Really Yummy Dijon Chicken

This chicken is so delicious it might be my new favorite recipe. It would be divine with some brown rice – I’d add it to the baking dish when it comes out of the oven so the rices gets covered in the yummy sauce. I served mine with Nana’s lemon broccoli on the side.

Really Yummy Dijon Chicken

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup low fat (or fat free – you won’t notice the difference here!) mayo
2-3 Tbs dijon mustard (to taste, I like mine dijon-y)
1 Tbs olive oil
1 Tbs lemon juice
1 tsp Mrs. Dash (lemon pepper variety) (I use generic)
1 tsp low sodium chicken bouillon granules
1 tsp kosher salt
black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place chicken in a glass baking dish. Mix everything together and pour it over the chicken. Cover with foil and bake 20 – 30 minutes or until done (I like to cut my pieces up so they’re not very thick and therefore cook faster).You can use frozen chicken, too, just adjust your cooking time accordingly.I’m totally making this the next time I have company!

Yes They’re Healthy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip “Cookies”

Yes They’re Healthy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip “Cookies”

1 cup Old Fashioned rolled oats
2/3 cups oat flour (rolled oats in the food processor until a fine flour)
1 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup flax seed meal
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup Splenda
1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips (you could sub raisins, or carob chips)
3 Tbs ANPB
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup water
2 Tbs extra light olive oil (can use canola, or vegetable, or coconut)

Preheat oven to 350. Mix everything in a bowl until it mostly sticks together in a ball. Spray a cookie sheet and form 12 balls and flatten. Bake for 12 minutes. Hoard for yourself or, if you’re nice, share!

For each cookie:
112 calories
6 g fat (the good kinds! um, except the chocolate chips. Shh)
10.6 g carb
2.3 g fiber
3.5 g protein

Not At All Lean, But Totally Delicious Lasagna

HP said, “this is most delicious meal you have ever made.”

There is nothing “light”, or “lean”, or “healthy” about this lasagna. Therefore, it tastes absolutely phenomenal. Also, therefore, I am working out twice a day for the next couple of weeks because I ate this for dinner on Christmas Eve and then again for breakfast Christmas day. And maybe for a snack somewhere during the weekend.

If you’re going to do it, go balls to the wall. I use whole milk mozzarella and shred it myself. My Nana is smiling from Heaven, I just know it.

Amyella’s Totally Delicious Lasagna

9 dry lasagna noodles

Filling:

2 1/2 cups Ricotta cheese
2 1/2 cups whole milk mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
2 eggs, beaten
salt and pepper to taste
1 Tbs parsely

Sauce:

1 lb ground beef
1/2  onion, chopped
1 tsp minced garlic
2 28oz cans crushed tomatoes (or tomato puree)
salt, pepper, parsley, basil, crushed red pepper flakes
good pinch of white sugar

Preheat oven to 350. Make the sauce (I like mine to simmer at least 30 minutes) by sauteeing the onion and garlic, adding the beef until brown. Drain the fat. Add the tomatoes and seasonings, bring to a boil and then cover, simmer. You won’t use all the sauce for the lasagna, so if you’re opposed to leftovers then cut the recipe in half. Otherwise freeze the extra.

Cook the noodles per package instructions for al dente.

Mix the filling ingredients, setting aside about a cup of mozzarella, and set aside.

In a 9×13 pan add sauce to the bottom to keep noodles from sticking. Layer the noodles (should be 3 across), then sauce, then filling and repeat until you have three layers. Finish the top with extra mozzarella.

Bake for about 40 minutes until the top is golden brown. Be sure to let it sit about 10-15 minutes before cutting. Also be sure to put on elastic waist pants before eating! Yum!

Nana’s Lemon Broccoli

Nana always made two broccoli dishes: one was just plain steamed broccoli and the other was her lemon broccoli that she always ate. I make it a little easier – in the microwave – and also prefer mind a little less cooked (with some bite to it, kind of al dente). I didn’t eat it much as a kid but this past Thanksgiving I made it and have been craving it almost daily since. You’ll notice that this is a VERY precise recipe! Basically, make it to taste, but don’t leave a single ingredient out!

Nana’s Lemon Broccoli

broccoli florets
olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
oregano
lemon juice

Trim the florets and put them in a microwave safe bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil. Shake on some oregano. Squeeze over some lemon juice. Microwave until desired doneness (I usually do about 4 minutes). Eat and reminisce about my Nana (optional but recommended).

Spicy Broth

I threw this together last night based on what I had in the house after being gone for five days and not having been grocery shopping since Thanksgiving. I’ve just been eating it as a soup, but it’s a yummy, spicy base to which you could add rotisserie chicken pieces, little turkey meatballs, beans, rice, or big chunks of veggies to make it a heartier meal.

