marsala Meatballs.  They turned out really tasty and can be served over whole wheat noodles, or with a baked potato and extra veggies, or on a whole wheat sub roll.  I'll let you get creative with that!

The size of my meatballs afforded me 16 meatballs from 1 pound of meat.  You can make them a little larger or smaller depending on your needs.  If you make them smaller, reduce the time under the broiler to 5 minutes and if they are larger increase the time to 9 minutes.

Ingredients-

¼ cup panko breadcrumbs

2 tablespoons milk, room temperature

⅓ cup plus 1 tablespoon Marsala wine

¼ cup grated parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving

1 large egg, beaten

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1 pound ground chicken

Coarse salt

Ground black pepper

2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced (you can use any, I just love cremini, which are aka baby bellas)

1 large shallot, minced  (you can use onion)

2 teaspoons flour

1 ¼ cups low-sodium chicken broth

Directions - 

Preheat the broiler to high.

In a large bowl, mix together the breadcrumbs, milk and 1 tablespoon Marsala. Leave to soak for a few minutes.  Add the parmesan, egg, parsley, salt and the pepper and ground chicken.  With your hands, gently mix together the ingredients until just combined.  Form the mixture into tablespoon-size balls and place on an oiled baking sheet.  Broil for 7 minutes, or until the meatballs are beginning to brown and are just barely cooked through.  Remove from the oven and set aside.

In a deep skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring until the mushrooms are brown on all sides, about 5 minutes.  Add the shallots and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook for another 2 minutes.  Lower the heat to medium and stir in the flour and the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the 1/3 cup Marsala and stir until the mixture is smooth.  Whisk in the chicken broth and simmer for 5 minutes.  Add the meatballs to the sauce and simmer for an additional 10 minutes to let the flavors blend and ensure the chicken is cooked through.

Buffalo Veggie Chicken Bake

So I have been doing the Beachbody 21 Day Day Fix, and for the most part eating basic meals that I can easily put into the containers, but I decided to try a recipe.  This particular recipe is equivalent to 1 and 1/2 Green, 1/2 red, 1/2 yellow, 3/4 blue and 1 tsp.  There are 4 servings.

This recipe was really good.  It reads like it is difficult, but it really wasn't.  My biggest advice is to prep everything (measure out) before starting, that way you aren't doing it while the flour or onions cook.

Ingredients:

• 6 Cups cooked Broccoli and Cauliflower, chopped and seasoned with salt and pepper.  (Feel free to use a steam fresh bag of veggies or fresh veggies steamed)
• 1 1/2 cups cooked chicken, diced or shredded
• 2/3 cup red onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup hot sauce
• 1/4 cup flour, plus 2 tbsp (divided) (I use Whole Wheat White Flour)
• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1 cup shredded 2% Cheddar Cheese
• 1/2 cup plain Greek Yogurt
• 3 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1/2 tsp ground mustard (if you don't have ground mustard, use 2 tsp of yellow mustard)
• Salt and Pepper

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a casserole dish, add veggies, chicken, and 2 tbsp. flour and mix together.
• Heat 2 tbsp. of oil in a sauce pan over medium high heat. Whisk in the flour. Let cook for a few minutes, whisking occasionally to prevent burning, until the flour turns a caramel color. Add in the salt, pepper, and ground mustard.
• Whisk in the almond milk so that it thickens, then add the cheese and mix until well combined.
• Remove from heat and mix in the Greek yogurt and hot sauce.
• In a small saute pan, heat remaining 1 tbsp. of oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until caramelized, about 5 minutes.
• Add the onions to the sauce, and then pour the sauce mixture over the chicken and veggies. Stir to combine.
• Top with remaining 1/2 cup shredded cheese and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until cheese has melted.

So yummy!!!

Easy Chicken Fajita Bake

Do you have chicken breast?  Can you slice an onion and pepper?  Do you have an oven?  Then you can make this meal!  Prep time on this is less than 5 minutes (depending on how fast you can slice lol).  Then all you have to do is bake.

