Grilled Chicken Parm

Matt is a Chicken Parmesan connoisseur. It is his litmus test for any Italian restaurant. So I was a bit nervous to make this no-breading chicken parmesan from Biggest Loser. Though we all agreed there is a special place in our hearts for the yummy breaded variety of chicken parm, this was an excellent option and certainly one we can have a bit more frequently since it is easy and healthy!

I opted to serve mine over a bed of roasted spaghetti squash, the kids had the usual spaghetti, and Matt did a mixture of the two. On the side, we served steamed green beans topped with marinara – it’s a combo I hadn’t had before, but it was very tasty and of course easy. One of these days, I would like to work on perfecting a marinara sauce recipe, possibly to can in the summer when tomatoes are in season. But not today – today it was Classico bought in bulk from Costco. At least I don’t have any Italian ancestors rolling over in their graves. Just the German ones who can’t believe I hate sauerkraut and don’t drink beer. Continue reading “Grilled Chicken Parm”

Chicken Minestrone

Well the month and our experiment with The Zone is almost up as is my whirlwind tour of Zone Meals in Seconds cookbook. It’s been … interesting. I’ve done well on The Zone, losing about 9 lbs, which for a month is pretty good (and technically, I still have ’til Friday for my four weeks to be up, and I’ll be Zoned until then). I can’t say it’s something I feel like I could live with permanently. I like a bit more wiggle room in my life … I like food, good food, way too much to be this restricted, but I think it put me back on track with what I know to be healthy and reinforced some good lessons. Lean meat, healthy vegetables, less starches, little sugar, good fats.

The cookbook itself was a meh. Let’s say a 4 out of 10. This book had two kinds of recipes … one was real recipes as we think of them, the other, just thrown together ingredients. They were both a mix of awesome and blech! with a few meh … thrown in there. My samplings:

  1. Tex Mex meatloaf – seriously tasty; I’ve recommended this to a few people and it was very well received
  2. Salmon Tagine – loved the spinach, but the Salmon was just so-so
  3. Apple Spice Oatmeal – protein powder completely screwed up the texture; edible, but not yummy
  4. Moroccan chicken stew – ICK. Way too much of the cream of soup.
  5. Zoned Apple Muffins – These were good, but not great. Not a ton of flavor/taste.
  6. Mexican chicken chili – not so much a recipe, just a list of things to throw together in a bowl; pretty tasty though
  7. Blueberry and banana creme freeze – pretty tasty, even liked the sour cream in here – may post this one later.
  8. Chicken Minestrone – quite good!

Anyhow, more about Chicken Minestrone. This is one of those recipe that I don’t even really consider to be a recipe because there’s just not much to it. Just a couple of raw ingredients, the rest from cans or the freezer section, but I know a lot of people struggle with even this and it could be a gateway recipe, so I will post it. It really is tasty and super healthy. This makes 4 4-block meals (a TON of soup)

Ingredients

  • 3 cups of cubed frozen chicken
  • 1 10 oz package cut green beans
  • 1 can of kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 qt low sodium chicken broth/stock
  • 1 jar marinara sauce
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2-3 zucchini quartered and sliced
  • 3 T EVOO
  • dried oregano and basil

Directions

Heat the EVOO in a dutch oven. While the oil is heating, cook the green beans to about 75% done in the microwave. Add the chicken, garlic, zucchini, green beans and herbs to the dutch oven and cook until all are warmed through and fragrant. Add the kidney beans, broth and marinara. Stir to combine and bring to a boil and simmer for a few minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

 

I really enjoyed experimenting with this cookbook this month. It’s not one that I expect to turn to often but it gave me a couple good new recipes. Next month will be The Biggest Loser Family Cookbook.

Hula Pizza

The folks at my house are big pizza fans (I know it’s rare to find an American who isn’t). We’re completely happy with the garden variety mushroom and pepperoni variety (we frequently order it from down the block), but we also like something a bit different. We’ve put lots of different things on pizzas including buffalo chicken, shrimp scampi and various “Mexican” combinations. I don’t think we’ve had a loser yet. Surely this wasn’t it! This pizza, adapted from a Devin Alexander recipe I saw in the Biggest Loser Family cookbook, combines slightly disparate but always yummy ingredients into something really tasty and unexpected. It was a hit with the whole family. Matt and I ate it in its entirety.Tabby (who normally loves pineapple) ate all of the chicken and handed Ben her pineapple.  Ben picked off and ate all pineapple, including Tabby’s and then licked off all the cheese. #facepalm

Hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

Continue reading “Hula Pizza”

Butternut Squash Pasta

from:

Ingredients
green beans
butter
dill (fresh or dried)
salt & pepper

Directions
Cook your green beans until done. I like to steam them in skillet with just a little water if fresh, or nuke them if they're frozen, of course. While still hot, add the butter and mix it in so it melts. You do not need much butter. A tablespoon gives an entire pound of green beans a very nice flavor. Then season with dill and salt and pepper.

from: adapted from Dinner a Love Story

Ingredients
1 package egg noodles (we like no yolk)
1 large butternut squash, peeled and diced in 1/2″ or 2 packages prepped frozen winter squash
1 large onion
rosemary leaves
2 T butter
salt and pepper
parmesan

Directions
Heat oven to 425. Peel onion and cut into large dice. On a rimmed baking sheet, place squash and onion in one layer, distributing evenly. Season with salt and pepper and rosemary leaves. Bake for 20-30 minutes until squash and onions are nicely roasted.

Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to a boil and cook egg noodles according to package directions. Once noodles are done, drain and return to pot. Add butter and then combine with roasted squash and onions. Season with more S&P if necessary.

Serve topped with grated Parmesan.

Butternut Squash and Spinach Lasagna

from: Cooking Light

Ingredients
3 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
1/4 cup all-purpose flour (about 1oz)
2 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup minced shallots
1 1/4 teaspoons salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
8 cups (3/4-inch) cubed peeled butternut squash (about 2 1/4 pounds)
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
4 teaspoons olive oil, divided
Cooking spray
1 teaspoon chopped fresh or 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 (6oz) bags fresh baby spinach
9 cooked lasagna noodles (8 ounces uncooked noodles)
1 cup (4oz) shredded Asiago cheese
1 cup (4oz) grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Directions
Cook milk in a small, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat to 180° or until tiny bubbles form around edge (do not boil). Remove from heat; keep warm.

Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Melt butter in a medium nonstick saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots; cook 2 minutes or until tender. Reduce heat; add flour to pan, and cook 5 minutes or until smooth and golden, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; add about 2 tablespoons warm milk to flour mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk. Gradually add remaining warm milk, about 1/2 cup at a time, until mixture is smooth, stirring constantly with a whisk. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and cook until smooth and thickened. Remove from heat. Cover surface of milk mixture with plastic wrap; set aside.

Heat oven to 425. Place squash in a large bowl. Add vinegar; toss to coat. Add 1 tablespoon oil; toss to coat. Arrange squash in a single layer on a jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and thyme. Bake at 425 for 30 minutes, stirring after 15 minutes.

Combine remaining 1 teaspoon oil, red pepper, and garlic in a Dutch oven over medium heat; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add spinach, 1 bag at a time; cook until wilted, stirring frequently. Add remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt; cook until liquid evaporates, stirring frequently.

Reduce oven temperature to 350. Spoon 1/3 cup milk mixture in bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking pan coated with cooking spray. Arrange 3 noodles over milk mixture; top with spinach mixture, 2/3 cup milk mixture, 1/2 cup Asiago, and 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano. Arrange 3 noodles over cheese; top with squash mixture, 2/3 cup milk mixture, remaining 1/2 cup Asiago, and 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano. Arrange remaining 3 noodles on top of cheese; spread remaining 1/2 cup milk mixture over noodles. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until bubbly. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

Nutritional Info (1/8 recipe(
Calories: 445 (30% from fat); Fat: 15g (sat 8.1g,mono 4.2g,poly 0.7g); Protein: 20.7g; Carbs: 61.5g; Fiber: 7.3g; Cholesterol: 36mg; Iron: 4.8mg; Sodium: 758mg; Calcium: 599mg

Lemony Crab Pasta

Ingredients
olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
14-16 oz lump crab meat
zest and juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup flat leaf (Italian parsley), finely chopped
12 oz spaghetti or linguine
chili oil and Parmesan to serve (optional)

Directions
Cook pasta according to package directions. While it is cooking, heat oil over medium high heat. Cook onions and garlic until translucent and beginning to become soft, about 5-7 minutes. Reduce heat. Add lemon zest, crab and heat through.

Toss pasta, crab mixture and parsley. Season with salt and pepper and lemon juice to taste. Serve with chili oil and Parmesan as desired.

