Mock-Chipotle Burrito

This past weekend, after a shopping extravaganza (well Holiday shopping), we stopped at Chipotle.  Although this is just another day for us (we love Chipotle), I sat there and realized I should attempt to make one of their meals at home.  After all, the way to a man's heart is through his stomach...and given Aaron's obsession with Chipotle, he'll be thinking quite positively of his wife come Christmastime.  And I'm hoping he doesn't actually read this blog post.  Ha ha.

Gina's skinny recipe was the inspiration for all of the Chipotle recipes, including Barbacoa Beef and Chili Chicken and Corn salsa.

Ingredients:
Tortillas (I used multi-grain flax, yum)
Beans (Black or Pinto--I used refried black actually)
Meat of choice (Chicken, Barbacoa, Steak, Carnitas, or meatless)
Cilantro-Corn Salsa (or other salsa)
Skinny Cilantro-Lime Rice
Romaine Lettuce, Chopped
Mexi-Blend Shredded Cheese
Sour Cream (optional)
Guacamole (optional)

Directions:

1.  One tortilla at a time, spoon on some beans (or smear on if using refried).  Top with meat, salsa, rice, lettuce, cheese, and sour cream or guac.
2.  Fold (or wrap up if your tortillas aren't huge) tightly and enjoy with a side of Jalapeno pepper sauce, or whatever sauce you prefer.

Serve and enjoy!

Skinny Chicken Pot Pie

Chicken pot pie.  You either love it or hate it.  I hated this comfort dish with a passion growing up.  I remember when Mom was working or in school and it was Dad's night to cook (before I decided to learn to cook to help him out).  Pot pies were one of his things and I would literally cry my eyes out and go to bed hungry before I ate one.  I've decided to rediscover chicken pot pies twenty or so years later, giving it my own spin.  Inspiration for this recipe comes from Cooking Light's recipe, but I have significantly modified the recipe.  I changed a number of the vegetables they used, plus I used phyllo dough instead of puff pastry.  I LOVE phyllo dough (crispy, light, crunchy, yummy) and it is much much healthier than puff pastry.  The outcome was pretty tasty and makes a great dinner on a chilly evening or a night you're craving some hearty comfort food (without the hearty calories).

 Ingredients:
4 Cups Sodium-Free Chicken Broth
1 1/2 Cups Frozen Green Peas (Thawed)
2 Small Yellow or White Potatoes
1 Medium-Large Sweet Potato
4 Stalks Celery
3 Carrots
1 lb. Chicken Breasts (boneless, skinless)
2/3 Cup Whole-Wheat Flour
1 13/4 Cups Skim Milk
1/4 Cup Fresh Parsley (or 4 Tbsp. Dried)
1 tsp. Thyme
1 tsp. Black Pepper
1/3 Package Phyllo Dough (12 sheets)

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Bring chicken broth to a boil in a large stockpot.  Chop/dice potatoes, celery, and carrots.  Add to stockpot. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes.
2.  Cut chicken (not cooked) into small 1-2" pieces.  Add to broth and cook for 5-10 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.  Remove veggies and chicken from broth with a slotted spoon.  Set aside.

3.  Turn heat back up to medium and slowly add flour and milk to broth, whisking well.  Continue to cook about 5-10 minutes, or until thickened.

4.  Add chicken and veggies to the thickened broth.  Stir in parsley and black pepper.

5.  Spray a 13x9 baking dish with cooking spray.  Lay 6 phyllo sheets on the bottom of the dish.  Spoon mixture on top of phyllo dough.

6.  Carefully place remaining 6 sheets of dough over chicken mixture, and press the edges to the pan to seal in the chicken mixture.  Cut 3-4 small slits in the dough for steam to escape.  Spray with cooking spray.  Place dish on foil-lined baking sheet (just in case it bubbles over).
7.  Bake at 400 for 15-20 minutes, or until pastry is lightly browned and mixture is bubbling.

Serve hot and enjoy!
Note: if you plan on reheating leftovers (as we definitely had to do--then add a little bit of skim milk before reheating in the microwave so the reheated portion is not pasty).

Caprese Chicken

I love easy, healthy entrees.  This dinner is simple and straightforward to make, yet tastes totally gourmet and looks great too.  My husband's reaction was something along the lines of, "Wow, fancy," which means he was totally impressed.  Did I mention how healthy this meal is?  Lean protein, heart-healthy olive oil, basil, and red peppers in this Mediterranean dish.
Ok, false advertising...this is not really "caprese" chicken, as I used red peppers instead of tomatoes...but it looks very caprese-like.  And it tastes so good, so whatever I'm calling it, just try it.

