Healthy Archives - The Tasty Fork

Asian Chicken Burrito with Sriracha Peanut Butter Sauce

May 16, 2013 by admin · 13 Comments

Ever wonder what to do when you have one piece of chicken left in a package? If you live with more than one person, looking at one chicken breast and trying to figure out dinner can be a challenge. I guess you could freeze it, but I dare you to look into your fridge and see how many frozen pieces of chicken you already have. For me, I have probably about 6. I don’t need to make it 7. And I’m glad I didn’t take the easy route… because I came up with Asian Chicken Burritos with Sriracha Peanut Butter Sauce. And turned one chicken breast into 4 meals.

I went to Hawaii in January 2012. It was wonderful. Beautiful. Breathtakingly beautiful. We spent a majority of our time on Kauai, the garden island. Since I’m constantly thinking about food, months before we left for our trip, I had already scouted out places to eat. And I’m talking about places were the locals go. I looked like a tourist by taking over 700 photos, but I didn’t want to eat like one.

I did my research and found a local place called Kilauea Fish Market which was off of the beaten path. They’re known for their huge burritos stuffed with local produce and brown rice…and some of the best ahi tuna you can find in all of Kauai. This picture doesn’t give it justice.

So here I am, over a year later, still thinking about a burrito I had in Hawaii. I’m crazy, I know. I have no idea when I’ll get back to Kauai. The next best thing I can do is try to recreate what I ate in my own home.

Let’s start with the meat of this dish. I chopped up the one lonely chicken breast into bite sized pieces and cooked it in a skillet with fresh garlic and ginger. I made a marinade of soy sauce, sriracha, honey and orange juice. It wasn’t spicy at all and really paired nicely with the ginger & garlic. You can really taste the orange juice and soy. I loved it.

I think I was able to stretch this recipe into 4 servings by adding an 8 oz package of sliced mushrooms to the skillet. Anytime you can go the extra mile with meal by adding vegetables, I’m all for it. Of course, its not a burrito with out some rice, so I took the easy route and used 90 second microwaveable brown rice. (Might be the best invention ever.) Brown rice goes on to a large spinach tortilla first, then chicken and mushrooms, top with fresh veggies like carrots, cucumbers, cilantro, purple cabbage and red peppers. Then it’s time for the best part – Sriracha Peanut Butter Sauce. You guys, I can’t even get over this stuff. It might sound strange at first, but just trust me.

In a bowl, mix peanut butter, sriracha, apple cider vinegar, soy sauce and brown sugar. Microwave it for 60 seconds. I grabbed a piece of cucumber and dipped it in to the sauce. The soy sauce cuts into the peanut butter taste, so it isn’t too sweet. And the sriracha really brings some heat. I added more to my burrito but I’m a spice freak. Drizzle this sauce all over the top of the ingredients, roll up the burrito and serve. And serve some on the side. The sauce might be gone before you finish the burrito

In general, I rarely have met a burrito I didn’t like. Sadly, my favorite burrito stand resides in Hawaii. However, by taking my everyday ingredients, trying to use up one last piece of chicken and wanting an Asian flair in my dinner, I came up with a very satisfying burrito. And considering I’m not a leftovers girl, it speaks volumes that I ate this easy Asian chicken burrito for dinner 2 nights in a row! I hope you’ll give it a try and tell me all about it.

Asian Chicken Burrito with Sriracha Peanut Butter Sauce

Ingredients

Burrito Filling:

1 tbsp sesame oil
1 chicken breast, cut into bite sized pieces
3 green onions, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
2 tbsp soy sauce
1/4 cup orange juice
1 tbsp sriracha
2 tsp honey
8 oz package sliced mushrooms

Peanut Butter Sriracha Sauce:

1.5 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp soy sauce
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1-2 tbsp sriracha
splash apple cider vinegar

Burrito Toppings:

1 package microwaveable brown rice (90 second kind)
1 red pepper, cut into thin strips
2 carrots, shredded
1/2 cucumber, skin & seeds removed
1/2 purple cabbage, shredded
Cilantro sprigs
4 large spinach tortillas

Instructions

In a large skillet at a medium heat, pour sesame oil. When it's warm, add chicken, green onions, garlic and ginger. Cook and stir until chicken is done, about 8 minutes. In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, OJ, sriracha and honey. Pour into skillet and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and stir in mushrooms. Cook until mushrooms are soft.
Make peanut butter sriracha sauce by mixing all ingredients into a bowl. Place bowl in the microwave for 1 minute. Stir until smooth. Set aside.
To make burrito, place 2 tbsp brown rice in the middle of the tortilla. Top with chicken and mushroom mixture. Place vegetables and cilantro on top. Drizzle peanut butter sriracha sauce over burrito filling. Roll tortilla to form burrito. Cut in half and serve with additional peanut butter sriracha sauce. (Repeat steps with the remaining 3 tortillas.)