Creamy Pumpkin Pasta

from: http://www.momadvice.com

Ingredients
2 garlic cloves
2 tbsp olive oil
1 pound package of Sweet Italian Turkey Sausage (removed from its casing)
2/3 cup to 2 cups pumpkin puree (depending on your personal taste)
1 can chicken broth
¼ cup half & half
½ cup sour cream (low-fat or fat free)
¼ tsp nutmeg
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp white pepper
1 tsp sage
2 tbsp fresh parsley, minced
¼ cup Romano Cheese, shredded
1 pound penne or rotini pasta

Directions
In a large skillet sauté the garlic in the olive oil on medium heat. Add the turkey sausage and cook until no longer pink, breaking the meat up with your spoon as you cook it. Remove turkey sausage and garlic from the skillet. Pour the chicken broth into the skillet and deglaze the pan using a wire whisk, to bring up all of the flavors stuck to the pan. Whisk in the half and half, sour cream, pumpkin, and seasonings. Simmer for ten minutes. Meanwhile, boil the pasta in salted water until al dente. Drain pasta and stir into the pumpkin mixture along with the turkey sausage, simmering for another three minutes or until the sauce thickens and hugs the pasta. Stir in parsley and garnish with Romano and more parsley.

Chicken Pesto Pasta

from: Matt & Jess

Ingredients
pasta (you choose what type)
pesto
chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces
garlic
S&P
olive oil
parmesan (duh)

Directions
Get the water going for your pasta (salt!). Heat olive oil in a big ol' skillet and add the garlic. While that gets going, salt and pepper your chicken. Toss the chicken in and cook, turning every once in a while, but making sure to get nice browning on it. This helps chicken to not taste so much like chicken.

Put in the pasta ASAP and get that cooked. Mix the cooked pasta, chicken and pesto all together. You shouldn't need to heat the pesto unless your pasta's gotten cold. In which case you should probably heat the pasta too. Top it all off with a mini snowstorm of parmesan. Dang it's good.

Spaghetti Carbonara

from: allrecipes.com

Ingredients
5 1/2 pounds apples – peeled, cored and finely chopped
4 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions
Place the apples in a slow cooker. In a medium bowl, mix the sugar, cinnamon, cloves and salt. Pour the mixture over the apples in the slow cooker and mix well.

Cover and cook on high 1 hour. Reduce heat to low and cook 9 to 11 hours, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is thickened and dark brown. Uncover and continue cooking on low 1 hour. Stir with a whisk, if desired, to increase smoothness.

Spoon the mixture into sterile containers, cover and refrigerate or freeze.

from: Barefoot Contessa

Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 pound unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 extra-large eggs
3/4 cup whole milk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (2 bananas)
1 cup medium-diced ripe bananas (1 banana)
1 cup small-diced walnuts
1 cup granola
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
Dried banana chips, granola, or shredded coconut, optional

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Line 18 large muffin cups with paper liners. Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the melted butter and blend. Combine the eggs, milk, vanilla, and mashed bananas, and add them to the flour-and-butter mixture. Scrape the bowl and blend well. Don't overmix.

Fold the diced bananas, walnuts, granola, and coconut into the batter. Spoon the batter into the paper liners, filling each 1 to the top. Top each muffin with dried banana chips, granola, or coconut, if desired. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the tops are brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool slightly, remove from the pan, and serve.

from: Parenting.com

Ingredients
Salad:
8 oz long fusilli
1 cup snow peas
1 cup shredded cooked chicken
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1 Tbs sesame seeds
1 scallion, thinly sliced (optional)

Dressing:
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
2 tsp brown sugar
2 Tbs reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp rice or apple-cider vinegar

Directions
Cook pasta according to package directions; add snow peas to the boiling water about one minute before pasta is done. Drain and rinse under cool water.

Mix the peanut butter, brown sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and rice vinegar in a large bowl. Add the pasta and snow peas; mix well. Add chicken and carrots; toss to combine. Top with sesame seeds and scallions, if you like.

Nutritional Info (1 cup(
279 calories, 8 g fat (2 g saturated), 277 mg sodium, 20 mg cholesterol

from: Everyday Food

Ingredients
1/4 cup Basil Pesto, (two cubes defrosted)
2 precooked store-bought pizza crusts (8 inches)
1 sliced plum tomato
2 ounces grated mozzarella cheese
Coarse salt and ground pepper

Directions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spread basil pesto on each of two pizza crusts.

Layer each crust with plum tomato; sprinkle with grated mozzarella cheese. (Or, layer with just cheese, using 3 ounces thinly sliced fresh mozzarella.) Season with coarse salt and ground pepper.

