Tag: healthy

Chicken Cordon Bleu

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Delicious Chicken Cordon Blue
Delicious Chicken Cordon Blue

This is a great quick tasty meal that is great to make on a weeknight when you don’t have a lot of time. Definitely healthier than take out.

Ingredients

  • 3 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast
  • 6  Slices of Ham lunch meat one each (not really thin sliced)
  • 6 slices of Swiss Cheese
  • Dijon Mustard
  • Bread crumbs
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • Toothpicks to secure rolled up Chicken Breast.
  • Cooking spray for baking dish

Directions

Slice the Chicken breasts to make them thinner so that you can roll them. You can slice them down into thirds if the are really thick or you can pound them out flatter. After they are all sliced, sprinkle them with salt and pepper on both sides. Then put the flat side up and lay a slice of ham and a slice of Swiss cheese on top and then put a thick stripe of Dijon mustard on the cheese and roll up and secure with toothpicks, cheese side in. Now roll in bread crumbs lay in greased baking pan and put into a pre-heated 350 degree oven for about 25 minutes, until you can see the cheese is melted and just starting to ooze out. Serve and enjoy.

Smokey Spicy Refried Black Beans

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Smokey Black Refried Beans
Smokey Black Refried Beans

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups of dried back beans (or 1 can of black beans)
  • 4 cloves of garlic finely diced
  • 1 jalapeno pepper finely diced
  • 2 tablespoons of olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon of ground cumin
  • 1 chipolte pepper finely diced
  • 1 cup of vegetable or chicken broth
  • 1/2 teaspoon of salt (less if canned beans used)

Directions

If using a can of black beans skip ahead to frying the garlic and peppers, otherwise soak beans overnight then drain and put into a pan and cover with 1 inch of water and simmer covered for about 1-2 hour till tender. Now drain and pour into a bowl and put aside. Now rinse pan and add the olive oil on medium high heat and add in garlic and jalapeno and fry for about 3 minutes till tender. Add in cumin and chipolte and fry for another 30 seconds, then add in beans and chicken broth. Cook for 30 minutes to 1 hour till beans are falling apart. Now add in salt (you can add additional salt to  taste). With a stick blender, blend till it becomes a paste, but not all the beans need to be completely. If you don’t have a stick blender, put about 1/2 or all of the beans in a food processor and process, then add back into rest of beans and stir. Serve with rice and tacos, or scoop some into a flour tortilla add cheese roll up and you have a bean burrito.

Roasted Jalapeno Hot Sauce

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Jalapeno Hot Sauce
Jalapeno Hot Sauce

This is a spicy jalapeno hot sauce, but not nearly as hot as a habanero sauce. You can kick up the spiciness by using serrano peppers instead of jalapenos. You can also make it less hot by removing the seeds and pith from the inside of the peppers. Goes great on mexican food, eggs, or whatever else you want to kick up a bit.

Ingredients

  • 6 jalapeños med to large Stems cut off
  • 3 Seranno  peppers stems cut off
  • 1/2 onion sliced
  • 6 cloves of garlic minced
  • 5 sprigs of cilantro
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp cornstarch
  • 1/8 cup of white vinegar
  • 1/4 cup of water
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp canola

Directions

Take the jalapenos and blacken the skins. You can do this by holding them over a gas burner with a pair of tongs, use a culinary torch, or put then under an oven broiler.

Roasted Jalapeno
Roasted Jalapeno

The torch is the easiest. Now slice them and add them to a frying pan with the oil, the onion, and the garlic. Fry them on high heat till there is some brown color on the onion, but do not burn the garlic. Add the fried mixture to a food processor along with cilantro, vinegar, water and salt and grind to a paste. Pour the paste into a strainer over a bowl and press out all the liquid from the paste into the bowl.  Pour this back into the frying pan and add 1/4 teaspoon of cornstarch mixed with 1 teaspoon of water, stir,  and bring to a boil. Boil for about 2-3 mins and let cool. Pour the sauce into a jar and your hot sauce is ready. It will be hottest the first day but will mellow in the fridge. It will keep in the fridge for at least a month or two. (Makes 4 – 6 oz).