Ingredients:
1 lb. Chicken Breasts (boneless, skinless; 3-4 breasts)
2 Tbsp. Balsamic Vinegar

3 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Divided
1 Tbsp. Minced Garlic
1/2 Red Pepper, Cut into Strips
4 Basil Leaves
4 oz. Fresh Mozzarella, cut into 3-4 slices (one per chicken breast)

Directions:
1.  Marinade chicken breasts in balsamic vinegar, 2 Tbsp. of the olive oil, and the garlic for 2-3 hours.
2.  Grill chicken breasts, bake, or sautee on stovetop until cooked through (I baked at 350 for about 15-20 min).
3.  While chicken is cooking, heat remaining 1 Tbsp. olive oil in skillet.  Add red pepper strips and saute for 5-7 minutes, or until soft and cooked thoroughly.
4.  Place one chicken breast on a plate.  Top with a slice of Mozzarella, then basil leaf, then 3-4 red pepper strips.

Serve immediately and enjoy!

Taco Bites

It's Taco Tuesday! After making my Mozzarella Sticks, I had leftover eggroll/wonton wrappers that needed to be used.  So, I came up with a twist on tacos.  These were really easy and tasty.  I'm going to have to try them with other fillings.  Serve for dinner or even at a party as appetizers (they are sort of messy though).

Ingredients:
Wonton Wrappers
Taco Meat (Lean Ground Chicken or Turkey)
Shredded Cheese
Tomatoes
Lettuce
Cilantro
Sour Cream
Salsa (I used a Chipotle Salsa from Safeway, which was awesome)

Directions:
1.  Make taco meat (quick recap, brown meat, add chili powder/garlic/cumin/onion/paprika/water/cornstarch and simmer).  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2.  Place wonton wrappers in muffin pans.  Fill with meat and cheese.  Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until wrapper is lightly browned.
3.  Remove from oven and add remaining toppings.

Enjoy!

Buffalo Chicken Grilled Cheese Panini

I love Paninis and I love buffalo sauce.  I don't think I need to say much more than that.  I was inspired by Closet Cooking's version of this yummy sandwich.  It was a hit at our home and I hope you enjoy it too.  For more Panini recipes, check out my version of Panera's Turkey Artichoke Panini.

Ingredients:
Chicken
Wing Sauce (lowest sodium you can find)
Celery
Cheese
Ranch Sauce, for dipping

Directions:
1.  Cook chicken, shred, add hot sauce, celery, and cheese.  Stir well to combine (ez crockpot instructions for the chicken are here).
2. In you panini grill (or just regular saucepan, realizing most people don't have a panini maker), sprayed with nonstick cooking spray, place your sandwich on grill.  Cook for 4-6 minutes, or until heated through, cheese is melted, and bread is lightly browned.

Dip in ranch sour cream dip and Enjoy!

Shredded Buffalo Chicken

Shredded meats are a huge hit at our home--my husband loves to eat them and they are one of the easiest possible recipes to make.  Seriously, throw frozen chicken in a crockpot with some sauce and dinner is ready.  We usually eat BBQ Chicken, but I decided to try Buffalo Chicken tonight.  You can mix it up by turning this into a Buffalo Chicken Panini, if you're feeling gourmet (in photo above).  Or serve on crusty buns or a baguette.

Ingredients:
1 lb. Chicken Breasts (Frozen)
8-10 oz. Wing Sauce (lowest sodium you can find)

Directions:
1.  Place all ingredients in a crockpot or slow cooker.  Heat on low for 5-7 hours (or high for 2-4).  Once chicken is cooked through, you can pull the chicken apart with two forks.

Serve on crusty bread, or try it as a Buffalo Chicken Panini.

Goes well with baked fries, potatoes, rice, or just a green salad or veggies (carrots and celery) with Ranch Sour Cream Dip.

Enjoy!

Bacon Ranch Chicken Pasta

Attention all crockpot owners:  make this.  I absolutely love using my slow cooker for a number of different recipes (scroll down and see my list of labels--click "crockpot" or "slow-cooker" for a number of recipes for time-starved families.  Here is just one more quick 'n easy crockpot recipe--made with hearty flavors of bacon and ranch (minus the fat, preservatives, and calories).  Dump everything together and enjoy.
This was inspired by a recipe in Cooking Light, but modified for crockpot time ease and health (I didn't use actual sat-fat-loaded bacon).