Firstly, I make my own taco/fajita seasoning because I love to salt my food, so I don't need the additional sodium that comes in the packets of taco and fajita seasoning.  I usually make a batch and keep it in the pantry with my other spices, but please feel free to just use a taco seasoning packet (you only need 2 tsp for this recipe).  If you want to make your own, here is the recipe for that.

Taco Seasoning Mix

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp chili powder

1 ½  tsp cumin

1 ½  tsp paprika

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp salt

½ tsp garlic powder

½ tsp onion powder

¼ tsp cayenne pepper

Directions:

Mix all spices together!

Now, for the Fajita Bake...

Ingredients:

Cooking Spray (I use my misto)

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast or thighs (your preference)

1 large onion

2 bell peppers (I like Red, but use whatever colors you want)

1 tbsp olive oil

2 tsp taco/fajita seasoning

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

(salt and pepper to taste)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375

Spray a baking dish with cooking spray, lay chicken in baking dish.  Season with salt and pepper and the 2 tsp of taco seasoning.  Top with the sliced onions and peppers.  Drizzle the olive oil over the veggies.  Top with cheese.  Bake at 375 for 30-35 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.

It's that easy!  You can serve with Greek Yogurt, Sour Cream, Guacamole, Tortillas, Tortilla Chips, or just eat it on it's own like I did.  Well I paired it with some Spanish Brown Rice, which made a filling and healthy dinner.

Turkey Meatloaf Recipe

Hello!!
So I have been making a lot of one pot meals with Ground Turkey, Veggie and Brown Rice, it's delicious, but I wanted something different.  I decided to make a Turkey Meatloaf, but most of the ones I have made in the past have been pretty tasteless.  I decided to season up the meat and add some sauteed veggies and to use gluten free oats, as normally I omit the breadcrumbs and the meatloaf isn't the same texture as I like.  I just put the 3/4 cup of oats into my Nutribullet for 3 seconds (you can do this in a food processor or blender, as well).  This really did the trick.  So below is the recipe.

Ingredients:

1 cup diced onion
2 ribs of celery, diced into small pieces
3 garlic gloves minced, or 2 tsp of already minced garlic
1 pound of ground turkey
1 egg white (or use the whole egg)
2 tsp Worcester sauce
3/4 cup Gluten Free Oats (ground)
2 tsp ground flax seed (optional, I add it for the nutrients)
1 tsbp tomato paste (or ketchup)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
ketchup


Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Super easy, just saute your onion, celery and garlic in a little olive oil spray in a non-stick pan.  Once cooked, mix everything, except the ketchup, into a bowl and form into a loaf.  Spray a meatloaf pan with olive oil spray and fill with the meat.  Top the meat with as much or as little ketchup as you like.  (I use an organic ketchup and just drizzle a few lines).  Cook for 1 hour.  Serve with a potato and veggie. Enjoy.

Buffalo Chicken Chili Recipe

Good morning!! 

Long time no post, right?  Life has been busy!!  I hope everyone is well.  I have been struggling a bit with my thyroid illness, gained a few pounds over the last year, but still maintaining a healthy diet.  My biggest obstacle right now is that to lose this 10 pounds I have gained, is to EXERCISE, but the downside to an underactive thyroid is exhaustion!  Exercise and Exhaustion do not go hand in hand.  BUT, I need to make it work and I am focused.

In the meantime, I have been trying out some new recipes and this one I found for Buffalo Chicken Chili is INSANELY good.  I adapted it from a recipe on Skinnytaste.com, to make it a fully clean meal.  I topped it with Greek Yogurt and, oh man, was it delicious.  I hope you enjoy it!

Ingredients:

1 pound lean ground chicken or turkey breast
1 medium onion chopped
2 carrots, chopped small
2 celery stalks, chopped small
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp paprika
salt and pepper to taste
1 (15 oz) can white beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 oz) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
3/4 cup low sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup water
6 tbsp Frank's Hot Sauce

Directions:

Heat a large deep nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the ground chicken in the skillet and cook, breaking up the meat into small pieces as it cooks, about 8 to 10 minutes, or until cooked through, set aside.
Add the onion, carrot, celery, garlic, chili powder, cumin, paprika, a pinch of  salt and pepper, and cook stirring until the vegetables soften, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add white beans, pinto beans, water  and chicken broth, bring to a boil and simmer covered on medium-low about 10 minutes.
Stir in the hot sauce and add the chicken, cover and simmer until thickened, 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally until the flavors blend. 