Spicy Satisfying Cajun Shrimp

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Spicy Satisfying Cajun Shrimp
Spicy Satisfying Cajun Shrimp

You are craving something spicy and want something that will satisfy your craving, but healthy. Well this is it. Easy and quick to make, and beats buying take out. Cook, Enjoy!

Ingredients

  • Approx 1 lb of shrimp steamed (best deveined and shelled)
  • 1/4 onion finely minced
  • 2 large cloves of garlic minced
  • 1/4 stick of butter
  • 1/8 cup of olive oil
  • 1 to 1 1/2 tsp cajun seasoning

Directions

In a sauce pan add butter into a pan over medium heat and melt. Then add the olive oil, onion and garlic and fry over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Now add in the cajun seasoning and cook an additional 5 minutes. While cooking sauce, put about 1/2 inch of water in a pan and bring to a boil. Add shrimp and steam just until they are pink all over with no grey spots left, then remove immediately from heat. If you cook them too long they will become rubbery. Now add the cooked shrimp to the sauce and stir till coated and serve with rice.

Healthy Berry Fruit Smoothie

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Healthy Berry Smoothie
Healthy Berry Smoothie

Wow, this tastes great. It is nice to have a cold or frozen one on a hot summer day and is great for getting an extra kick of energy. Using the frozen fruit makes it into a frozen smoothie. If you will be hooked on it. It is much lower in calories than a milkshake and I think it tastes as good.

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup of blueberries
  • 1/4 cup of raspberries
  • 1/4 cup of strawberries
  • 1/2 cup of packed fresh spinach
  • 1 tablespoons honey (optional, depends if you like it slightly sweet or sweet)
  • 1/2 to 1 whole banana (optional)
  • 1/3 cup of water
  • 1/4 cup of ice (crushed)

Add all ingredients to a blender and blend till smooth. You will not even taste the spinach, but it adds a great health benefit. You can use frozen berries if they are out of season. The banana will make it a little more creamy.

Delicious Spicy Tangy Asian Chicken

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Spicy Asian Chicken
Spicy Asian Chicken

This satisfies both your craving for asian food and for something tangy and spicy. This tastes great and is pretty easy to make. You can serve it with rice, on lettuce as a salad or even over asian noodles.

Ingredients

  • 4 tsp canola oil with additional canola oil for frying chicken
  • 3 large boneless/skinless chicken breasts, diced into 1″ cubes (veg/vegan use sliced firm marinated tofu).
  • 5 – 6 green onions sliced crosswise. Use white part up to where the stem turns green.
  • 12 oz pineapple juice
  • 5 large cloves of garlic, minced
  • 4 tablespoons of garlic chili sauce
  • 5 tablespoons of white distilled vinegar
  • 6 teaspoons of sugar
  • 3 tsp of soy sauce
  • 4 tablespoons of water
  • 3 teaspoons of corn startch (mix with water)
  • 1/2 cup of corn starch for coating chicken, don’t need for tofu.
  • Additional oil for frying chicken or tofu.

Prep and measure all the ingredients out ahead of time. Start by frying the garlic and onion in the oil  on high heat till they soften then add pineapple juice, chili sauce, vinegar, sugar, and soy sauce. Cook till boiling, then add the cornstarch and water mixture and continue cooking till it turns clear after adding the cornstarch. Pour the sauce into a bowl and set aside. Now coat chicken cubes then fry them in canola oil on high heat until crispy on the outside (Veg/Vegan: Fry tofu till crispy). For a healthiest  chicken option skip cornstarch coating on chicken and just lightly fry. Spoon chicken or tofu over lettuce or rice and then spoon sauce over the top. Enjoy!

