Shrimp, Acorn Squash & Pear with Basil Polenta in Butter Wine Sauce

Ok, I really should come up with a shorter name... I just came up with this recipe tonight because I just had some ingredients on hand to use. I thought this turned out really well, but James absolutely loved it.

For 2 large appetites-
1lb shrimp (thawed, tails off)
1 acorn squash, peeled, seeded & cut into 1/2"
   cubes
1 danjou (green) pear, peeled, seeded & cut into
   1/4" cubes (adds just a tiny bit of sweet)
2 handfuls of fresh spinach
1 stick of butter
1/2 c. white wine
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 tube of basil/garlic polenta

In one skillet, melt 2TBS butter over medium-high heat. Add the squash, and a little salt. Saute for a good 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. While that cooks, prep the polenta by cutting into 1/2" slices. (You can also prep the pear and pull the tails off the shrimp, if you haven't already.) You will need two more skillets (or a skillet and a big griddle- that's actually better). Add the pears and another TBS of butter and continue to cook over medium heat.

 In the other skillet, melt 1TBS over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and stir frequently until almost completely cooked but not quite. Add all the contents of that skillet into the squash skillet. Add the wine & nutmeg and lower heat to very low.

On the griddle, melt another TBS of butter and add the slices of polenta. Cook for about 3 minutes on each side. After you have flipped the polenta once, add the two handfuls of spinach to the shrimp mixture and stir in to wilt.  Serve on top of the polenta.

My Plan For The Week

I apologize for getting behind, but hopefully there have been some recipes here for you to put some meal plans together over the last week. Here's what I am doing this week because it works for our family schedule and it didn't involve buying a lot of ingredients- this may or may not be particularly helpful to you, but I hope it helps even a little bit. 

Monday- Sloppy Joes (see recipe below) and asparagus (lightly browning an extra pound of turkey meat while I'm at it to save time on Thursday when I make the Taco Bake.)

Tuesday- We have a supper club that will be doing a taco salad bar thingy

Wednesday- Sauteed shrimp, acorn squash & pears in a butter sauce served over basil/garlic polenta and a side salad. I have not come up with this recipe yet, but if it's good, I will post it for next time.

Thursday- Taco Bake (great for creating leftovers)

Friday- Sweet & Spicy Salmon with zucchini chips

Saturday- Sausage & Peppers with goat cheese

Sunday- Leftover Taco Bake (because I work on Sundays and hate to cook)

I'm not creating a grocery list for this because I have a feeling it's too random for y'all. But all the recipes will be on this blog somewhere, if not posted immediately around this one. 

Sausage & Peppers

This is a recipe of my own creation after having experienced 2 things: One was this fabulous little dish they used to serve at Carrabba's Italian Grille that involved italian sausage, marinara, rigatoni and a big slab of goat cheese. The second was when my good friend Cara came over to make a dish like this and awakened my heart and soul to the fact that I really DO like red bell peppers- if they're cooked right.

4 bell peppers (I detest green ones, but love the color variation of red, orange & yellow ones)
4 italian sausage links (turkey sausage doesn't save you much in calories and fat, so I say go for the good stuff (Canino's in Denver makes delicious ones that are 150 calories per link and 13g of fat.)
1-2 yellow onions, depending on the size (and your particular taste for carmelized onion)
1/2 jar thick marinara (make your own or just buy some)
Goat cheese (buy it in the tube instead of crumbled, if you can)
Olive oil

slice up the bell peppers in thin, long slices, discarding the seeds & white stuff. Try to get them roughly the same size. Slice the onion(s) similarly. In a very large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat (any higher and you'll scorch the bell pepper). Add the bell peppers only for the first 5-8 minutes. Then add the onions and reduce the heat to medium-low. The secret to fabulously carmelized veggies is low heat, and long cooktime. Give this about 15 more minutes, or until the onions are nice and brown and the bell peppers are soft, yea even supple.

While the bell peppers are cooking, slice the sausage into bite sizes, keeping them roughly the same size. Create some space in the pan so the sausage can be directly on the bottom, and turn the heat back up to medium. Cook until the sausage is cooked through- I don't have an exact time.

