Chicken Salad with a touch of curry and lime…

CURRIED CHICKEN SALAD

Never enough variations on this theme…

This one is not spicy, just mellow and sorta sweet with the crispy almonds, and succulent grapes.  The flavors get more pronounced as it rests, so making it ahead is always nice.

Wrapped up in some buttery lettuce leaves or on a whole grain roll for you family, it’s very filling and full of protein.

~~~~

 

 

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 teaspoon Curry powder (I use the sweet yellow from Penzey’s)

Zest and Juice of half a lime

2 teaspoons sugar-free honey, agave nectar, or honey

Pinch of garlic powder

Salt & pepper to taste

2 cups diced, cooked rotisserie chicken

1/2 cup quartered grapes

1/4 cup diced red pepper

2 tablespoons sliced almonds

1 stalk celery chopped

.

In a large bowl combine the mayonnaise, curry powder, lime zest and juice, sugar-free honey, garlic powder, and salt and pepper. Stir in the chicken, grapes, red pepper, almonds, and celery. Mix well, cover and chill for at least 1 hour. Makes 4 servings.

Per Serving: 208 Cal; 23 g Protein; 10 g Tot Fat; 6 g Carb; 1 g Fiber; 4 g Sugar; 167mg Sodium

Read Full Post »

Talk about a makeover!!

CHICKEN POT PIE IN CREPES

So beautiful!   Homey-old-fashioned gets updated and elegant in this dish.

I’ve taken my family-favorite casserole and removed the carby crust – kept the gorgeous filling and simply rolled it in my higher-protein-lower-carb crepes.

You can’t go wrong with this.  Even if you didn’t tackle the crepe making and just ate the filling – it’s still great!

~~~~

 

 

Crepes:

4 eggs

1/2 cup ricotta

4 tablespoons flour

Pinch of salt

3 tablespoons milk

.

In a medium bowl beat the Ricotta with the eggs. Beat in the flour, salt, and milk. Allow to sit for 15 minutes.

Heat an 8-inch nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Coat with vegetable cooking spray when hot. Pour in 2 tablespoons of batter and swirl the pan to coat the entire surface in a thin layer. Allow to cook, without turning, until completely done. The top should be no longer shiny and when you touch it it’s not wet. The bottom will be have a very slight golden color. If it’s too dark, lower the heat.

(These can be impossible to flip and they don’t need to be, so don’t try if you don’t want to.  I do sometimes to get the same color on each side, but they are done when it’s dry on the top.) Gently loosen the edges with a spatula and slide out of the pan onto a plate. Very lightly spray the top with vegetable spray – this way you can stack them on top of each other.

Lightly coat the pan with cooking spray before each crepe. Proceed with above directions until batter is gone. Allow the crepes to cool to room temperature and then wrap the plate tightly with plastic wrap. These keep well in the fridge – unfilled – for several days.

.

Filling:

3 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup diced onion

1/4 cup finely diced celery

1/2 cup finely diced, or shredded carrots

3 tablespoons flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon sage

1 teaspoon thyme

1 teaspoon Splenda/sugar (brings out the flavors, yes it does!)

Dash grated fresh nutmeg

3/4 cup chicken broth

3/4 cup ff half & half

1 cup frozen peas, thawed

2 cups diced or shredded, cooked chicken

.

Melt butter over medium-low heat. Add onion, celery, and carrots, and slowly cook until soft, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in flour and cook for one minute. Add salt, pepper, sage, thyme, Splenda, and nutmeg. Whisk in chicken broth and cream. Cook until bubbly and boil for one minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in peas and chicken. Cook for one minute to heat through. Makes twelve 1-crepe servings.

Per Weight loss surgery-size serving: 150 Cal; 13 g Protein; 7 g Tot Fat; 8 g Carb; 1 g Fiber; 1 g Sugar; 290 mg Sodium

A normal sized serving would be doubled.

 

Read Full Post »

Turkey? Yes. Stuffed? Yes. But it’s not a stuffed turkey!

SOUTHWEST TURKEY BURGERS

I eat mostly vegetarian, but my husband doesn’t.  I’ve cut way down on the amount of red meat I fix him, but the ground turkey is a great substitute in things like this.  He loves these, actually.

Without the bun, these are very low-carb, so you get a high-protein, filling meal.  These burgers are super moist and juicy and the sauce gives them a great kick.

