If you have never tried quinoa, you should! It is very high in protein, fiber, calcium and iron and is a fun change from your basic potato, rice, pasta staples! Rinse it in a fine mesh strainer before using.
Dirty Quinoa
Adapted by Mimi from Confections of a Foodie Bride
1 lb lean ground Turkey
1/2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup medium white or yellow onion, diced
1 stalk of celery, diced
1/2 medium green or red bell pepper, seeded and diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 green onion, sliced thinly (dark green parts separated from white/light green)
1 cups quinoa, uncooked
2 cups chicken broth/stock
1 bay leaf
Salt
Pepper
Cayenne (optional)
Tobasco sauce (optional)
Brown lean ground turkey in a non-stick pan over medium heat until mostly browned. Remove from pan and set aside. Add 1/2 tablespoon olive oil to the pan and add onion, celery, and bell pepper. Stir frequently until the vegetables begin to brown. Add garlic and white/light green parts of the green onion. Stir and cook for another 2 minutes.
Pour in quinoa and stir to mix. Add cooked ground turkey, chicken broth and bay leaf. Bring to a boil and then cover and simmer for 30-35 minutes, stirring occasionally) until the liquid has been absorbed. Season to taste. Serve topped with green onions, additional chopped bell pepper (if desired), along side your trusty bottle of hot sauce.
Serves 4.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Pasta Fagioli Soup (like Olive Garden's) in a Crock Pot
This is a great food storage recipe. Lots of canned goodies and few fresh ingredients! Gotta love the crock pot too, right?
Pasta Fagioli Soup in a Crock Pot(Olive Gardens Soup)
2 lbs. ground beef
1 onion, chopped carrots, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 (28 oz.) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (16 oz.) can red kidney beans, drained
1 (16 oz.) can white kidney beans, drained
3 (10 oz.) cans beef stock
3 teaspoons oregano
2 teaspoons pepper
6 teaspoons parsley
1 (20 oz.) jar spaghetti sauce
8 ounces pasta
1. Brown beef in skillet.2. Drain fat from beef and add to crock pot with everything except pasta.3. Cook in crock pot on low 7-8 hours or high 4-5 hours.4. During last 30 minutes on high or 1 hour on low add pasta.5. For extra zip add a little ketchup to individual bowls.
This serves 12-14 people 7 pts plus
Pasta Fagioli Soup in a Crock Pot(Olive Gardens Soup)
2 lbs. ground beef
1 onion, chopped carrots, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 (28 oz.) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (16 oz.) can red kidney beans, drained
1 (16 oz.) can white kidney beans, drained
3 (10 oz.) cans beef stock
3 teaspoons oregano
2 teaspoons pepper
6 teaspoons parsley
1 (20 oz.) jar spaghetti sauce
8 ounces pasta
1. Brown beef in skillet.2. Drain fat from beef and add to crock pot with everything except pasta.3. Cook in crock pot on low 7-8 hours or high 4-5 hours.4. During last 30 minutes on high or 1 hour on low add pasta.5. For extra zip add a little ketchup to individual bowls.
This serves 12-14 people 7 pts plus
Caribbean Jerk Chicken with Sweet Potatoes and Black Beans
Caribbean Jerk Chicken with Sweet Potatoes & Black Beans
Borrowed from Mimi's Fit Foods-Modified from a recipe found at Group Recipes
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1 white or yellow onion, chopped
1 sweet potato, peeled, cut into ½-inch chunks
4 teaspoons Caribbean jerk seasoning, divided (I used half of this amount and it was HOT!!)
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 bay leaves
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 lime
14.5 oz. black beans, rinsed
Salt, to taste
Cilantro, optional (for garnishing)
Heat large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil, then onion. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in sweet potato. Sprinkle 2 teaspoons jerk seasoning over the vegetables; cook for 1 minute. Add broth and bay leaves; simmer, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile. . . cook/grill the chicken. Preheat broiler (or an indoor grill such as the George Foreman). Sprinkle the remaining 2 tsp. jerk seasoning over chicken; coat chicken with cooking spray. Broil 4 to 5 inches from heat source until the chicken is just cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes per side. (Alternatively, cook in a ridged grill pan…like a George Foreman Grill…over medium heat or grill over medium coals.)
Grate enough lime zest to measure 1/2 tsp. Stir zest, black beans and salt into the sweet potato mixture. Continue cooking for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the sweet potato is tender. Discard bay leaves. Remove from heat. Juice lime and stir lime juice into sweet potato mixture. Transfer the sweet potato-bean mixture to 5 plates, top with chicken. Garnish with cilantro, if desired.
ENJOY! Serve with salad or some other yummy vegetable.