Once that's just about done, add some marinara, just a little at a time. I like mine thick, to eat with a spoon, so I don't put in a ton. The longer you let the sauce cook, the thicker it will get as the water evaporates out. Plate the sausage and peppers and add a big dollop of goat cheese on top. Enjoy.

Pronto Taco Bake

As my sister, Sarah (who gave me this recipe) says, "It's fast, easy and surprisingly yummy!"

1lb ground beef (i use turkey)
1 can drained corn
1/2 c. water
1 pkg taco seasoning
1 can tomato sauce
1 pkg corn muffin mix (I like to use 2- see below)
1/2 c. green onions
1/3 c. part-skim mozzarella shredded
 **be sure you have the egg and oil that the cornbread mix needs

Preheat oven to 400*. In skillet, brown and drain meat. Stir in taco seasoning, water, corn, tomato sauce. Pour into greased 12X7 baking dish. In a separate bowl, prepare the corn bread according to the package directions. Add the green onions. Spoon the muffin mix along the outer edges of the baking dish. (I like to use 2 boxes of corn bread so I can spoon it over the entire baking dish- because I love me some cornbread.) Bake uncovered 20 minutes. Top it with cheese and bake for another 2-3 minutes more.

If you don't add extra cornbread and use lean ground beef:
Yields 6 servings
Prep time 15 minutes
Cook time 25 minutes
Calories: 440
Fat 17.7 grams

Sweet & Spicy Salmon

Salmon on the grill is tough to beat... this is for six 5-oz fillets, but prepare however many you need. i'm not a big fan of salmon leftovers, and even if I were, there never seem to be any. My kids like this recipe so it might be a good one to try with yours. 

Cooking spray

2TBS packed light brown sugar

1.5 TBS chili powder

1 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

6 5oz salmon fillets, skin and any pin bones removed

1 TBS olive oil

Coat your grill with cooking spray and preheat over medium heat. While the grill is heating up, combine the brown sugar, chili powder, cumin, S&P. Brush each salmon fillet with 1/2tsp of the olive oil and then rub each fillet with about 1/2 TBS of the mixture.

Grill salmon, mixture side down, 4-5 minutes. Flip the salmon and cook another 5-6 for medium doneness. For well-done, cook another 1-2 minutes.  

This Week's Plan

Admittedly, I'm a little tardy on this, since it's 8:37pm on a Sunday night. But I'll throw it out there anyway. I tried to combine ingredients and preparation a little more this time to help make dinnertime even easier.

THE PLAN-
Sunday: Pappa Al Pomo Soup & Prep Day
 Prepare the Sun-Dried Tomato Chimichurri
 For Fried Rice, chop 1 bell pepper, scallions and 2 garlic cloves- store in bag & mark.
 For Sloppy Joes, chop 1 onion and put in bag, mark it. Chop 4 garlic cloves, jalapeno and bell pepper and store in separate bag, mark it.
 For Spinach Salad, chop shallots and garlic, store in a bag and mark it.

Monday- Chicken Stuffed with Goat Cheese & Zucchini, Roasted Potatoes

 Further prep: thaw chicken for this recipe and for the chicken salad. Roast all chicken breasts together.

 Chop the extra chicken and store in baggie, mark for salad. Additionally, you can slice extra zucchini

 and store for Grilled Fish meal.

Tuesday- Grilled Fish (choose your favorite- tilapia, snapper, whatever) with Sun-Dried Tomato Chimichurri; zucchini chips (check out prior posts for the chips- you'll love 'em)

Wednesday- Warm Chicken Piccata Spinach Salad


Thursday-Shrimp Fried Rice

Friday- Sloppy Joes, baked french fries and roasted asparagus

I haven't posted how to make baked french fries or roasted potatoes- but my experience has been that while adding copious amounts of oil to either does give a delicious crispiness, it isn't necessary. For fries, spray a cookie sheet with Pam, lay the fries out and spray with Pam again. S&P. Throw in the oven on about 400* and turn 'em once. For roasted potatoes, my friend Millie turned me on to combining different kinds of potatoes (yams, gold, etc.). Cube 'em approx. the same size. Spray a baking dish with Pam. Throw them in there- spray again with Pam (or use a small amount of oil and a little butter, if you don't mind the calories) and put in oven at 400*. Check them and stir frequently until gorgeously brown.