Ingredients:
4 Chicken Breasts, cut into 2" pieces (slightly thawed)
1/2 lb. Turkey Bacon, cooked and broken into bits
1 Can Cream of Mushroom or Cream of Chicken Soup (reduced sodium)
1/2 Cup Sour Cream
1 1/4 Cups Skim Milk
1 tsp. Minced Garlic
1/2 tsp. Garlic Powder
1 tsp. Onion Powder
2 tsp. Dill Weed
1 Cup Shredded Cheese (I used Mexi-blend, Low-Fat)
Cooked Pasta (egg noodles, elbow macaroni, spaghetti, fusili, rotini, you choose) according to package directions.

Directions:
1.  Combine all ingredients (minus pasta) in crockpot.  Stir well to combine.  Heat on Low for 2-3 hours, or until chicken is cooked through.

Spoon over cooked pasta and enjoy!

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

It's that time of year--soups and comfort foods.  Among those is definitely chicken noodle soup.  It has amazing healing powers (science still doesn't fully understand why) and if made right, is very healthy (mainly watch the sodium--SALT).  My little baby boy had his first cold last week, at 8 months (and one week) old.  While he napped, I decided to make some homemade chicken noodle soup for him.  Well, most of it was for Mom and Dad, but I blended a little bit of it for the little babe.
I started making my own homemade chicken noodle soup a few years ago and have tweaked my recipe a few times until I have decided what I have below is exactly what I want.  Hope you love it!

Ingredients:
Noodle Ingredients:

1/2 Cup All-Purpose (Unbleached Organic) Flour

1/2 Cup Whole-Wheat (Unbleached Organic) Flour
1/4 Tsp. Sea Salt
2 Tbsp. Water
1/2 tsp. Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
1 Egg

Soup Ingredients:

3-5 lb. Whole Chicken
12 Cups Water
2 Chicken Bouillon Cubes or 2 tsp. Granulated Chicken Bouillon (sodium-free)
1/3 Cup. Chopped (or Minced) Onion
1 Tsp. Pepper
1 Bay Leaf
1 Cup Celery, chopped/sliced (about 4-5 stalks)
1 Cup Carrots, thinly sliced (about 4 medium carrots)
1 Batch Noodles (recipe below) or 2 Cup Egg Noodles (if you're feeling less ambitious)

Directions:

Noodle Directions:

1.  In a small bowl, combine flour and salt; combine well. 

2.  In another small bowl, beat together the water, oil, and egg.  Gradually combine the two to form dough.3.  On floured surface, knead dough until smooth, about 2-3 minutes. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and set aside at room temperature for1 hour.
4.  On floured surface, roll dough out as thin as possible into rectangle. Cut dough into thirds, lengthwise. Stack three pieces on top of one another (should not stick--should have plenty of flour).  Cut into 1/4" slices. Separate noodles and set aside on a platter, baking sheet or counter top at room temperature for 1-2 hours to dry somewhat.

5.  Start making soup.

Soup Directions:
1.  In 5 quart Dutch oven or large stockpot, combine chicken and water. Bring to a boil. 
2.  Reduce heat; cover and simmer 15 minutes. Skim off any fat that rises to the surface (I used a slotted spoon). 
3.  Add bouillon, onion, pepper and bay leaf. Cover again and simmer, for 40-55 minutes or until chicken is tender and started to come off the bone. 

4.  Remove chicken from broth and place onto cutting board.  Remove chicken from bones and cut chicken into bite size pieces.  Don't fret if a few pieces are pinkish and not quite done, the chicken is going back in the pot to cook longer (although my 4 lb bird was actually all done at 45 min). Skim fat from broth again. Return chicken to broth. 
5.  Stir in celery and carrots. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 15 minutes or until carrots are crisp-tender. Remove bay leaf. 
6.  Bring to a boil again. Drop noodles into boiling soup. After soup returns to a boil, cook, uncovered for 7-10 minutes or until noodles are tender.

Enjoy!


Feel free to add a bit of flour to the broth to thicken it up, if you like it that way.  Also, feel free to mix in some dried parsley to your broth.  I usually do, but was out at the time I posted the recipe. 

Freezer-friendly:  Just store in dated/labeled ziploc bags in your freezer for up to 3 months.  