Top with some of your favorites like greek yogurt or sour cream, cheddar cheese or chopped scallions.

And yep, that's a picture of me, because I forgot to take a picture of the chili! lol

The Best Smoothie I Have Ever Tasted!!! (And a Healthy Pina Colada Recipe)

Ever since I received the Nutribullet for Christmas, I have been a Nutriblasting fool.  I have made the Nutriblasts/Smoothies that the Nurtibullet book provided for the first few months, then I decided to get creative and see what I could do.  Most of the smoothies I have made have been chock full of healthy ingredients, and some have been a treat, with mostly healthy ingredients.  Actually, all have had healthy ingredients, but some have just tasted like they were bad for me.  This one is one of those!!

While most Nutriblast/Smoothies start with greens, I opted not to put them in this one, because I was getting a little tired of the green smoothie, I wanted something bright and summery.  This smoothie was so easy and so delicious!!!  Ok, let me be honest, this drink came about because I wanted a healthy pina colada...but then decided to tweak it just a tad for a healthy breakfast smoothie lol  I'll also include the pina colada recipe below!

Mango Pineapple Protein Breakfast Smoothie
1 scoop Tera's Whey Vanilla Protein Powder (or protein powder of your choice)
1/2 cup frozen pineapple (I use Trader Joe's Pineapple Tidbits)
1/2 cup frozen mango chunks (about 7 chunks)
1 cup Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk
1/2 of an orange
5 ice cubes

Put everything into your nutribullet or blender and zip!

Healthy Pina Colada 
1/2 cup frozen pineapple
1/2 cup frozen mango
1/3 cup lite coconut milk
2/3 cup unsweetened almond milk
2 oz orange juice
2 oz spiced rum (I used Capt. Morgan)
5 ice cubes

Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oats Recipe

I had been reading so many things about overnight oats, but I just couldn't figure out what was so special.  I still don't know exactly if preparing them overnight, rather than in the morning, has any added nutritional benefits, but I can definitely tell you it's a time saver!  Also, then you have the option of eating your oats hot or cold!  This is great for people who don't eat oatmeal in the spring and summer because they can't eat hot oatmeal for breakfast (I know these people exist, because I am one of them).  But that is all figured out now, because the overnight oats can be eaten cold!!  For those who don't have any strange quirks like myself, feel free to heat up your overnight oats when you are ready to eat.

The recipe I have been making is an Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal.  Of course you can just omit the applesauce and cinnamon if you would like regular oatmeal.  The recipe will be the same if you want to add your own ideas (blueberries, strawberries, pecans, almonds, etc)  Make it your own, have fun with it, eat what you like and be happy :)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Rolled Oats or Old Fashioned Oats (or 1/4 cup of steel cut oats)
1 tsp chia seeds
1 tsp flax meal (I grind my own flaxseeds using a coffee grinder)
1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp pure maple syrup
1 - 2 tbsp unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup - 3/4 cup of milk (I use Almond milk because I love it, I also use only 1/2 cup because I like my oatmeal thick and creamy)

Directions:
Mix all ingredients together and place in a container you can store in the fridge. Enjoy it in the morning!

I purchased twelve 8 ounce mason jars from Target for less than $10!  I make ahead 5 days worth of overnight oats, so that I can quickly grab my breakfast in the morning and take it with me to work.  I have placed a link here if you are interested in the mason jars, because I think they are fantastic, time saving and space saving!!  (I also own larger mason jars from Target that I fill with Salad ingredients for lunch!  But I'll share that another time lol)

http://www.target.com/p/ball-12ct-quilted-jelly-jars-8oz/-/A-13562672#prodSlot=medium_1_1&term=masonm%20jars

Dark Chocolate Banana Peanut Butter Cups

Today I wanted to try making peanut butter cups.  I wanted to keep them clean by using whole foods and decided to throw a banana in with the peanut butter.  These turned out so decadent!  I only had one and I was so satisfied.  Note though that because there are no preservatives, you have to keep these frozen until ready to eat, otherwise the chocolate will start to melt and get messy.  This recipe was very simple and only 5 easy ingredients!