Sun-Dried Tomato Chimichurri

This is fabulous on all sorts of things, but I recommend grilling some variation of white fish and topping it with this.

1/2c. dry-packed sun-dried tomatoes,  (this is much less fattening than buying the oil-packed tomatoes.
5 cloves of garlic
1 c. extra virgin olive oil (evoo)
S&P to taste

Take the tomatoes out and soak in hot water for 20 minutes. While soaking, peel the garlic and place on a square sheet of foil, sprinkle with salt and wrap in the foil. Roast in preheated over 350* for 12-15 minutes until very soft.

In a blender or food processor, combine all the ingredients and process until well blended. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Let sit for about 20 minutes and serve. Or, cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Return to room temp before serving.

Variation: stir 1.5c plain yogurt into this salsa to make a creamier version (could use as a dip for fresh veggies)

Sloppy Joes

Serves 8 (great for leftovers)

1lb lean or extra-lean (90% or higher) ground beef (or sub soy crumbles)
1 med onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded & minced
1 med red bell pepper, seeded & diced
8 whole wheat burger buns

You can either make your own sauce with the following ingredients, or shorten it with a variation on BBQ sauce. These are ingredients you may or may not have on hand- but if you invest the money, you'll use them again. It's up to your budget to decide.

1.5 c. no-salt-added tomato sauce (I buy in bulk and make my own easy marinara sauces all the time)
2 tbs tomato paste (also buy in bulk)
1 tbs red wine vinegar
1 tbs unsulfured molasses (admittedly don't use often, but have used more than once)
1 tbs worcestershire sauce
1 tsp dry mustard
3/4tsp salt
pepper to taste

Brown the meat and onion in a large nonstick skillet over med-high heat for 5 minutes, breaking up the meat into crumbles as it cooks. Pour the drippings out of the pan and discard. Add the garlic, jalapeno & red bell pepper and cook 5 minutes more, stirring occasionally. Stir in the rest of the ingredients for the sauce and reduce the heat to low and simmer another 5 minutes.

Fried Rice with Shrimp

Serves 4, or keep some for lunchtime leftovers. Nutritional info listed at the bottom.

1 tbs + 1tsp canola oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 scallions (green onions) thinly sliced
1tbs peeled and minced fresh ginger (optional)
4 c. cooked brown rice
1 red bell pepper, finely diced
3/4 c. frozen shelled edamame, cooked according to package directions & drained
1/2c. fresh or frozen (thawed) corn kernels
16 oz shelled, deveined shrimp, thawed and pat dry (guessing at the amount- do your best to gauge how much you think 4 people will eat)
2 large eggs, beaten
3tbs low-sodium soy sauce

Heat 1 tbs of the oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat until very hot but not smoking. Add the garlic, scallions, and ginger and cook, stirring until softened and aromatic, 1-2 minutes. Add the cooked red bell pepper and shrimp. Saute for 2 minutes (shrimp will not be cooked all the way through- this is ok.) Add the edamame, corn and rice and cook until heated through- 5 minutes. Make a 3-inch well in the center of the rice mixture. Add the remaining 1 tsp oil, then add the eggs and cook until nearly fully scrambled. Stir the eggs into the rice mixture, then add the soy sauce and incorporate thoroughly. Serve hot.

WITHOUT the shrimp:
Calories- 400
Total fat- 12.5g (mono- 4.5, poly 2.5, sat 2)
Protein- 16.5g
carb- 56g
fiber- 7g

Pappa Al Pomodoro Soup

Looks easy enough...

1 loaf chewy bread, such as ciabatta
1/2 cup. evoo
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 small onion
1 c. chicken stock
1 14oz can diced tomatoes (look for no-salt added if you can)
1 28oz can crushed tomatoes
1 cup fresh basil, 1 sprig fresh rosemary (use dried if you can't afford the fresh stuff)
S&P
Parmigiano-Reggiano

Chop about 2 cups of the bread and reserve the rest to pass at the table.

Heat a mediup soup pot over med heat. Add about 1/4c of the evoo, then add the rosemary and garlic. Watch this closely, especially if using dried rosemary- you don't want it to burn. Peel and halve the onion and, using a box grater, grate the onion directly into the soup pot. Saute the mixture for 5 minutes, then remove rosemary stem. Add the chicken stock and tomatoes and bring it to a bubble. Add the bread chunks and stir until the bread has melted into the soup; the result is a thicker consistency. Tear or shred basil into the soup. Season with S&P to taste and ladle into bowls. Top with extra swirl of evoo and shaved parmesan cheese.

