Category: Recipes

Healthy Instant Pot Barbacoa

Published on by richbLeave a comment

Ingredients (barbacoa):
5 cloves garlic
1/2 medium onion chopped
1 lime, juice
3 chiptoles in adobo sauce
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp ground oregano
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 cup water
3 – 4 lbs beef cross rib roast 5″ chopped into large chunks
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
black pepper
1 tsp oil
3 bay leaves

Ingredients (Toppings)

  • Cooked rice for Barbacoa bowls or tortillas to make tacos
  • Sliced greeen onions
  • Diced red onions 
  • Avacado diced
  • Cilantro chopped
  • Tomatos diced
  • Sour cream
  • Frozen corn microwaved 3 to 4 mins to cook
  • Jalapeno cooked pinto beans (can)
  • Cheese (Monterrey Jack or Cheddar)
  • Salsa or hot sauce that you like

Set Instant Pot to saute, wait to get hot, add oil to pot and brown chunks of beef. Cancel the saute cycle when beef is browned. Add in water then beef, squeeze the lime juce over the meat, sprinkle the onion, garlic and other ingredients over the meat. Close the Instant Pot and pressure cook on high for 60-70 minutes depending on how much meat turning off the warming at the end of the pressure cook. Let the pressure naturally release. Shread and mix with sauce that forms in a bowl. Server over rice with

Manchurian Vegetable Balls

Published on by richbLeave a comment

Ingredients

  • Vegetable Balls
    • 1 carrot grated fine
    • 1 cup of cabbage grated or sliced & chopped finely
    • 1/2 Onion grated
    • 1/2 Bell pepper chopped finely
    • 2 pieces of bread crumbed (for Vegan use Vegan Bread)
    • 1/4 cup of flour
    • 1/2 tsp cumin
    • 1/2 tsp salt
    • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
    • 1 egg
    • 1/3 cup water
    • Oil for frying
  • Sauce
    • 1/2 onion chopped
    • 2 tablespoons oil
    • 1 tablespoons vinegar
    • 3 cloves garlic minced
    • 1 tablespoon minced ginger
    • 3 tablespoons Ketchup
    • 1 tsp Siracha sauce
    • 1/4 tsp sugar
    • 1 tablespoon cornstarch in 2 tablespoons of water

Directions

For Veggie Balls: Add Vegetable Ball ingredients to a bowl and mix till well mixed. Heat frying oil in a pan, when hot, form 1″ diameter balls and drop into hot oil. Fry till golden brown and cooked through, then drain.. Or for Heathier version with less fat coat w/oil and cook in an air fryer.

For Sauce: Add oil to pan and heat till hot. Add in onions and fry about 2 minutes. Now add garlic and ginger fry lightly, do not brown. Then add water, ketchup, vinegar, Siracha and sugar. Adjust vinegar and sugar to taste. Cook about 2 minutes till boiling, then add in cornstarch/water mixture and boil till thickened. Serve Veggie balls with sauce on the side to spoon over.

Healthier Enchilada Soup

Healthier Chicken Enchilada Soup (Crock Pot/Instant Pot)

Published on by richbLeave a comment

Ingredients

  • 1 can of Cream of Chicken Soup
  • 1 8 oz can of tomato sauce (low sodium if desired)
  • 2 tbsp of Chili powder (I used 1 tbsp of New mexico chili, and 1 1bsp of generic chili powder)
  • 1 tbsp of Garlic powder
  • 1/2 tbsp of cumin
  • 1 tbsp chicken bouillon
  • 1 tbsp olive oil to saute chicken
  • 1 diced red bell pepper
  • 1/2 onion diced
  • 1 can of black beans (rinsed)
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp Siracha sauce
  • 1 can of sweet corn (optional)
  • 1 lb of chicken tenders
  • 1/2 cup of sour cream
  • 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese
  • 1/2 cup of whole milk (or heavy cream for creamier soup)
  • Toppings
    • Crispy tortilla strips
    • Cilantro minced
    • Avocado diced
    • Extra shredded cheese
    • Extra sour cream

I reduced some of the sodium by not adding extra salt and used chili powder, garlic powder, and cumin rather than canned enchilada sauce. Choosing low sodium tomato sauce. You could further reduce it by using frozen corn and low sodium bouillon.

Directions

Set Instant Pot to saute and put oil, chicken, onion, and pepper. Saute for few mins. Now add rest of ingredients but sour cream, cheddar cheese, and milk to crock pot or instant pot. Cook on high pressure for 25 mins. Quick release stir in sour cream, cheddar cheese, and milk. If using a crock pot skip the saute step and cook for about 4 hours on high or 6-8 on low.

Fluffy White Bread Machine Bread

Published on by richbLeave a comment

This Bread came out amazing. It had a really nice flavor, was fluffy, and incredibly moist. After cooling, I cut it and made a sandwich and it was excellent. Actually the bread greatly improved the sandwich taste.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/8 cups of hot water. (about 105 degrees F)
  • 2 teaspoons activated dry yeast
  • 3 tablespoons of sugar (I used organic)
  • 1/4 cup of vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3 cups of white flour (I used all purpose)
  • 1/2 tablespoon butter to grease pan.