Yields 12 

Ingredients

1 bag (60% cacao or higher) semisweet or dark chocolate chips (separated)

1/2 cup almond milk (separate)

2 ripe bananas

1/2 tsp vanilla extract 

2/3 cup peanut butter

Directions

using a double boiler, melt 1/2 the package of chocolate with 1/4 cup of almond milk to a smooth consistency.  Divide among 12 cupcake liners and freeze for 10-15 minutes.

In a small bowl mash the 2 bananas with the peanut butter and vanilla.  Top each chocolate cup with mixture and freeze for 10-15 minutes.

Melt the rest of the chocolate and almond milk and complete the cups.  Freeze.  Eat and enjoy!

Clean Eating Blondie Recipe...with a surprising ingredient.

I would have never referred to myself as a sweet-tooth.  I have always had a hankering for savory/salty.  I could easily turn down cake, cookies, brownies or chocolate, but definitely related to the Lay’s slogan, “Bet you can’t eat just one” potato chip.  But when I revamped my diet to take in more healthy, whole foods, I suddenly started getting cravings for sweets.  It’s not the kind of “omg, I will lose my arm if I don’t get something sweet” kind of craving.  Just found myself wanting a little something sweet every now and then.  It was so odd to me at first, then I realized that most of my whole food eating is on the savory side, and that when I get my daily fruit intake, it’s usually in the form of a nutriblast or a spiced up fruit salsa or covered in peanut butter, so that puts it more on the savory side.  So bottom line thinking is that I didn’t know what I was missing until I didn’t have it.

To be honest, extreme healthy eating doesn’t allow for cookies, cakes or any junk food, even if it is made from whole food, in your kitchen.  But I don’t agree with anything extreme, so I say “Let them eat cake!”  The average healthy diet means you should be able to live in moderation, and with that there is always room for cake (or a cookie, or a brownie, or a blondie!).  If you can make it in your kitchen, using whole food ingredients, EVEN BETTER!  But the last thing I ever want someone to do is beat themselves up or feel guilty for a little indulgence.  (I really think this recipe post is leading into another blog post topic, so I will save the rest of what I was going to say for that lol).

On to the Blondie recipe…I had read about a brownie recipe that used black beans and found that extremely interesting.  A whole cycle of thoughts went through my head, from “ewww, gross” to “how the…?” to full on “that is so interesting.”  I read all of the comments and everyone who had made them said if they hadn’t made them themselves, they wouldn’t have even known there were black beans in them.  So I was all game for making them, but realized I was out of cocoa powder.  So looking in my pantry I see garbanzo beans (chick peas).  Now normally I have these in there for homemade hummus, but it got me thinking.  So I went to my trusty sidekick, Google!  “Chickpeas in desserts” was the search, and I found this great site that gave me a Blondie recipe using chickpeas!!!  To be honest, I was very skeptical, but really eager to try it.  If nothing else, it would be fun to make.  But to my honest surprise, they tasted like a completely guilty dessert.  While a little softer than a brownie in texture, it was definitely not a chickpea, hummus like texture.  I probably could have cooked them an additional 5 minutes and let them cool longer, so I will try that next time.

I hope you will throw away your inhibitions and make these as well!!!  You can even trick the kids, which is always fun!!! Lol

Courtesy of http://melaniemitro.blogpost.com

Clean Eating Blondies

Ingredients:

Olive oil Spray (for the 8x8 baking dish)

1 can organic chickpeas, rinsed and drained

½ cup organic almond butter (you can also use peanut butter)

1/3 cup pure maple syrup (or agave nectar or honey)

2 tsp vanilla

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp baking powder

¼ tsp baking soda

1/3 cup dark chocolate chips, plus 2 tbsps (I just cut up a ½ bar of 73% cacao dark chocolate bar, but you can also use Enjoy Life Mega Chunk, which are vegan, gluten free and dairy free)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray 8x8 inch pan with olive oil spray

In a food processor, add all of the ingredients except the chocolate chips and process until the batter is smooth.  Fold in 1/3 cup of chocolate chips. 