Warm Chopped Chicken Piccata Spinach Salad

For 4-

4 chicken breasts
S&P
3TBS EVOO
1TBS Butter
2 shallots, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
3 tbs capers (i don't like these so i leave them out)
1/2 c. dry white wine
juice of 1 lemon
2 pounds washed spinach
Parmigiano-reggiano cheese for garnish

You can either grill the chicken (healthier option) or heat your largest non-stick skillet with 2tbs EVOO over medium-high heat. When the oil ripples, add the chicken and cook for 3 min on each side. Remove chicken to a plate and let it rest and cool.

To the same skillet, add the remaining tbs of evoo and butter. Add shallots, garlic and capers. Saute for 5 minutes, then add the white wine and reduce for 30 seconds. Next, add the lemon juice and immediately add the spinach- mound it up in the pan. You will not be able to fit it all in there at first- just keep turning it with tongues and let it wilt down some. Then turn heat off. Keep some leaves a bit crisp to vary the texture in your salad. Season spinach with S&P. Chop the chicken into bits, then add to salad and toss. Divide among 4 plates and top with shaved parm cheese.

Butternut Squash Pear Bisque Soup

This one deserves a post all its own. I will say that while the actual soup takes no time to cook, the squash takes some time to prep, so my suggestion would be to make this on a weekend, and double it for lots of yummy leftovers. You can always freeze it. This is about as healthy a creamy soup you can possibly ask for, though don't be too fooled- butternut squash apparently ranks in the starchy vegetable category, so if you are dieting, be sure to check out how many points/starches it counts as.

YUM.

2TBS butter
1med onion, diced
1 med butternut squash (about 2lbs) peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch chunks (tips on this below)
1 large Anjou pear, peeled, halved, cored, cut into chunks (I've used all kinds of pears, so don't worry about being too picky)
1 carrot, peeled and cut into chunks
1 QT low-sodium broth (chicken or veggie)
1 bay leaf
1 tbs honey
1/2tsp. dried thyme
salt & pepper to taste
1/2 c. whipping cream (you can use fat-free half and half or milk- it doesn't really matter)
shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese, optional

To prep the squash: use a sharp, big knife. Cut the squash in half, just above the bulge. With cut side down, run your knife along the skin to peel it off. Once that's done, cut the ends off. The half with the seeds: scape out innards with a spoon, but a tip I learned from my time at this hoity-toity italian place is that the stringy part of a squash is where all the sugar is. Since we are pureeing the squash, you can leave some of the stringys there to sweeten the soup. Just make sure to get all the seeds out of there. Then cut into 1-inch chunks.

In a large pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add onions and saute until translucent, 8 minutes. Add the squash, pear and carrot and saute for a few minutes longer. Raise heat to high and add the broth, bay leaf, honey and thyme. Season lightly with salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer until squash is very soft, about 15 minutes.

Remove bay leaf and let soup cool slightly. Working in 2-3 batches, in a blender or food processor fitted with metal blade (or an immersion blender) smooth the soup to a puree. Return the soup to the pot and add in cream/milk. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt & pepper. Stir over low until heated all the way through. Ladle into bowls and garnish with a little cheddar on top.

Week 2- sort of

Well, I was out of town last week, so this post is a little tardy. Here are the recipes for this week...

Hearty Beef Chili
Portobello Burgers
Fish Tacos
Grilled Chicken Salad with Fabulous Basil Dressing
Spaghetti Squash w/bolognese sauce
Chicken with Apple-Mushroom Sauce & Asparagus

I really will try to combine recipes that share ingredients because as I am typing this list, it seems a little ridiculous. I just gotta get it together... :)

Grocery List

Meat
1.5lbs chuck roast or sub leaner meat
Portobello mushrooms- 8, if serving 4 people
4 slices prosciutto or other tasty, salty meat
halibut steaks or tilapia (4 or so)
Bag o' frozen chicken breasts
1lb ground turkey breast (for bolognese sauce- sub meat or sausage if you want)