Stuffed with creamy, melty cheese, the whole family will dig in.  If they insist, serve theirs with toasted wheat rolls and thick sliced tomatoes.

(If you don’t want to mess with burgers, just do it as a meatloaf!  FAB!)

~~~~

 

 

1 pound ground turkey (I use the light/dark mix for moisture and flavor)

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

One 4-ounce can chopped black olives

2 tablespoons ketchup

1 teaspoon chili powder

3 teaspoons chili seasoning (Penzey’s has a great new one...HERE!)

OR 2-3 teaspoons Taco Seasoning

1/2 teaspoon salt

Six 1-ounce slices Monterey Jack cheese

.

Gently combine turkey, onion, olives, ketchup, chili powder, chili seasoning, and salt. Shape into 12 patties. Fold cheese into quarters to fit inside the burger, and place one folded slice of cheese on six of the patties. Top with remaining patties and seal edges. Grill over medium-high heat 4-5 minutes on each side or until done.

Southwest Sauce

1/2 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons ketchup

1/4 cup salsa – as spicy as you like

1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro

.

In a small bowl combine sour cream, ketchup, salsa, and cilantro. Spoon over the burgers and serve. Makes six servings.

Per Serving (1 burger with 2 tablespoons sauce): Calories 267; Protein 23 g; Fat 17 g; Carbs 6 g; Sugar 3 g; Sodium 371 mg

(Sauce alone: Per 2 tablespoons: 49 Calories; 1 g Protein; 4 g Tot Fat; 3 g Carb; 0 g Fiber; 1 g Sugar; 113 mg Sodium)

Read Full Post »

What’s not to love?! Individual lasagna with a spiced up twist…

TEX-MEX LASAGNA

When you’re talkin’ about comfort food…Lasagna has to be pretty high on the list!

 

This one has a spicy twist and is perfect for those wanting to get away form the carby noodles.

I like to do it in individual servings so that each person gets a gorgeous little lasagna all their own…but making it in a large casserole would work for a crowd.

 

The only thing needed to complete the meal is a bowl of silky sour cream to top each bubbly serving and a crisp green salad.

Going vegetarian is easy, too… SUPER both ways!

 

(This recipe makes 12 individual cups or a 9×13 pan. It can easily be halved, though…and it would freeze great. Assemble, cover tightly and freeze. Thaw before baking.)

~~~~

 

.

.

Vegetable cooking spray
1 pound ground beef, turkey or 1 pkg. Morningstar Crumbles for vegetarian 
1 tablespoon olive oil - if using Crumbles
1 medium onion, finely diced
3 teaspoons Taco Seasoning
1 teaspoon cumin
One 16-ounce can refried beans
1 cup salsa, divided
One 15-ounce container Ricotta cheese
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
24 round wonton wrappers (or 12 egg roll wrappers for a large casserole)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray twelve 4-ounce custard cups or 9×13 inch baking pan and set aside. If using cups, place them on a cookie sheet.

In a large skillet, over medium heat, cook beef or turkey and onions until meat in no longer pink and onions are tender. Drain if necessary. Stir in taco seasoning, cumin, refried beans, and 3/4 cup of the salsa. Set aside to cool slightly.

In a medium bowl combine ricotta cheese and 1 1/2 cups of the Monterey Jack cheese and set aside. Place one wonton wrapper in each custard cup (or a single layer in casserole dish). Spoon on 1 tablespoon of meat mixture, topped with 1 tablespoon cheese mixture. (If using casserole, spoon on half of meat mixture and half of cheese mixture.) Repeat with wrapper, meat and cheese. Place 1/2 teaspoon of the remaining salsa on each cup or spread onto casserole. Top with remaining Jack cheese.

Bake the cups 25 minutes or the casserole 40 or until golden and bubbly. Garnish with avocados and sour cream if desired. Makes 12 servings.

Per Serving: Calories 290; Protein 15 g; Fat 9 g; Carbs 8 g;  Sugar 1 g; Sodium 344 mg

Read Full Post »

Don’t be chicken…go south of the border!