Spread batter evenly in prepared pan then sprinkle the 2 tbsp of chocolate chips on top.  Bale for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean and the edges are brown.

Cool for 20 minutes.  Cut into squares and enjoy the surprise!!!

I almost forgot to take a picture that is why the pan is missing 2 Blondies haha!

Balsamic Roasted Veggies with Quinoa and Lentils

This is one of the best things I have ever made.  I wanted something meatless (not going vegetarian, I just like to have some meals that don’t contain meat), packed with protein, fiber and healthy fats, and would be tasty and satisfying.  And I am so excited this worked.  I found it to be absolutely delicious, and had no idea that combining Greek yogurt with lemon juice and goat cheese would be so decadently delicious.  This can also be used as a side dish, if you can't go without meat :)

I know goat cheese isn’t everyone’s favorite, but if you are ever going to try it, this would be the time to do it.  I absolutely love goat cheese, but I do remember the first time I had it I wasn’t sold.  I needed to try it paired with different things.  It is now my very favorite cheese.  I put it in salads, pair it with fruits, put it on chicken, on pizza, in mashed potatoes, and mashed with my avocado and spread it on toast.  But enough about my love of goat cheese…

Now back to the recipe at hand… I ate this warm when I first made it, but also had it cold for lunch the next day and it was great!  I love the flavors, and how it was easy to make.  I actually put the veggies in the oven to roast, got a strength training workout in, and was done in time for the oven buzzer!  If you are looking for vegetarian meals, just to switch things up every now and then, Meatless Mondays meals, or as a nice side dish, you should try this.

Balsamic Roasted Veggies with Quinoa and Lentils (4 servings)

Ingredients:

3 Zucchini, quartered and cut into chunks

1 eggplant, cut into chunks (peel on)

2 red peppers, seeded and cut into chunks

Olive Oil Cooking Spray (I use my Misto)

Salt and Pepper

2 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar

2 cups cooked quinoa

1 cup cooked lentils

1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

½ onion chopped

1 tsp dry basil

¾ cup plain Greek yogurt

½ cup crumbled goat cheese

Juice of 1 lemon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Arrange veggies in a roasting pan or roasting dishes (I had to use two large as it seems like so many veggie chunks before cooked).  Spray veggies well with the olive oil spray and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Roast until browned and tender, about 35 minutes.  Transfer all veggies to a large bowl and immediately add the vinegar and combined.

(You can do this next step while the veggies are cooking or after)

In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil and add the onions.  Cook for about 6 minutes until translucent.  Mix in the cooked quinoa and lentils.  (I always have cooked quinoa in my fridge, if you do not, you can make it fresh, and you can use organic canned lentils).  Combine.

In a small bowl, add the Greek yogurt, goat cheese, lemon juice and dried basil, stir.

Divide lentil/quinoa mixture among 4 bowls and top with veggies and yogurt.

Single Serving Chocolate Cakes Recipe

I made these cakes because I was craving something sweet.  Fortunately, they were not too sweet, just sweet enough!

They are very decadent, and I caution you that the texture is heavy, not a soft, moist cake that you would get in the store or make at home with sugar and vegetable oil.  But it certainly is a great substitution for a sweet treat, and you can feel good about it because it is made of nutrient-rich foods.  I prefer to make this at home when I am craving a sweet treat, and have something completely decadent and not 100% healthy if I am eating out a nice restaurant.  But it is definitely a lovely, guilt-free substitution.

I added to the nutrition by topping it with a dollop of organic creamy peanut butter, and just a smidge of Trader Joe’s organic strawberry spread.  Would also be nice topped with a little coconut milk ice cream.