Veggies
Asparagus
Arugula (or other greens for portobello burgers)
Jarred roasted red peppers (for port burgers again- sub sundried tomatoes or whatever)
2 red bell peppers for chili
Zucchini (serve on side of burgers)
Lettuce for tacos
2 Yellow onions
Head of garlic
Jalapeno (for tacos)
Cilantro (for tacos)
1 package fresh Basil
2 ripe avocados
Spinach or mixed greens for salad
Craisins, walnuts- whatever else you want for salad
2 shallots
1sm package button mushrooms
1 granny smith apple
1 med. spaghetti squash
2 limes

Dairy
Mozzarella slices for port burgers
Bleu or other cheese for salad
low-fat shredded cheese of choice for chili
1/2 c. or more low-fat sour cream (for chicken & chili)
Parmesan cheese

Frozen
10oz frozen corn

Other Stuff
1.5c chicken stock (for chicken & fish tacos)
2c. low sodium veggie or tomato juice
2 15oz red kidney beans
1 14.5oz no-salt-added diced tomatoes
1 10oz can of tomatos & green chiles
tortillas
Favorite tomato/bolognese sauce

Make sure you have-
Extra virgin olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple juice or apple cider
Butter
Red Wine Vinegar
Hot Sauce
Spices

Zucchini Chips- Keep This One Handy

True story- my five-year-old begged for more of these. So I made more two nights later... 4 zucchini's worth, and James, Quincy and Adrian ate them all. It takes just a little time, but for the calorie/kids will eat it factor, it's TOTALLY worth it.

Cooking spray
1LB zucchini (about 2 medium)
1TBS olive oil
1/4 c. freshly grated parmesan cheese
1/4c. plain dry bread crumbs
1/8tsp salt
black pepper

Preheat oven to 450. Coat baking sheet with cooking spray. Slice zucchini into 1/4inch-thick rounds. In medium bowl, toss the zucchini with the oil. In a small bowl, combine the parm cheese, bread crumbs, salt & pepper. Dip each round into parm mixture, coating evenly on both sides and place in single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Bake zucchini rounds until browned and crsip, 25-30 minutes. Serve immediately.

Hearty Chili- Crock Pot Recipe

Well, the weather is cooling off, and I have to admit that having the crock pot cook something all day really is nice. The house smells delicious when you get home and in theory all you have to do is spoon the goodies on a plate. I haven't tried out this recipe yet, from a healthy crockpot cookbook... so we'll experiment together. This has the calories per serving listed below.


1.5lbs beef chuck roast, cut into 1" cubes 2c. low-sodium veggie or tomato juice 2c. chopped onion 2 15oz red kidney beans, rinsed drained 1 14.5oz can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained 1.5c. chopped red bells 1 10oz can diced tomatoes & green chile peppers, undrained 1 tsp ground chipotle chile pepper 1 tsp ground cumin 1tsp dried oregano 3 cloves garlic, minced

In 4.5-6 quart slow cooker, combine everything. 

cover and cook on low-heat for 9-10 hours or on high for 4.5 to 5 hours. serve with reduced fat shredded cheddar or low-fat sour cream 2 veggie, 1 starch, 3 lean meat per serving: 226 cal, 4g fat, 8g fiber, 26g. protein makes 8-10 servings.

Portobello Burgers

8 large portos, stems removed 2tbs balsamic 4c. arugula leaves, washed 2 jarred roasted red peppers, seeded 4 slices prosciutto de parma 4 slices fresh mozz

(I haven't made this recipe yet, and will likely modify these ingredients- prosciutto is not cheap. Delicious, but not cheap.)

preheat to 450. Place mush caps on cookie sheet. Season with salt & pepp. Arrange with gill side up. Drizzle w/EVOO and bals vinegar. Transfer them to oven and roast 12 min. While mush are roasting, chop arugula and peppers. combine in bowl. season. Top 4 of the cooked caps with arugula and peppers, a slice of prosciutto and cheese. Return to oven to melt cheese, 2-3 min. 

Top with other cap.