CHICKEN CHILE RELLENO ROLLS

Moist, spicy, cheesy…and really pretty quick! Serve with a bowl of cool pico de gallo and some Spanish rice for your family.

~~~~

 

 

Vegetable cooking spray
3/4 pound chicken breast halves (4 pieces)
Kosher salt and black pepper
3/4 cup shredded Colby Jack cheese
3 tablespoons finely minced onion
3 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon Penzey’s Chili 9000 or chili powder
One 4-ounce can diced green chilies
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon milk
1/4 fine dry bread crumbs
1 tablespoon flour
1 teaspoon Penzey’s Chili 9000 or chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a baking sheet or shallow baking dish with vegetable cooking spray and set aside.
Rinse chicken and pat dry. Between two pieces of plastic wrap pound each chicken breast half to 1/4 inch thickness. Lightly sprinkle one side with salt and pepper. Set aside.

In a small bowl combine shredded cheese, onion, cilantro, chili mix or chili powder, and green chilies. Divide this mixture evenly over flattened chicken and spread to within 1/4 inch from the edges. Roll up chicken, folding in the edges. Secure with toothpicks if needed.

In a shallow dish combine the egg and milk. In another shallow dish mix together the bread crumbs, flour, chili mix, and salt. Dip the chicken rolls into the egg mixture and then into the crumbs. Placed on prepared baking sheet. Brush or drizzle olive oil over the rolls. Bake, uncovered for 25-30 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Makes 4 servings.

Per Serving: 242 Cal; 30 g Protein; 10 g Tot Fat; 8 g Carb; 1 g Fiber; 2 g Sugar; 476 mg Sodium

Read Full Post »

So familiar!

COMPANY CHICKEN

Please don’t judge the recipe by the photo!  (I still didn’t know what I was doing with my camera…one of these days I’ll make it again and we’ll make prettier!).  This is such a good recipe – it’s been in every hometown cookbook and continues to be a favorite.

Sounds odd and weird – but it works!  I’ve done it with tofu, also.  Cut slabs of firm tofu and let it soak in the sauce…then baked it off.  REALLY good!

Serve this over a bed of herbed rice for your family and a steamed, fresh vegetable.

~~~~

 

 

Vegetable cooking spray
1 cup sugar free apricot preserves
1/2 cup Catalina (or Russian) dressing
1/4 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
1 envelope dehydrated Onion Soup & Recipe mix
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves or thighs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9×13 inch baking dish with vegetable spray and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together jam, dressing, mayonnaise, and onion soup mix. Spread 1/2 cup of jam mixture onto the bottom of baking dish. Arrange chicken pieces in dish and pour remaining sauce over chicken. Cover and bake for 45 minutes. Uncover and continue baking for 15-20 minutes. Makes 8 WLS servings.

Per Serving: Calories 188; Protein 22 g; Fat 4 g; Carbs 10 g; Sugar 2 g; Sodium 163 mg

Read Full Post »

Just another meatloaf recipe…ho hum. NOT.

CHILE TURKEY MEATLOAF

(For some reason this photo makes it look dry.  It is SOOOOOO not.)

Super-duper moist and flavorful – it’s my husbands favorite meatloaf EVER.  This was a half-hearted-throw-everything-in type meatloaf at the last minute for dinner but Hon raved about it so much I had to scramble to save a piece for a photo!

It stays very moist because of all the nutritious and colorful vegetables mixed in. Serve with salsa, avocados, and sour cream if desired. Great as leftovers, and it freezes wonderfully. (With turkey it is super low in calories, but ground beef would also work in this.)