(Makes 4 servings)

Ingredients:

Olive oil in an oil sprayer

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/3 cup honey

3 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 egg whites

1/2 cup white whole wheat pastry flour

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:

-Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

-Spray 4 (4 ounce) ramekins with a very light coat of olive oil.

-In a large mixing bowl, mix together all of your wet ingredients (honey, applesauce, olive oil, egg    whites, and vanilla).

-Whisk in your cocoa, and finally your flour. Blend well. You don’t want lumps (or at least, very few of them).

-Pour your cake mix into your ramekin(s), and place on a cookie sheet. Slide into the oven and bake for about 12 minutes.

Clean Eating Taco Soup

Mmmmm, TACOS!  I love tacos!  Yes it is basically just meat and veggies, but I love those flavors.  They are smokey and slightly spicy.  Ok, I am hungry, so I am going to post this and then eat some of this taco soup!!

I have my nephew staying with me and he is a 15 year old who is a picky eater.  I am trying to get him to eat what I am eating, so that I don’t have to make 2 meals, and that so he doesn’t have to eat Turkey sandwiches or bowls of Captain Crunch every night for dinner.  (He could seriously live on that crap).  I have taught him how to hide veggies in his smoothies, so that’s progress.  The past week I have been making dishes I already know he likes, with my recipes that are clean, but that have already been shared with you here.  His favorite being the Chicken Curry (I love it too, but I don’t want it every night!).  So, I was thinking Tacos!  Easy enough, ground beef, clean corn tortillas (thank you Trader Joe’s), lettuce, tomato, cheese…but how do I season the meat, just cumin?  I don’t want a package of hydrogenated oils to flavor it.  So I took to Google for a taco seasoning recipe and found something even better!!  Taco Soup!!! (Ok, maybe not better, but definitely in my wheelhouse, I love soup!)

Courtesy of www.heandsheeatclean.com

I found a Taco Soup recipe, that included the recipes for Taco Seasoning and Ranch seasoning, so that I didn’t have to dump the hydrogenated oil packets into it.  And it added beans for additional protein and fiber (FILLING!).  I made this this morning, as the snow caused a delay to enter my work facility, and let me just tell you, I wanted to eat it for breakfast!!!  I hope you will try this and enjoy it as much as I did!!

Ingredients:

1 lb extra lean ground turkey, beef, or ground chicken breast

1 onion, chopped

1 pkg ranch dressing mix (for clean mix, use the recipe I posted)

1 pkg taco seasoning mix (for clean mix, use the recipe I posted)

1 can  pinto beans, drained

1 can  kidney beans, drained

1 bag whole kernel corn

1 can Rotel-style tomatoes (mild)

1 can tomatoe sauce

1 cup low sodium chicken stock

Directions:

1. Brown meat & onions (in a stock pot or dutch oven)

2. Mix ranch & taco seasonings into meat

3. Add the rest of the ingredients into mixture

4. Add a cup and a half of low sodium chicken stock

4. Simmer for at least 1 hour

You may notice that you don't see corn in the pic, that is because I had forgotten it!!  I remedied that quickly though! LOL

Clean Eating Taco Seasoning Mix and Ranch Seasoning Mix

Courtesy of www.heandsheeatclean.com, which is a great site I found yesterday when looking for a clean taco soup recipe.   That recipe will follow, but needed for the recipe are Ranch Seasoning Mix and Taco Seasoning Mix.  It’s time to open those spice cabinets (or racks).  These were great, since I am a spice nerd and already own everything spices.  Dried herbs/spices go such a long way, so I highly recommend investing in the popular ones, they also keep in the cabinet for eons.

Taco Seasoning Mix

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp chili powder

1 ½  tsp cumin

1 ½  tsp paprika

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp salt

½ tsp garlic powder

½ tsp onion powder

¼ tsp cayenne pepper

Directions:

Mix all spices together!

Ranch Seasoning Mix

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp dried parsley

2 tsp dried dill

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

½ tsp black pepper

½ tsp dried chives

Pinch of salt

Directions:

Mix all spices together!