Fish Tacos

9tbs evoo 1tsp chili powder zest and juice of 2 limes salt 4 halibut steaks or fillets (i use tilapia) 1 large yellow onion, chopped 3 garlic cloves, chopped 1 jalapeno, seeded & chopped black pepper 10box frozen corn kernels 1/2c. chicken stock shredded lettuce- your choice. 1/4 c. cilantro, chopped 2 ripe avocados flour tortillas 2tbs red wine vin shakes of hot sauce

I admittedly modify this recipe quite a bit. BUT I have made it exactly according to these directions, and it is fantastic. So give it a whirl this way, and then make your own adjustments if you want to.

preheat large skilled over med-high with 2tbs evoo. 

add onions, garlic, jalapeno Cook 3 min, stir frequently. Add corn, and chicken stock, bring to bulbble and then cook 2 min. Put lettuce and cilantro in bowl. Transfer corn mixture to bowl. Mix so corn wilts the lettuce. Wipe skillet clean. heat 2tbs evoo. Add halibut to skillet and saute until cooked.

Flake fish into large chunks, add to lettuce.

While fish is cooking, make avocado dressing. In food processor, blend avocado, zest and juice of limes, red wine vin and salt. 

Stream in 3tbs of evoo and shakes of hot sauce. Adjust seasoning to taste.

Heat tortillas and take all to table- assemble while eating. (OR, if cutting back on starches, just eat as a salad without tortillas. Still yummy.)

Spinach Salad w/Fabulous Basil Dressing

This dressing recipe is compliments of my good friend (and amazing cook) Cara. For the actual salad, just make it how you like it. Below are suggested ingredients.
Spinach or mixed greens Grilled chicken  
Granny Smith Apple slices  
bleu cheese or other cheese pecans, pine nuts, if wanted craisins or raisins- it really makes the salad better, i promise.
If you REALLY want a treat, cut up small pieces of bread, drizzle with EVOO, toast em and then dribble bleu cheese on top and melt that under the broiler. YUM-MEEEE. But not low-fat.

Dressing: 1 small package fresh basil, 
1/2c. sugar 1/2 c. apple cider vin 
1c. extra virgin olive oil 1 clove garlic  
salt & pepp

Dressing Directions- In food processor or blender, chop up the basil and garlic. Add the apple cider vin, sugar, S&P. Blend. Slowly drizzle in the EVOO while blending until nice and frothy. Will keep for a few days in the fridge.

Spaghetti Squash w/Bolognese Sauce

1 med spag squash tomato sauce of your choice add meat if you want (was going to give directions to make your own sauce, but really, why?)


Slice spag squash in half, length-wise (no small feat- be careful.) Scoop out seeds. Season with salt. 
Spray cookie sheet or baking dish. Place squash halves face down in pan. Roast at 350 for 50-70 mins. let cool slightly. Use a fork to scoop out all the flesh in spaghetti-like strands. Serve with warmed sauce.

This really is very yummy. We don't really do much pasta anymore because the appropriate starch portion is so small it's not worth it. It's nice to have something to serve a nice, meaty sauce on. :)

Chicken W/Apple- Mushroom Sauce & Asparagus

1TBS EVOO

4 boneless,skinless chicken breasts

salt & pepper

1tsp. dried thyme

1tsp poultry seasoning

1LB thin asparagus (ends trimmed)

juice of 1/2 lemon

2TBS unsalted butter

8 button mushrooms, thinly sliced

2 shallots, finely chopped

1 small green apple, peeled, cored & thinly sliced

1/4 c. apple cider or juice + 1tsp sugar

1c. chicken stock

1/4c. sour cream

Preheat skillet over medium-high heat with EVOO. Season chicken breasts with S&P, thyme & poultry seasoning. Toss them in the skillet. Cook on each side for 5-6 minutes, till cooked.

While chicken is cooking, fill medium skillet with about 1/2 inch water. Place over high heat, cover and bring to quick boil. Add asparagus- cook 'til tender but green. Drain water, season asparagus with S&P and lemon juice.

Remove chicken from skillet to plate and loosely cover with foil. Return skillet to heat and add butter; once melted, add the sliced mushrooms and season with pepper. Cook until lightly browned. Add shallots and sliced apples, season with salt. Continue to cook for another couple of minutes. Add the cider/juice and cook 1 minute more. Add stock, bring to boil and simmer 3-4 minutes. Add sour cream, stir to incorporate and heat through, 1 min. IF sauce is too thick, add more stock. Spoon over chicken to plate. 