For the family add a fresh green salad and a warm pan of Chile Cornbread (one box cornbread mix according to pkg directions, 2 tablespoons diced green chiles, 1 teaspoon Chili Mix seasoning, 1/4 cup shredded cheese.)

~~~~

.

.

2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
1 cup diced onions
2 cloves garlic
1 red pepper, diced
1/2 carrot shredded
3 1/2 teaspoons Penzey’s Chili 9000 or medium chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon sugar or Splenda
1/3 cup fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped
20 ounces ground turkey (mixed dark and white – stays more moist than all white)
3 tablespoons ketchup
1 egg
1 egg white
1/3 cup 2% milk
1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
3 tablespoons salsa

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Coat a loaf pan with vegetable cooking spray and set aside.
In a large frying pan over medium heat add olive oil or butter. Saute the onion, garlic, pepper, and carrot until onion is soft. Add in chili mix, cumin, salt, black pepper, sugar/Splenda, and cilantro and cook for two minutes. Transfer mixture to a large bowl and gently mix in turkey, ketchup, egg, egg white, milk, bread crumbs, and cheese. Place in prepared pan; cover with salsa and bake for 55-60 minutes. Allow to rest 15 minutes before serving. Makes 8 servings.

(I usually do this in 3 mini loaf pans and bake for 30-40 minutes.  These freeze great, so I freeze two and Hon can eat one in a couple days, but no left-over burnout!)

Per Serving: 240 Calories; 18 g Protein; 14 g Tot Fat; 10g NET Carbs; (11 g Carb; 1 g Fiber); 4 g Sugar; 281 mg Sodium

Read Full Post »

One dish meal…

CHICKEN CASSOULET

In this comforting recipe, the chicken is complimented with bacon, onions, tomatoes and white beans. It gets thick and rich and very tender. Instead of the traditional bread crumb crust, I topped it with some shredded cheese.

Prepare a wonderful, crunchy green salad and maybe a plate of whole-grain crackers for your family and you’ve got an easy, time-friendly meal.

~~~~

 

 

2 tablespoons olive oil
4 slices turkey bacon, chopped
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, quartered
One 14-ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
1/4 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Dash cayenne
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
One 15-ounce can Great Northern beans, drained

In a large skillet over medium heat cook turkey bacon in olive oil until it begins to brown. Add onion, and garlic and cook 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions turn light golden. Add chicken and cook 5 minutes, browning on all sides. Stir in tomatoes, broth, thyme, basil, oregano, cayenne, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally; cover and simmer 10 minutes. Stir in beans and simmer, uncovered 10 more minutes, until mixture is slightly thickened and chicken is very tender. Makes 6 servings.

Per Serving: Calories 241; Protein 28 g; Fat 9 g; Carbs 8g; Sugar 2 g; Sodium 237 mg

Read Full Post »

Elegant dinner – with very little fuss!

CHICKEN & MUSHROOM IN WHITE WINE

If you want something that looks like you took forever making it – but didn’t – this is it.  It would be great for a dinner party or dinner in your pajamas.

Try omitting the mushrooms and using broccoli – sounds good to me!

~~~~

 

Vegetable cooking spray
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
4 tablespoons flour
Kosher salt and black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
2 cups sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup white wine
1/3 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup shredded or grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Coat a long baking dish with vegetable spray. Cut each breast half in half again lengthwise. Place each piece between heavy plastic wrap and pound flat to 1/8-inch thickness. Sprinkle very lightly with salt and black pepper and dredge lightly in flour.

In a large skillet over medium heat melt half of the butter with half of the olive oil. Add half of the chicken pieces and cook for 4 minutes or until golden and crispy, turning once. Transfer to baking dish and repeat with remaining butter, oil and chicken. To skillet add the mushrooms; cook and stir until tender. Add wine and broth and bring to a boil. Boil gently 5 minutes or until mixture is reduced to half and thickened; pour over chicken. Sprinkle with mozzarella, Parmesan and green onions. Bake, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes. Makes 6 servings.

Per Serving: Calories 241; Protein 30 g; Fat 10 g; Carbs 6 g; Sugar 0 g Sugar; Sodium 203 mg

Read Full Post »

Ole’!!

CHICKEN & BLACK BEANS

This is so incredibly good!  And I’m not just saying that!

Eat it alone with a nice green salad and roll your family’s in soft, warm tortillas.  Smothered it in sour cream and melty cheese…WOW!

~~~~

 

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 chicken breasts, diced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
One 14-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
1/4 cup salsa
1 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon Splenda
One 14-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
Shredded cheese, sour cream, olives

In a large saucepan, sauté the chicken, onion, and garlic in the olive oil until chicken is cooked through. Add remaining ingredients and let simmer for 10-15 minutes until thickened. Serve with cheese and sour cream, and sliced olives. (For your family, roll up in flour tortillas and top with cheese. Place under the broiler until cheese is bubbly. Add a spoonful of sour cream and sprinkle with diced tomatoes or avocados.)

Makes 6 servings.
Per Serving: Calories 164; Protein 13 g; Fat 6 g; Carbs 11 g; Sugar 1 g; Sodium 265 mg

Read Full Post »