Oh and here is a photo of the soup pureed for my son, because I know you were curious to see what that looked like too. 

And here's a big bowl of the goodness...for adults.

Buffalo Chicken Meatballs

 Football season requires plenty of appetizers.  Wing sauce and meatballs are both classic favorites.  So why not marry them and make them a bit healthier?  :)  This recipes uses ground chicken and heart-healthy olive oil compared to fried foods and fatty meats.  Eat them by themselves, dipped in (fat-free or low-fat) ranch or bleu cheese dressing (or if you prefer less chemicals/preservatives, try my healthy Ranch Sour Cream Dip, in the photos), or paired with cheese and celery.

Ingredients:
3/4 Cup Wing Sauce (I used Ashanti, could use Frank's--but higher in sodium--you really gotta check the sodium on wing sauce--it can get c-r-a-z-y high), plus more to serve (optional)
1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1 lb Ground Lean Chicken (as lean as you can find!)
1 Egg
1/2 Cup Plain Breadcrumbs (or Panko)
1/2 Cup Celery, finely diced
1/4 Cup Minced Onion
1/2 Cup Reduced-Fat Mozzarella Cheese (or use a Bleu--I just prefer mozzarella/ranch flavors with my wing sauce)
1 tsp. Minced Garlic

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Cover a baking sheet with foil and spray with nonstick spray (butter flavored or olive oil is my preference).
2.  Combine all the remaining ingredients in a large bowl.  It will be pretty sticky.
3.  Roll the meat into 1" balls (use an ice scream scoop if you prefer consistency).  Place on baking sheet in single layer.  Bake until cooked through, about 15 minutes.
4.  Remove from oven and let cool a few minutes.  Place on dish to serve.  Drizzle extra wing sauce over meatballs if you prefer (I did not) and serve with dressing and celery.

Enjoy!

Black Bean & Corn Chicken Bake

With a dissertation to do, moving to a new home, and caring for our 8-month-old son, I am all about easy and quick dinners.  This meal was inspired simply by wanting a quick meal and discovering I had beans, chilies, and corn at home.   It's fairly similar to the Lime Chicken with Black Bean Sauce recipe I have, but there are some differences in terms of ingredients and preparation.  This dish is a great meal for your health too, with lean chicken breasts, heart-healthy and anti-oxidant loaded black beans, salsa, and corn.  And besides that, it's low in calories and absolutely tasty.  And did I mention easy, very easy?

Ingredients:
4 Chicken Breasts, Cut into two strips
1 Can Black Beans
1 Can Green Chilies
1 - 10 oz Bag Frozen Corn
1/3 Cup Salsa
1 Tbsp. Dried Cilantro (or 3 Tbsp. Fresh)
1 Cup Low-fat/Non-fat Mexican Blend Shredded Cheese

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray.  Place defrosted chicken breasts in dish.
2.  Pour remaining ingredients over the top of the chicken.  Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until chicken is tender and juices run clear.

Enjoy!  Top with extra salsa and sour cream if you prefer.

Chicken & Spinach Bake

Looking for an easy, healthy dinner (and low-carb, may I add)?  Look no further.  I made this meal last night and we'll just say it was such a hit with my husband that there weren't any leftovers. :)  This recipe combines lean chicken breasts with nutrient-dense spinach and gives it flavor with Parmesan and Italian-flavored seasonings.  I used Panko crumbs, which are lighter and healthier than regular breadcrumbs.  

Ingredients:
1 12-16 oz. Bag Frozen Cut Spinach, Thawed and Drained
1 Tbsp. Butter
2 Tbsp. Milk
1/4 Cup Parmesan and 1/3 Cup Parmesan, divided
1 lb. Chicken Breast Fillets, Thawed
1/2 Cup Panko Crumbs (or regular breadcrumbs)
1 tsp. Oregano
1 tsp. Basil
Dash of Black Pepper and Sea Salt
2 Tbsp. Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Spray a 9x9 baking dish with cooking spray.
2.  On the stovetop over medium-low heat, combine the spinach, butter, milk, and 1/4 Cup Parmesan.  Stir, about 5 minutes, or until butter is melted and mixture is well-combined.
3.  Combine the Panko crumbs, 1/3 Cup Parmesan, oregano, basil, black pepper, and sea salt in a small bowl.
4.  Spread the spinach mixture on the bottom of the baking dish.
5.  Spread extra-virgin olive oil on the chicken breast pieces.  Coat in Panko mixture and place on top of spinach mix.
6.  Bake for 35 minutes.  Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Lime Chicken with Black Bean Sauce

I love a meal with the spicy, exciting, flavorful tastes of Mexican and Spanish cuisine.  This recipe combines traditional Mexican flavors of lime, cilantro, black beans, tomatoes, and green chilies in a heart-healthy way.  Serve with some Spanish rice, or as a meal by itself.