Healthy Monte Cristo Sandwiches

I know- "healthy" Monte Cristos- what's the point?! While I am still a big fan of the late Bennigan's classic, this is a good sandwich. Deep fried in fabulous batter? No. But still tasty.

turkey, ham (portion what you want) part-skim mozzarella whatever bread you can have Veggie toppings, if you want, or serve zucchini chips on the side.
1 egg white might want to add cheddar or other more flavorful cheese- swiss is a traditional one, though not my favorite. not-butter spray
powdered sugar (tiny bit)
Fruit preserves- blackberry or raspberry are particularly good


Put sammy together Dip carefully in egg white heat skillet, spray with not-butter Griddle sammy on both sides
Dust with powdered sugar and serve with preserves on the side.

Cauliflower-Crust Pizza

This one came highly recommended. I just tried it tonight and the whole family enjoyed it. Really, pizza is all about the toppings anyway, so if you can get away with crust that isn't a zillion calories, why not?! I doubled this recipe, making two pizzas, so we could have lunch-leftovers. Who doesn't want pizza for lunch?

1 cup cooked, riced cauliflower* 1 egg 1 cup mozzarella cheese 1/2 tsp fennel 1 tsp oregano 2 tsp parsley

*I used frozen cauliflower prepared according to package directions. After cooked and slightly cooled, I shred cauliflower with a cheese grater, and then measure for the recipe. (Don't pack down the cup with cauliflower. Just fill it with a spoon or the cup itself.)

Pizza Toppings- your call! I made mine with BBQ sauce, fresh spinach, carmelized yellow onions, sliced mushrooms, cubed chicken and mozzarella. FANnnnnnnn Tastic. Word to the Wise: Pre-cook all of your toppings. That way, once the crust is cooked, you can zap the toppings on, broil it for a few minutes to get the cheese bubbly and brown, and be ready to go. Try prepping these ingredients the weekend before.

FOR THE CRUST:

reheat oven to 450 degrees Farenheit. Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick spray. In a medium bowl, combine cauliflower, egg and mozzarella. Press evenly on the pan. Sprinkle evenly with fennel, oregano and parsley. Bake at 450 degrees for 12-15 minutes (15-20 minutes if you double the recipe). Remove the pan from the oven. To the crust, add sauce, then toppings and cheese. Place under a broiler (grill for the Europeans) at high heat just until cheese is melted

Chicken Stuffed with Zucchini & Goat Cheese

Goat cheese- one of my all-time favorites and slightly less in calories than other, harder cheeses. This recipe calls for bone-in chicken breasts, but I'm too lazy for that. I'll be trying to stuff the goodies in there some other way...

1LB zucchini salt 2tbs olive oil, plus xtra for brushing 1 med onion, finely chopped 4oz goat cheese (at room temp) 3tbs unsalted butter (at room temp) 1 large egg 2tbs parsley 1/3 c. parm 4 bone-in chicken breast halves


Prepare grill on med-high or oven 375. Shred zucc, sprinkle w/salt, wrap in paper towels & let stand 15 min. In large skillet, heat 1tbs oil over med heat. Add zucc & saute until crisp tender, 2-3 min. Remove from skillet and let cool. In same skilled, heat 1tbs oil, add onion and saute 5 min. remove from heat, cool. In small bowl, beat goat cheese, butter, then egg, until smooth. Add zucc, onion, parsley & parm. Using fingers, losen skin from chicken, leaving one side attached and force zucc under Brush each with olive oil and sprinkle with herbs de Provence. Grill over heat, 15-20 min. or bake 25-30.

Shrimp Sauteed with Green Onion & Garlic

This is surprisingly yummy and simple. Great protein, flavor and almost no calories.

raw shrimp, tails removed. green onions, garlic minced. i can't believe it's not butter spray.

spray non-stick skillet with not-butter and heat. (I promise this works.) Add green onions, cook 2 min. 

Add garlic. Cook 'til fragrant. Add shrimp and cook 'til pink.

Portobello Sandwiches

this is what the recipe calls for- I say add your own stuff 4 sun-dried tomatoes (not oil packed) boiling water 4 mushrooms 1/4 c. crumbled gorgonzola 1 tbs + 1tsp olive oil salt & pepper

(Suggestions: fresh spinach, small amount of basil, carmelized onions, tomato slices... get creative and change it up!)