Transfer to a baking sheet; bake until cheese has melted and crust is golden brown, about 10 minutes. Slice, and serve immediately.

from: kidscuisine.net

Ingredients
1 stick softened butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup vanilla flavored granola clusters
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup apples, diced to about 1/4 inch (I used fuji)

1/2 Cup turbinado sugar, or other sugar of choice to roll cookies in

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a stand or electric mixer, cream butter and sugars until mixed well. Beat in peanut butter until combined then add the egg and vanilla until well combined.

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, granola, baking soda, and salt. Slowly mix in the wet ingredients, then the apples, until just combined. With a medium cookie scoop, scoop dough, roll into sugar ,then place onto a silpat or parchment-lined baking sheet. With tines of a fork, press down slightly making an X on top of each cookie. Bake for 9-11 minutes. Cookies should look somewhat soft inside when you take them out. Let cool/finish baking out of oven for 5 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack.

from: Everyday Food

Ingredients
1 pound spaghetti
8 ounces (8 slices) bacon, cut 1 inch thick crosswise
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
3 large eggs
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
1/2 cup half-and-half

Directions
Set a large pot of water to boil (for pasta). In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, 8 to 12 minutes; transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate.

Salt boiling water generously; add pasta and cook until al dente, according to package instructions.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together eggs, Parmesan, and half-and-half. Set aside.

Drain pasta, leaving some water clinging to it. Working quickly, add hot pasta to egg mixture. Add bacon; season with salt and pepper, and toss all to combine (heat from pasta will cook eggs). Serve immediately, sprinkled with additional Parmesan cheese.

Pesto Pizzas

from: allrecipes.com

Ingredients
5 1/2 pounds apples – peeled, cored and finely chopped
4 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions
Place the apples in a slow cooker. In a medium bowl, mix the sugar, cinnamon, cloves and salt. Pour the mixture over the apples in the slow cooker and mix well.

Cover and cook on high 1 hour. Reduce heat to low and cook 9 to 11 hours, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is thickened and dark brown. Uncover and continue cooking on low 1 hour. Stir with a whisk, if desired, to increase smoothness.

Spoon the mixture into sterile containers, cover and refrigerate or freeze.

from: Barefoot Contessa

Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 pound unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 extra-large eggs
3/4 cup whole milk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (2 bananas)
1 cup medium-diced ripe bananas (1 banana)
1 cup small-diced walnuts
1 cup granola
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
Dried banana chips, granola, or shredded coconut, optional

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Line 18 large muffin cups with paper liners. Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the melted butter and blend. Combine the eggs, milk, vanilla, and mashed bananas, and add them to the flour-and-butter mixture. Scrape the bowl and blend well. Don't overmix.

Fold the diced bananas, walnuts, granola, and coconut into the batter. Spoon the batter into the paper liners, filling each 1 to the top. Top each muffin with dried banana chips, granola, or coconut, if desired. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the tops are brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool slightly, remove from the pan, and serve.

from: Parenting.com

Ingredients
Salad:
8 oz long fusilli
1 cup snow peas
1 cup shredded cooked chicken
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1 Tbs sesame seeds
1 scallion, thinly sliced (optional)

Dressing:
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
2 tsp brown sugar
2 Tbs reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp rice or apple-cider vinegar

Directions
Cook pasta according to package directions; add snow peas to the boiling water about one minute before pasta is done. Drain and rinse under cool water.

Mix the peanut butter, brown sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and rice vinegar in a large bowl. Add the pasta and snow peas; mix well. Add chicken and carrots; toss to combine. Top with sesame seeds and scallions, if you like.

Nutritional Info (1 cup(
279 calories, 8 g fat (2 g saturated), 277 mg sodium, 20 mg cholesterol

from: Everyday Food

Ingredients
1/4 cup Basil Pesto, (two cubes defrosted)
2 precooked store-bought pizza crusts (8 inches)
1 sliced plum tomato
2 ounces grated mozzarella cheese
Coarse salt and ground pepper

Directions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spread basil pesto on each of two pizza crusts.

Layer each crust with plum tomato; sprinkle with grated mozzarella cheese. (Or, layer with just cheese, using 3 ounces thinly sliced fresh mozzarella.) Season with coarse salt and ground pepper.

Transfer to a baking sheet; bake until cheese has melted and crust is golden brown, about 10 minutes. Slice, and serve immediately.