Healthy Delicious Garlic Hummus

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Healthy Delicious Hummus
Healthy Delicious Hummus

I love to eat Hummus, and especially the version I make since it has been adjusted to my taste. I like to have the flavor of the garlic come through a little to add another dimension to the flavor and the olive oil processed in give it a nice creamy texture. It is great to eat with pita, on crackers instead of cheese, or on a sandwich to add another layer for flavor. Here is my recipe, enjoy.

Ingredients

  • 1 15 oz can of low sodium Garbanzo beans (drained)
  • 1/3 cup tahini (sesame paste), Good quality and freshness matters.
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus oil for drizzling on top when serving.
  • 3 cloves garlic, peeled & sliced
  • 1/2 to 1 tsp of salt (add 1/2 tsp and if it needs more add the other 1/2 tsp)
  • 1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper.
  • 1/2 tbsp cumin
  • 1 tsp paprika + a sprinkle on top for ganish
  • Juice of 1 lemon, plus more as needed
  • 1/2 cup of water
  • A sprig of cilantro for garnish (optional)

Directions

Put all ingredients except for garnishes into a food processor and process until nicely smooth. Taste and adjust salt, lemon, and tahini to taste and process a few more seconds to mix. Put into the serving bowl and sprinkle some paprika on top and drizzle with olive oil and optionally add cilantro on top for additional garnish.

Tasty Mexi Chili Beans

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Healthy Mexi Bean side dish
Healthy Mexi Bean side dish

This is a great side dish which can be cooked ahead and heated again when ready to eat. They take a while to cook since they are made from dried beans, but this allows you to lower the sodium and another benefit is that there is none of the canned taste with store bought canned chili beans.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups of pinto beans
  • Water
  • 2 cups of vegetable or chicken broth
  • 2 large Fresno peppers (Jalapeno can be used also)
  • 1 medium sized onion
  • 1 tbsp of chili powder
  • 1 tbsp of tomato paste
  • 3 large cloves of garlic
  • 1 tbsp of cumin powder
  • 1/2 to 1 tsp salt

Directions

Pre-soak beans overnight in water, or you can just cover with 2 inches of water bring to a boil, remove heat, and let set covered for 1 hour. Drain liquid and add in broth and all other ingredients except the salt. Bring to a boil and simmer for 2 – 3 hours until the beans are tender. If you like it spicier, add more pepper.

Delicious Middle Eastern Style Eggs

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Ingredients

  • 1/2 Bell Pepper chopped (I used yellow, can use green or red)
  • 1/2 medium sized onion chopped
  • 1 jalapeno
  • 2 cloves of Garlic finely copped
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
  • 2 tomatoes diced
  • 3 oz of tomato sauce
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 5 eggs
  • Cilantro for topping
  • 2 tbsp olive oil

Directions

Add olive oil to pan along with Bell pepper, onion, garlic, and jalapeno and fry over medium heat till soft. Add in tomato, cumin, 1/2 tsp black pepper, and tomato sauce heat till bubbling and then reduce heat and cover. Cook covered for about 30 mins. Crack eggs over the mixture and cover again and continue to cook for about 15 minutes covered. If you like you yokes broken break them and cook longer. When done sprinkle cilantro over and salt to taste.

Simple Quinoa Side Dish

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Nutritious Quinoa Side Dish
Nutritious Quinoa Side Dish

Quinoa is hugely popular now since it has lots of protein, is a low glycemic food (good for blood sugar), is gluten free, and is lower in calories than rice. These qualities make it a great side dish. It is very simple to make, here is the recipe I used. You can add onions or other vegetables you like in to jazz it up if you want.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup of Quinoa
  • 2 cups of Vegetable or Chicken Broth

Directions

Put the broth in a saucepan and bring it to a boil. Add in the Quinoa, stir, then cover and lower the temperature to medium low. It will take about 15-20 minutes to cook. Check on it after 10 minutes. You will know it is done when all the liquid is absorbed.