Ingredients (serves 4):
Lime Chicken:
Juice of 1 Lime (Roughly 2 Tbsp. Lime Juice)
1 1/2 Tbsp. Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
3 tsp. Dried Cilantro (or 3 Tbsp. Fresh)
Black Pepper and Sea Salt, to taste
1 lb. Chicken Breasts, Thawed

Black Bean Sauce:
1 Can (15.5 oz) Black Beans (Organic)
1 Small Can Green Chilies
1 Can (15.5 oz) Diced Tomatoes (Organic)
1 tsp. Chili Powder
1 tsp. Onion Powder
2 Tbsp. Minced Garlic
3 tsp. Dried Cilantro (or 3 Tbsp. Fresh)
1/4 Cup Light Mexican-blend Shredded Cheese

Directions:
1.  In a small bowl, stir together olive oil, lime juice, cilantro
2.  Place chicken breasts in 9x9 baking dish (sprayed with cooking spray).  Pour lime marinade over the top and let sit for about an hour or two (could let sit overnight in refrigerator if you'd like).
3.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Put chicken in oven for 30 minutes.

4.  Meanwhile, over medium heat in a large saucepan, stir together the black beans, green chilies, tomatoes, and minced garlic.  Stir to combine flavors for 15 minutes.
5.  Reduce heat to low.  Add in the cilantro and shredded cheese to the black bean mixture.  Stir occasionally for 10 minutes.
6. Either using a masher, or a blender (immersion or regular), lightly puree the black bean mixture.  Don't over-mix, just a short minute to slightly puree the mixture (but you still want some big chunks of beans, etc).
7.  Remove chicken from oven.  Place chicken breast on plate and top with heaping spoonful of black bean sauce.  Serve immediately with a fresh lime quarter to squeeze over chicken.

Enjoy!

Asian Chicken Salad

I was in the mood for something Asian-flavored with peanut sauce (I love peanut sauce and well, all things peanut butter), so decided to try to perfect a Asian Chicken Salad.  Using a combination of chopped peanuts and a soy and vinegar dressing with peanut butter, it has just the right amount of peanut flavor.  I added a little bit of Sriracha sauce, to give it a little kick.  Feel free to add more of it for more spice, but what I added was just enough to give a little flavor (but wasn't spicy at all).

The result is a colorful chicken salad packed with a lot of flavor.  And you can't ignore the nutritional benefits of this salad.  Cabbage is loaded with Vitamins A, B, C, E, and K, fiber, folate, and low in calories.  Bell peppers are loaded with Vitamins A & C and antioxidants and carrots provide carotenoids and Vitamins A, K, and C.

If you want to go vegetarian, you can simply leave out the chicken.  You can also use any type of cabbage you'd like--green is most popular, but I used red cabbage (has more antioxidants and basically, is prettier)  in this recipe.


Ingredients:
Salad:
6-8 Cups Red Cabbage, Shredded (1 head cabbage)
2 Red Bell Peppers, Cut Into Strips
3/4 Cup Carrots, Shredded
3/4 Cup Peanuts, Chopped
1 Bunch Cilantro, Chopped (roughly 1/2 cup)
1 lb. Chicken Breasts, Cooked and Cubed


Dressing:
1/4 Peanut, Olive, or Canola Oil
1 tsp. Sugar (or Agave Nectar or Honey)
3 tsp. Ginger
1 Tbsp. Minced Garlic
1/4 Cup Low-Sodium Soy Sauce
3 Tbsp. Rice Vinegar (could sub Apple Cider Vinegar)
2 Tbsp. Peanut Butter
1 tsp. Sriracha sauce (to add a bit of spice)

Directions:
1. In a large salad bowl, stir together all the vegetables (cabbage, bell peppers, and carrots), peanuts, and the chicken.  Stir to combine well.
2.  In a small bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients.
3.  Pour the dressing over the salad and toss or stir well to coat.

Garnish with chow mein noodles, toasted slivered almonds, chopped green onions, or mandarin oranges if you desire!  To make it a vegetarian meal, just leave out the chicken.

Enjoy!