Note: I have also cut my chicken into bite-sized pieces, seasoned it with jerk seasoning and then cooked it in my skillet BEFORE cooking my onion. Once the chicken is done, I transfer it to plate and tent it with foil. I follow the rest of the recipe as outlined and add the cooked chicken back to the skillet when I add the black beans to the sweet potatoes so that it can heat back through. This seems easier at times (with less dishes to wash) and it’s much easier to divide amongst 5 people….considering there’s only 4 chicken breasts in the recipe.)
Serves 5. 8 pts plus
Borrowed from Mimi's Fit Foods-Modified from a recipe found at Group Recipes
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1 white or yellow onion, chopped
1 sweet potato, peeled, cut into ½-inch chunks
4 teaspoons Caribbean jerk seasoning, divided (I used half of this amount and it was HOT!!)
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 bay leaves
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 lime
14.5 oz. black beans, rinsed
Salt, to taste
Cilantro, optional (for garnishing)
Heat large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil, then onion. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in sweet potato. Sprinkle 2 teaspoons jerk seasoning over the vegetables; cook for 1 minute. Add broth and bay leaves; simmer, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile. . . cook/grill the chicken. Preheat broiler (or an indoor grill such as the George Foreman). Sprinkle the remaining 2 tsp. jerk seasoning over chicken; coat chicken with cooking spray. Broil 4 to 5 inches from heat source until the chicken is just cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes per side. (Alternatively, cook in a ridged grill pan…like a George Foreman Grill…over medium heat or grill over medium coals.)
Grate enough lime zest to measure 1/2 tsp. Stir zest, black beans and salt into the sweet potato mixture. Continue cooking for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the sweet potato is tender. Discard bay leaves. Remove from heat. Juice lime and stir lime juice into sweet potato mixture. Transfer the sweet potato-bean mixture to 5 plates, top with chicken. Garnish with cilantro, if desired.
ENJOY! Serve with salad or some other yummy vegetable.
Note: I have also cut my chicken into bite-sized pieces, seasoned it with jerk seasoning and then cooked it in my skillet BEFORE cooking my onion. Once the chicken is done, I transfer it to plate and tent it with foil. I follow the rest of the recipe as outlined and add the cooked chicken back to the skillet when I add the black beans to the sweet potatoes so that it can heat back through. This seems easier at times (with less dishes to wash) and it’s much easier to divide amongst 5 people….considering there’s only 4 chicken breasts in the recipe.)
Serves 5. 8 pts plus
Grilled Chicken Fajitas
Ingredients:
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
4 tbsp. olive oil, divided
3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1½ tsp. brown sugar
1 jalapeño, seeded, ribbed and diced
1 1/2 tbsp. minced fresh cilantro
1 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. pepper
2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, butterflied (or the equivalent in chicken tenders)
1 large red onion, sliced into ½-inch thick slices, rings not separated
2 large bell peppers, stemmed, quartered and seeded
16 extra thin corn tortillas (Such as Mission Yellow Corn Tortillas – Extra Thin = 40 calories each)
Directions:
In a medium bowl, whisk together the lime juice, olive oil, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, jalapeño, cilantro, salt and pepper. Reserve 1/4 cup of the marinade; set aside. Place the chicken breast halves (or tenders, if using) in the marinade, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 15 minutes. Lightly oil both sides of the onion rounds and peppers with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
Meanwhile, prep your grill . . .for gas grill turn all burners to high and let grill get nice and hot. Then turn one burner to high and the rest down to medium.
Remove the chicken breast from the marinade and transfer to the hotter side of the grill; discard the left over marinade. Place the onion rounds and peppers on the cooler side of the grill. Cook the chicken until it is well browned, 3-4 minutes. Using tongs, flip the chicken and continue grilling until it is no longer pink inside (or an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center reads 160˚ F.) Meanwhile, cook onions and peppers until spottily charred and crisp-tender, about 8-12 minutes, turning once or twice as needed.* When the chicken and vegetables are done, transfer them to a large plate and tent with foil to keep warm.
In 2 or 3 batches, transfer the tortillas in a single layer to the now empty grill on the cooler side. Cook until warm and lightly browned, about 20 seconds per side. When the tortillas are done, wrap them in a clean kitchen towel or foil. (Alternatively you can warm the tortillas according to package directions.)
Separate the onions into rings and place them in a medium bowl. Slice the bell peppers lengthwise into ¼-inch strips and add them to the bowl with the onions. Add 2 tablespoons of the reserved unused marinade and toss well to combine. Slice the chicken into ¼-inch strips and toss with the remaining 2 tablespoons of reserved marinade in another bowl. Arrange the chicken and vegetables on a large platter with the warmed tortillas and serve.