Directions

Add sugar into bread maker, then add hot water, followed by yeast. Let set for 5 minutes till frothy. Then add in flour salt and vegetable oil. Set for Dough setting if you want to bake in loaf pan (this is what I did). When dough cycle done, add into greased loaf pan. I used a long loaf pan (12 “), let rise for 30-40 mins till it rises above the top of the pan. While the bread is rising preheat the oven to 325 degrees F with a pan in the shelf below the bread pan in the oven to add about 1/4 cup of water when the bread goes in the oven. Add water and loaf pan with risen bread and bake for approx 30-35 minutes. Check temperature using a probe thermometer. Should be at least 190 degrees F in center to be completely cooked. Take bread out of the oven and immediately remove from pan and place on cooling rack covered with a dish towel. Let cool for 1 hour before slicing. After bread is cooled it can be halved and stored in a 1 gallon ziploc bag.

Filipino Chicken Lugaw (Instant Pot compatible Recipe)

Published on by richbLeave a comment

Ingredients

  • 10 cups of water
  • 1 cup medium-grain white rice
  • 1 ½ tablespoons concentrated chicken base or 4 bouillon cubes
  • 1 tablespoon fish sauce
  • 1 eight-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breast, very thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon minced ginger
  • 1/2 large onion diced
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • Toppings:
    • 1 scallion, finely chopped for garnish
    • 2 to 3 round slices lemon, each cut in half to squeeze on top when serving
    • Minced Garlic fried to golden brown for topping
    • Hardboiled Eggs sliced for topping

Directions

If using Instant pot, add ingredients to instant pot. Cook on porridge setting. if not using instant pot cook in covered stock pot on stove for 1 hour. Serve with lemon squeezed over and crispy fried garlic sprinkled on top. Add additional toppings as desired.

Thai Basil Beef Stir Fry (Pad Gra Prow)

Published on by richbLeave a comment

Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp oil
  • 1-5 Thai Chilies depending on spice level
  • 3 cloves of garlic
  • About 1 lb Beef sliced into strips
  • 1/2 of a medium size onion cut into strips
  • 1/2 of a bell pepper cut into strips
  • 3 Tbsp Oyster sauce
  • 1 Tbsp Soy Sauce
  • 1 Tbsp Fish Sauce
  • 1/2 Tbsp sugar
  • 1/2 Bell Pepper sliced into strips
  • 1/2 Onion sliced into strips
  • Fresh ground black pepper
  • Dark Soy sauce (optional)
  • 2 handfuls of Thai Basil

Directions

Add oil to pan when hot, then add chilies and garlic that have been smashed together into pan. Fry till fragrant then add in meat. Cook to outside is brown then add in onion and pepper and cook another 1 to 2 minutes. Now add the the next 6 ingredients that have been combined in a bowl ahead of time. Cook a few more minutes then add the Basil and cook for another minutes, then serve over rice.

Delicious Fajita Marinade

Published on by richbLeave a comment

Ingredients

  • 1 lb of Steak (Skirt – preferable or Sirloin steak) for marinading
  • 3 limes juiced
  • 2-4 green onions diced
  • 3 tablespoons or more of minced cilantro
  • 1/4 cup of vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon of ground corriander
  • 3 cloves Garlic diced.
  • 1/2 tsp of crushed red pepper

Directions

Add ingredients to a zip lock bag and squeeze the bag till meat is fully coated. Let marinade for 1 – 4 hours. Grill meat and slice or dice and serve with tortillas

Lower Carb Chili

Published on by richbLeave a comment

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds ground beef
  • 1 pound bulk Italian sausage
  • 4 – 5 slices of finely diced bacon
  • 2 – 28 oz cans of crushed tomatoes
  • 1 – 6 oz can of tomato paste
  • 1 – 14 oz can of chili beans
  • 8 cloves of garlic
  • 2 yellow bell peppers
  • 2 onions, diced
  • 3 tbsp New Mexico chili powder
  • 4 tbsp cumin
  • 1 tsp of oregano
  • 1 tsp of basil
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp Worcestershire
  • 2 stalks of celery diced
  • 5 red chilies
  • 3 or more crushed red peppers
  • 3 tbsp beef bullion powder
  • 1 tbsp paprika
  • Additional Garlic powder & salt to taste

Directions

Brown ground beef and sausage in large pot, when brown add in rest of ingredients and simmer on low covered for 2-3 hours, stirring occastionally

Ginger Black Refried Beans (Chino Bandito style)

Published on by richb6 Comments
  • 1 cups of dry black beans soaked overnight
  • 1 tbsp fresh grated ginger
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1 tsp of Caldo de pollo (dry bouillon)
  • 1/4 tsp of white pepper
  • 1/4 tsp of dry mustard
  • 3 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3 tablespoons of olive oil
  • Enough water to cover beans 1/2″

Place the beans in a pot, and fill with enough water to cover with 2 inches or so. Bring to a boil and then let simmer for 3 hours or so, stirring occasionally. Add in all other ingredients and with an immersion blender blend beans till mostly smooth.  Simmer for about 30 minutes or more till the desired thickness is achieved.

Fried Rice Easy ~10 min in Microwave

Published on by richbLeave a comment

Ingredients

  • 1 cup rice
  • 2 cups of water
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon oyster sauce
  • 3 strips uncooked bacon, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic chopped finely (Can use chopped garlic in jar)
  • 1 cup cooked peas (If frozen heat in microwave for about 2 mins)
  • 3 eggs
  • salt, to taste
  • fresh scallion, to garnish

Directions

Combine first 7 ingredients in a microwavable bowl at least 1 quart sized. Microwave for about 8 minutes. Add eggs and some salt to bowl and beat. Microwave eggs for about 2 minutes or until cooked. Chop eggs and add to rice. Stir in peas and 3 green onions chopped.