Nana’s Chicken Scampi (Paleo)

Another favorite, this one is also simple and delicious! Nana’s recipe below, I omit the bread crumbs for a paleo friendly meal.

Nana’s Chicken Scampi
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/4 tsp oregano
2 tsp chopped garlic
1/4 tsp basil
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 1/2 cups chicken broth

Mix all ingredients together except bread crumbs and chicken broth. Marinate at least 2 hours.  Preheat the oven to 350. Place the chicken and marinade in 9×13 baking dish in single layers and add chicken broth. Sprinkle bread crumbs on top. Bake 20-30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

Nana served over bow-tie pasta, I eat mine with a large side salad.

Nana’s Spanish Saffron Chicken Soup (Paleo)

This is a  bowl of nostalgia! The first time I made this I was nervous about using just water and not adding some broth but I wanted to follow Nana’s recipe so I didn’t change it. I’m so glad! It is perfect as is. Exactly as I remember it as a child. Spanish saffron is pricey but so worth it.

Nana’s Spanish Saffron Chicken Soup

1 lb of chicken pieces
1 clove minced garlic
olive oil
2 pinches of Spanish saffron
salt and pepper to taste
parsley

Saute the garlic in pasta pot. Fry chicken in garlic and olive oil. Put enough water in pan to cover the chicken (about a quart or so). Add salt, pepper, parsley, and 2 pinches of dried saffron. Boil about 1 hr 15 minutes and serve broth and chicken over cooked spaghetti.

Sesame Peanut Noodles

I’ve been craving pasta, macaroni and noodles of all kinds lately. I have another Sesame Noodle recipe and a couple other variations of peanut sauces but this one came together super fast and easy.

Sesame Peanut Sauce

1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
1 Tbsp water
1 Tbsp soy sauce (or aminos)
2 Tbsp Sriracha
2 heaping Tbsp peanut butter
2 Tbsp lemon juice (or lime juice, or mild vinegar)

Whisk all ingredients until well combined. Serve over noodles and veggies of choice. I used low carb spaghetti, zucchini noodles, carrot noodles, broccoli florets, and grape tomatoes from the garden.

Pad Thai (Paleo)

I’ve made this two weeks in a row and I’m not sick of it yet! I use my zucchini spaghetti instead of noodles, but you could use rice noodles, angel hair pasta, or whatever you like for this. I”m hesitant to call this pad thai, because this is most definitely not an authentic thai dish but it tastes very much like something you might order in a thai restaurant. With the coconut oil, basil and heat from the sauce it actually reminds me more of a panang curry dish, although it’s not quite that either. What it is, is quite good!

The following recipe makes about 4 servings.

Pad Thai

2 medium zucchini, spiralized (if you want to use for noodles)
2 medium carrots, julienned
1/2 cup leeks, chopped
1 green bell pepper, cut into strips
1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
1 cup snap peas, cut into strips
5-7 leaves of fresh basil
1-2 Tbsp virgin coconut oil
4 grilled chicken breasts, cut into thin strips

Sauce
adapted from theclothesmakethegirl

1/4 cup tahini
2 Tbsp lime juice
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tsp Sriracha
2 tsp Bragg’s liquid aminos (or coconut aminos or wheat free soy sauce)
1/4 cup coconut milk
1/4 tsp dried ginger
2 tablespoons water, as needed

Blend everything in a food processor or blender (the magic bullet is perfect for this sauce).

In a large skillet or wok heat the coconut oil. Saute all the vegetables until cooked to your desired doneness. Toss in the chicken to warm through. Serve over a bed of zucchini spaghetti or noodles of choice and top with sauce.

Linguine Aglio Olio

Excellent for traditional Italian Christmas dinner! Or, you know, anytime you want pasta.

Linguine Aglio Olio (Linguine with garlic oil)

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 – 3 Tbs minced garlic
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flake
1/3 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
1 lb linguine
kosher salt

Heat the oil and cook the garlic and red pepper flakes over medium heat until just lightly brown and fragrant. Stir in the parsley and turn off the heat.

Cook the linguine in salty, boiling water until al dente.

Set aside a ladle full (about a cup) of the starchy cooking water, then drain the pasta. Add the pasta to the skillet with the garlic oil and parsley. Cook over medium until the pasta is well coated, adding the reserved cooking liquid if it seems too dry. Enjoy!

Amy’s Light Chicken Parmesan

Amy’s Light Chicken Parmesan

2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or 4 breast cutlets)
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 tsp olive oil
salt and pepper
4 slices 2% provolone or mozzarella

For the sauce:
1 tsp olive oil
1 clove minced garlic
diced onion – quantity to taste
28 oz can crushed tomatoes
kosher salt and pepper
pinch of sugar
favorite herbs (I like parsley, basil, marjoram)

Make the sauce by sauteing the garlic and onion in the olive oil until fragrant (not browned). Add the crushed tomatoes and all seasonings. Bring to a boil then cover and reduce heat to simmer.

Cut the chicken breasts thickness-wise to create 4 thin cutlets (you can then pound these a little if you want them even thinner/more tender). Season with salt and pepper and coat in parmesan cheese. In a large skillet (that has a fitted lid), heat the olive oil and brown the chicken on both sides. Pour some the sauce into the skillet (will probably only use about half – reserve the other half for serving), cover and simmer for about 10 minutes. Remove the lid and place 1 slice of provolone or mozzarella on each piece of chicken. You can put the lid back on and just let the cheese melt, or you can put your (oven safe) skillet under the broiler to let the cheese brown.

Serve with pasta of choice and remaining sauce (although I ate mine with brown rice on the side. Because I’m a BAD ITALIAN)(but also a fit one. So there.)

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!

Ziti, Chicken and Broccoli

My friend Joe emailed me last week and said “do you have a lowfat recipe for ziti, chicken and broccoli”? And I was like, uh, I can make one – how about something creamy like an alfredo sauce. He replied “no but I want something lowfat” and I was all DO YOU NOT KNOW ME?????

So I created this and emailed it to him even though I have never made it. Tonight when I got home from the gym I couldn’t stop thinking about “mmm creamy alfredo and chickens and broccolis mmmm”. So I made it (without the pasta because, hi, have I mentioned I’m going to CA next weekend?)

It was yummy.

Ziti, Chicken and Broccoli for Joe

1 pound ziti
3 cloves chopped garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon flour
1 pint fat free half and half cream
1 can low sodium, fat free chicken broth
1 cube chicken bouillon
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper
1 bag broccoli florets, steamed
4 boneless skinless chicken breast, cooked and cubed

-Cook pasta until al dente

-In a large skillet, saute garlic the olive oil over medium heat. Add the flour to make a roux. When the flour makes a paste stir in the fat free half and half, chicken broth, and bouillon. Add Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. Simmer all together for about 20 minutes.

-Once sauce is cooked and thickens, add broccoli and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. Once sauce is done, put cooked ziti in a large bowl, pour sauce over pasta and mix. Then add the chicken pieces and mix all together.

Vodka Sauce

I was in the mood for something a little different from my usual marinara.

Vodka Sauce

1/4 cup I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter Light
1/2 onion, diced
1/2 cup vodka
1 (28 ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup skim milk
1/2 cup fat free sour cream

In a skillet over medium heat, saute onion in ICBINBL until slightly brown and soft. Pour in vodka and let cook for 10 minutes. Mix in crushed tomatoes and cook for 30 minutes. Pour in skim milk and FF sour cream and cook for another 30 minutes.

Tastes even better the next day!