Reconstitute SDT by soaking in boiling water 10 min. Pat dry. slice stems off mush so they lay flat. Then slice cap in half length-wise so you have 8 round slices. (this is no small feat... good luck.) Top half of mush with 1tbs of chopped tomatos and 1tbs of cheese. Top with remaining mush slice. brush both sides with olive oil. Preheat skillet over med-hi 'til very hot. 

Place sammies carefully, 2 min. Flip and cook again, season with salt & pepper.

Green Chile Stew

Green Chile Stew 8oz lean pork, diced 1tbs flour 1 tbs olive oil 1 large baking potato, diced 1.5 c. chopped tomatoes 1/2 c. chopped green chile 2 garlic cloves, minced 1/2 tsp. red chile powder 1 qt. chicken stock 1/2 tsp. ground cumin


Sprinkle pork with flour to lightly coat. In large saucepan, heat oil over high heat and fry meat until golden. Add remaining ingredients. Lower heat to medium low. Cover the pan and simmer until meat is tender, about 4 hours. Alternatively, you may cook stew in covered crock for 6-8 hours.


When I make this, I like it to be a thicker consistency. I sometimes add fat-free half-n-half, though this admittedly adds calories. Another trick I do is, after it's cooked and the potatoes are nice and soft, I put some of the broth and potatoes (avoiding the pork) into a blender and blend it up, then return it to the stew.


Serve with whole wheat tortillas and shredded 2% cheddar cheese.

The Inaugural Post

My beautiful sisters and I have started a 12 week challenge of diet and exercise. We're all on different programs, with different goals, but the camaraderie is nice. To help, I am putting together weekly menus, complete with recipes, weekly grocery lists and suggested prep ideas to make dinner-time during the week quicker and easier. I think it will take me another week to actually get all the extra stuff in here, but for now, here is this week's menu:


WEEK 1 MENU
Green Chile Stew
Portobello Mushroom Sandwiches
Sauteed Shrimp with Garlic & Green Onion
Chicken Stuffed with Zucchini & Goat Cheese
Cauliflower-crust Pizza
Monte Cristo Sandwiches


GROCERY LIST
MEAT-
8oz pork stew meat
Frozen shrimp (I prefer shelled, tail-on, raw)
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts (just buy a big bag- you'll use 'em)
Cold cuts: turkey & ham- enough for however many sammies you want
Pizza toppings- I suggest staying away from pepperoni- but turkey pepp is alright. I made my pizza with chicken. 


VEGGIES
Fresh spinach (just buy a big box and use it for both sandwiches, pizza topping & salads for lunch)
Pre-sliced mushrooms for the pizza (they cost the same and save you time)
1 yellow onion (for zucc stuffed chicken)
1 purple onion (to carmelize for pizza, if you want)
Zucchini- at least 1LB, (though I suggest getting a few more to make zucchini chips as a side dish to either of the sandwiches)
Asparagus- to roast with the shrimp
1 large bag of frozen cauliflower (I doubled this recipe so I'd have leftover pizza for lunch)
1 small bundle green onions
4 large portobello mushroom caps
Sun-dried tomatos (not oil-packed)
1 large baking potato (though I would double the stew recipe for leftovers and buy 2 of everything)
Garlic (can do minced in a jar, if you dare. I'm not a big fan, but it does save chopping time.)


DAIRY
1/4 c. crumbled gorgonzola
4oz goat cheese
Good parmesan cheese (just good to keep on hand- use sparingly b/c of the hi fat)
1-2 C. mozzarella, plus however much you want for pizza topping
Whatever kind of cheese you want on your monte cristo. swiss is the typical. Look for part-skim of anything to help with calories. 
Eggs- have plenty around
I Can't Believe Its Not Butter Spray (this works well for certain things & keeps calories down)


OTHER
Bread for monte cristo sandwiches- I like Sara Lee Whole Wheat 45 Calorie bread
1 qt. low-sodium, fat free chicken stock (or double)
1.5 c. stewed tomatoes (try no salt added) for stew
copious amounts of green chile, to taste


ALWAYS HAVE ON HAND
Olive oil
Spices
Flour
Red Chile Powder
Bread Crumbs