Clean Eating Pot Roast Made Crock Pot Easy

I had never liked Pot Roast as a kid, or as a teen, or even as an early adult.  But a funny thing happens when you start cooking for pleasure and trying new tastes and textures, because now I love it!  I think for me it was always the texture of the meat.  I don’t usually like beef done anything more than medium, and well a pot roast is simmered, so it tends to get well done.  But it is so tender and I have learned to like that.  This recipe was really simple, but the slow cooking takes some time.  You can throw it in the crockpot early in the am, and finish up just before it’s time to eat.

You can omit the potatoes and serve them on the side, or with mashed cauliflower, but I really liked them in there.  I didn’t put amounts for the seasonings, as I just eyeballed it.  Maybe start with a tsp of each.

Ingredients –

2-3 lbs Roast or Chuck Beef or Brisket (I used a Roast)

2 celery stalks, sliced in 4’s

½ bag baby carrots

6 red potatoes (quartered)

2 onions (sliced)

3 cups (24 oz) low sodium beef broth

8 oz mushrooms

Salt

Pepper

garlic powder

onion powder

1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

2 Tbsp corn starch

2 tbsp water

Directions –

Place celery, onions, carrots, mushrooms and potatoes in the crock pot.  Season the beef and place it on top of veggies and pour in the broth.  Add some more seasoning to the veggies.  Pour the Worcestershire sauce on the beef.  Set crock pot on low for 9- 10 hours.

At the end of the slow cooking, move your beef to a cutting board.  I drained my veggies, reserving the broth in a deep sauté pan.  Add the cornstarch to the water and once dissolved add it to the broth.  Once the sauce has thickened, add the veggies.  Slice your beef and top with the veggies and gravy.

Enjoy!

Homestyle Chicken and Noodles

I’m pretty sure I promised you this recipe last week, so I am very sorry for the delay.  The Holidays had me in a fog and I didn’t really post much.  That is changing because I have more nights free and lots of cooking to do and recipes to share!! 

The recipe here for my Homestyle Chicken and Noodles is delicious and nutritious, and very easy to make…if you crockpot (or boil, bake, etc) your chicken beforehand.  I tend to throw a pound or 2 of boneless, skinless chicken breasts in the crockpot on a Sunday.  Shred them and keep them in the fridge.  This recipe calls for 3 cups of the shredded chicken.  Also note that if you want Chicken Noodle Soup, rather than a thick, creamy pasta dish, just add 4 more cups of stock/broth!  It’s easy and versatile!!!

Ingredients –

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

32 oz Chicken broth (1 box or use your own homemade stock.  I used Trader Joe’s Organic Low-Sodium when I don’t have any homemade stock available)

2 large carrots peeled and sliced

2 celery stalks sliced

1 large onion, diced

2 tsp dried thyme

3 cups of cooked chicken, shredded or diced

½  pound whole wheat pasta

½ cup grated parmesan cheese (real stuff preferably, not the oily canned junk)

Directions –

In a Dutch Oven or Stock pot, drizzle the olive oil.  Add the Mirepoix (haha, gotcha, I learned a new word).  This would be the carrots, onions and celery.  Sauté until tender (about 6 minutes).  Add the stock and bring to a boil.

Stir in the chicken and the uncooked noodles.  Cover the pot and turn it down to a simmer.  Simmer for 30 minutes (stirring occasionally).  Add the parmesan cheese and serve.

Easy peasy!!! (oooh you can add peas too if you would like J)

Homemade Turkey Stock (Bone Broth)

Homemade Turkey (and Chicken) stock has so many health benefits.  Helps fight colds and flu, and tastes amazing.  It also freezes well!  So once you've gotten all the meat you want off of the bones, throw the carcass, and whatever scraps on the plate, and throw them in your crockpot.  Fill the pot with water and turn it on high.  Let it cook for the better part of a day (I let it go overnight).  Drain the liquid through a mesh strainer to separate the bones and meat pieces from the liquid.  Put the liquid in the fridge for 24 hours.  The next day the fat will all float to the top of the stock.  You will need to scrape the fat off the top of the stock.  After you do this, you can pour the stock into freezable containers and freeze.  Or use immediately to make Turkey noodle soup :)

New Blog Post and recipes for before, during and after Thanksgiving!!!