Spicy Broth

8 or so cups low sodium, fat free chicken broth
1 Tbs olive oil
1/2 sweet onion, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
2 carrots, diced
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, diced
a couple handfuls frozen corn kernels
kosher salt and black pepper to taste
1/2 – 1 tsp cumin
1/2 – 1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp oregano
about 1 Tbs lemon juice (optional)

Cook the onion, celery, and carrot until soft. Add all remaining ingredients, bring to a boil and then cover and simmer for a bit.

Yum!

Sweet Pepper Tomato Sauce

Sweet Pepper Tomato Sauce (raw)

-1/4 – 1/3 cup diced tomatoes (can use fresh or canned)

-1/3 red bell pepper

-1 tsp olive oil

-1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes

-water, broth, or other liquid to desired consistency (I use very little and keep it thick)

-salt, pepper, basil, parsely

 

Mix everything in the magic bullet and voila! Delicious, sweet sauce!

Peanut Sauce

Simple and delicious and makes an excellent sauce for peanut noodles if you pair it with Udon noodles or spaghetti. I served mine over a combo of spaghetti squash and zucchini noodles. Perfect!

Peanut Sauce

3 Tbs peanut butter (I used chunky reduced fat peanut butter)
3 Tbs soy sauce
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 cup water (or could use broth)
1 1/2 tsp honey
1/2 – 1 tsp ground ginger
dash hot sauce (optional)

Mix all in a small saucepan over medium heat until peanut butter melts and it’s warm through.

Lemony Hummus

I love this hummus recipe because I don’t have to worry about whether or not I have tahini on hand (note: not usually!) and it’s just the right amount garlicky. The extra lemon juic brightens it up and makes you want to eat it with a spoon!

Lemony Hummus

1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 tsp minced garlic
3 Tbl olive oil
3 Tbl lemon juice
1/4 tsp cumin

Puree all ingredients in a food processor, blender, magic bullet, or pulverizing mechanism of your choice.

Man Approved: Chicken Enchiladas

I’m not sure there’s anything authentic about these chicken enchiladas (hint: there isn’t), regardless they are easy, delicious, healthy, and a total crowd pleaser. They do take advantage of some processed, canned food, but sometimes you just need easy. I’ve made these the last two times we’ve had company for dinner and people always go back for more. Even my mexican friends! That’s not a bad sign at all. So, authentic or not, make them!

Plus, they get a high fork rating.

Here’s the other thing: there are some easy shortcuts you can use to make these even faster to make. When I was really short on time I made them with rotisserie chicken breasts that I shredded, and a packet of store bought taco seasoning instead of my own.  Shhh!

Of course if you don’t want to use the condensed soups you could make a roux and add fat free half and half for the base but…in this instance, I’ll stick with the cans.

Man Approved: Chicken Enchiladas

1/2 cup chopped onion, any kind you have on hand
1 (4 ounce) can diced green chiles
2 (10.75 ounce) cans 99% fat free, low sodium cream of chicken soup
1 cup light sour cream
1 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast meat
taco seasonings (I use salt, pepper, red pepper, paprika, cumin, cayenne, chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder) OR 1 packet store bought taco seasoning
1 cup shredded 2% cheddar cheese
6 (12 inch) flour tortillas (I use the Mission low carb – no one knows!)
1/4 cup skim milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, saute the onion until tender. Stir in the green chiles, cream of chicken soup and sour cream. Season with your taco seasonings. Mix well. Reserve 3/4 of this sauce and set aside. To the remaining 1/4 of the sauce in the saucepan, add the chicken and 1/2 cup of shredded Cheddar cheese. Stir together.

Fill each flour tortilla with the chicken mixture and roll up. Place seam side down in the baking dish.

In the bowl of the reserved 3/4 of the sauce add the milk. Spoon this over the rolled tortillas and top with the remaining 1/2 cup of shredded Cheddar cheese. Bake 30 minutes.

Amy's Daddy's Artichoke Sauce

This is a recipe my dad sent me saying “when I make this all the girls come over! They love it!”

My dad lives in a neighborhood of old ladies. They love him.

Anyway, I made a couple  minor tweaks to my taste but overall it’s his deal. And it’s delicious!

Amy’s Daddy’s Artichoke Sauce

1 large red bell pepper
1 Vidalia/sweet onion
1 small can slided black olives
1 small jar marinated artichoke hearts (must use the marinated artichokes! We want the brine since it’s the basis of the flavor profile)
1 heaping tsp minced garlic
1 28 oz can diced  tomatoes (or you could dice fresh tomatoes)
salt & pepper to taste
crushed red pepper to taste
1 Tbs basil
1 Tbs parsley
1 packet Splenda
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

Cut pepper and onion into thin strips. Saute in 1 tsp oil until onions are translucent.

Put remaining ingredients into the pan including the liquid from the artichoke jar (cut artichoke hearts into smaller pieces if too large.)  Cook over medium heat until boiling, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to simmer and cook for 1 hour. Continue to stir occasionally.

Serve over angel hair pasta, or rice, or (if you’re me) just eat it with a spoon.