Serves 8
*Optional Cooking Tip for Veggies: cut the onions & peppers into strips and then lightly grease the George Foreman grill with cooking spray and then throw the onions and peppers on the grill and cook until crisp-tender and slightly charred.
Recipe from Mimi's Fit Foods
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
4 tbsp. olive oil, divided
3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1½ tsp. brown sugar
1 jalapeño, seeded, ribbed and diced
1 1/2 tbsp. minced fresh cilantro
1 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. pepper
2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, butterflied (or the equivalent in chicken tenders)
1 large red onion, sliced into ½-inch thick slices, rings not separated
2 large bell peppers, stemmed, quartered and seeded
16 extra thin corn tortillas (Such as Mission Yellow Corn Tortillas – Extra Thin = 40 calories each)
Directions:
In a medium bowl, whisk together the lime juice, olive oil, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, jalapeño, cilantro, salt and pepper. Reserve 1/4 cup of the marinade; set aside. Place the chicken breast halves (or tenders, if using) in the marinade, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 15 minutes. Lightly oil both sides of the onion rounds and peppers with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
Meanwhile, prep your grill . . .for gas grill turn all burners to high and let grill get nice and hot. Then turn one burner to high and the rest down to medium.
Remove the chicken breast from the marinade and transfer to the hotter side of the grill; discard the left over marinade. Place the onion rounds and peppers on the cooler side of the grill. Cook the chicken until it is well browned, 3-4 minutes. Using tongs, flip the chicken and continue grilling until it is no longer pink inside (or an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center reads 160˚ F.) Meanwhile, cook onions and peppers until spottily charred and crisp-tender, about 8-12 minutes, turning once or twice as needed.* When the chicken and vegetables are done, transfer them to a large plate and tent with foil to keep warm.
In 2 or 3 batches, transfer the tortillas in a single layer to the now empty grill on the cooler side. Cook until warm and lightly browned, about 20 seconds per side. When the tortillas are done, wrap them in a clean kitchen towel or foil. (Alternatively you can warm the tortillas according to package directions.)
Separate the onions into rings and place them in a medium bowl. Slice the bell peppers lengthwise into ¼-inch strips and add them to the bowl with the onions. Add 2 tablespoons of the reserved unused marinade and toss well to combine. Slice the chicken into ¼-inch strips and toss with the remaining 2 tablespoons of reserved marinade in another bowl. Arrange the chicken and vegetables on a large platter with the warmed tortillas and serve.
Serves 8
*Optional Cooking Tip for Veggies: cut the onions & peppers into strips and then lightly grease the George Foreman grill with cooking spray and then throw the onions and peppers on the grill and cook until crisp-tender and slightly charred.
Recipe from Mimi's Fit Foods
Chock Full of Veggies Chili (South Beach Diet)
This is seriously so delicious! I just love it...and I love the fact that you are getting so many vegetables in one dish! Try it.
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 bell peppers, chopped
1 1/2 cups mushrooms, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 (15 ounce) cans pinto beans
1 (14 1/2 ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes
1 In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add peppers,
mushrooms, onion,celery, and garlic. Cook about 7 minutes until vegetables begin
to soften. Add seasonings and continue to cook an additional 5 minutes, stirring
occasionally.
2 Add beans and tomatoes with all their juices and bring to a
gentle simmer. Simmer 25 to 30 minutes, until chili is fragrant and slightly
thickened.
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 bell peppers, chopped
1 1/2 cups mushrooms, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 (15 ounce) cans pinto beans
1 (14 1/2 ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes
1 In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add peppers,
mushrooms, onion,celery, and garlic. Cook about 7 minutes until vegetables begin
to soften. Add seasonings and continue to cook an additional 5 minutes, stirring
occasionally.
2 Add beans and tomatoes with all their juices and bring to a
gentle simmer. Simmer 25 to 30 minutes, until chili is fragrant and slightly
thickened.
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Forks over Knives Documentary
Wow! I have been trying to eat healthier (at least more often than not) for quite a while now. Today, I watched a documentary on whole foods or plant based eating that was very interesting. You should check it out. It is based on scienntific studies etc. not just kooks! Great food for thought..."Forks Over Knives".
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Chocolate Chip Cookies
This is the recipe off the giant bag of chocolate chips from Costco. We really like them. Don't overcook-they are better soft!
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
2 1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2-2 cups chocolate chips
Mix butter and sugars together. Add wet ingredients and mix well. Add dry ingredients and stir together to mix. Drop by spoonful onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes at 375 degrees.
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
2 1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2-2 cups chocolate chips
Mix butter and sugars together. Add wet ingredients and mix well. Add dry ingredients and stir together to mix. Drop by spoonful onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes at 375 degrees.
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