The Holidays are right around the corner.  I love to cook at this time of the year, because all of the flavors I love so much are focused on.   I used to get so carried away with easy-to-make, processed, junk at this time of the year that I would always gain weight and then regret it.  Not this year!!  I am focusing on making most of my dishes completely clean, using fresh, nutritious ingredients.  Sure I will save some room for a few tasty, not so clean treats, but everything in moderation, right?

Now, one small problem I have is that, while Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners are at my house this year, everyone still wants my Mom’s traditional food.  I have been warned not to “play around” or “alter” anything that my Mom will be making.  Ok, I get it, its tradition, and it is only one meal.  So I am in charge of breakfast (brunch, since we usually don’t have dinner until 7 p.m.), dessert, a side-dish or two and also the Cranberry sauce, so I still get my hands in here.  And believe me, there will be no can-ring, gelatinous, red load of corn syrup sitting on my table this year!!!!

And of course, my Mom is all about making the food healthier, so since my Mom is the only one in my family to read this blog, I can safely say that I will get my hands on her dishes, as well  J

Most importantly, I am in charge of the leftovers, so that is where I am really going to focus in terms of this blog and the recipes I have for you.  I have tried a few things this week using chicken I had, rather than cooking a whole turkey.  I have a few incredible recipes for leftovers that I will be posting on this blog and the Facebook page.  I am so excited about the Chicken Shepard’s Pie, not only was it delicious, it was a huge hit!!!  .  I also made Quesadillas, Noodle Soup, and tacos.  

Here are the links for each recipe:

Clean Eating Thanksgiving Side Dishes:

Brussels Sprouts Au Gratin - http://stefanie165.blogspot.com/2013/11/brussels-sprouts-au-gratin.html

Cranberry Sauce - http://stefanie165.blogspot.com/2013/11/clean-eating-cranberry-sauce.html

Clean Eating Thanksgiving Brunch Dishes:

Bacon, Cheese and Veggie Frittata - http://stefanie165.blogspot.com/2013/11/bacon-goat-cheese-and-veggie-frittata.html

Sweet Potato Hash - http://stefanie165.blogspot.com/2013/11/sweet-potato-hash.html

Clean Eating Thanksgiving Leftovers:

Chicken Pot Pie/Shepard’s Pie - http://stefanie165.blogspot.com/2013/11/turkey-shepards-pie-thanksgiving.html

Turkey Noodle Soup - http://stefanie165.blogspot.com/2013/11/turkey-noodle-soup.html

I’m running out of time, so I will have to leave you with only these recipes for this blog post, but I am sure I will come up with a few more before Thanksgiving and I will be sure to post.  I also have to let you know about those tacos ;)

Turkey Noodle Soup

A few weeks back I was so sick, and craving a hot bowl of chicken noodle soup.  This was the recipe I used and it was so delicious.  Since I am calling this a leftover recipe, I will be using Turkey.  But note that you can use chicken should you decide to use this recipe at another time.

Turkey Noodle Soup

Ingredients:

1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 Quarts of Chicken or Turkey Broth (that would be 2 32oz boxes)

3 or 4 large carrots, peeled and sliced

2 celery stalks, diced

1 large onion, diced

3 cups cooked turkey

½ pound whole wheat pasta (I used penne)

½ cup grated parmesan

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

In a Dutch Oven or Stock Pot drizzle the olive oil.  Saute the onions, celery and carrots until tender.  Add the stock and bring to a boil.

Stir in the turkey and the uncooked noodles.  Cover the pot and turn it down to a simmer.  Simmer for 15-20 minutes until the noodles are tender.  Stir in the parmesan cheese.

Garnish with more parmesan.

This recipe was even better the next day because the starches from the noodles caused it to thicken.  It was like a homestyle noodle dish, without all the heavy cream.