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Filed Under: Chicken, Healthy, Recipes, Sandwich · Tagged With: Asian Burrito, Asian Chicken, Asian Chicken Burrito, easy dinner, easy recipe, Healthly, Peanut Butter Sauce, recipe, Sriracha Chicken, Sriracha Peanut Butter Sauce, Sriracha Sauce

Grilled Cumin Flank Steak with Tomato Lime Salsa

May 15, 2013 by admin · 8 Comments

There are times in my life when I feel a little more grown up…which is strange because I think you’re considered a grown up once you’re supporting yourself. So in that way, I’ve been an adult for awhile. But for me, I always feel a bit more adult like when I want to do home improvements. We’re renting right now, so I can’t go to crazy but there is an area of my place that needs some TLC. Our patio.

One Sunday, I went to Home Depot (grown up store!), World Market and H0meGoods to get some inspiration. I was on a patio mission. I didn’t even give much of a glance to kitchen stuff at World Market or HomeGoods, which is HUGE for me. I could easily loose hours of my life going through entertaining and dining stuff.

Trust me, I did wander for hours but I felt like I was getting someplace. I decided there are 3 areas I can improve our patio. We have a cast iron gate door which is rusting. It’s a total eye sore, so I want to remove the rust and paint it. Right out front of the back door, we have a small space which would be a cute seating area. We have two cast iron chairs already, so I bought orange and white seat cushions and then I’m going to get a tourqouise stool which I’d use as a drink/end table. Then in the main patio area, we have a table and chairs. I’m looking to get a tourqouise umbrella and stand. I should look into getting cushions for those chairs but since they came with the place, it’s not a high priority. If you follow me on Pinterest, you can see the items I’m eyeing.

In case you’re wondering where this sudden inspiration is coming from — it’s all from my grill. I spend a lot of time grilling and cooking outside. I think it would be nice to have an area where I can cook, entertain and not feel a sweaty hot pig.

Back to the idea of feeling grown up, cooking for myself used to make me feel I was more like an adult. One of the first things I made on a grill was this Grilled Cumin Flank Steak with Tomato Lime Salsa. Flank steak is a pretty cheap cut of meat and it’s really flavorful. The meat is marinaded in toasted cumin, garlic and lime juice. I love the smokey flavor of the cumin and the freshness from the lime juice. Grilling flank steak is really easy, just 5 minutes per side. The flank steak cooked to about medium and is really juicy.

After letting the meat rest, top this flank steak with a tomato lime salsa. It’s a light and pairs perfectly with the smokey flank steak! To round out this meal, serve it with some black beans & rice. It’s a sophisticated Mexican meal at home!

Whenever I make this Grilled Cumin Flank Steak with Tomato Lime Salsa, it always makes me smile. I can’t believe I used to think making dinner for myself was such a big deal. Cooking is more than just some hobby to me now; it’s a huge part of my life. But one thing that’s still the same to me is how I have to be excited about what I eat. This flank steak recipe still does that for me. I’m sure you will love this easy and tasty recipe, too!

Grilled Cumin Flank Steak with Tomato Lime Salsa

Ingredients

2 tablespoons ground cumin
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons lime juice
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 beef flank steak or top round steak (1 1/4 pounds), trimmed of all visible fat
1 large tomato, finely chopped
1 can (4 1/2 ounces) chopped mild green chiles, drained
3 scallions, thinly sliced

Instructions

Spray grill with cooking spray. Preheat the grill.
Place the cumin in a small skillet over medium heat and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes, or until fragrant and darker in color. Place in a small bowl and let cool.
Remove 1 teaspoon toasted cumin and place in a medium bowl. To the small bowl, add the garlic, 2 tablespoons of the lime juice, the black pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and mix well. Place the steak on the prepared rack and rub the cumin mixture over both sides of the steak. Let stand at room temperature.
In the medium bowl with the reserved cumin, combine the tomato, chiles, scallions, the remaining 1 tablespoon lime juice, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Let stand at room temperature.
Grill steak for 5 minutes per side, or until a thermometer inserted in the center registers to at least 145°F for medium-rare.
Place the steak on a cutting board and let stand for 5 minutes. Cut the steak into thin slices and serve with the salsa. Black beans and rice make a nice side item.

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Spicy Grilled Pork Chops with Pineapple Relish

Portobello Sandwiches with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Filed Under: Beef, Grill, Healthy, Recipes · Tagged With: flank steak, flank steak recipes, grilled recipes, grilling flank steak, healthy, healthy recipes, recipes, salsa recipe, tomato salsa

Family Recipe Friday: Chicken and Vegetables with Balsamic Glaze

May 10, 2013 by admin · 7 Comments

Happy Friday!! With Mother’s Day being this weekend, I thought I’d share a recipe from one of my Mom’s cookbooks. One of tons of cookbooks. After my Mom passed away, I learned she collected lots of things… black pants, beauty products, boxes of Triscuits. I wouldn’t call it hoarding but more along the lines of forgetting what she had, so she’d buy things thinking she needed it. Same thing went for cookbooks. I stopped off at my parents house last weekend to get some of her cookbooks and I forgot how many she had. I only grabbed a few; the ones that looked the most familiar or most used.

Growing up, my Mom and I would have lunch together when I didn’t have school. We would always have chicken and vegetables…and watch All My Children. This was our routine until I went off to college and had to work during the summer. As I was going through her cookbooks, I had my eye on chicken recipes. Picking a chicken recipe would be perfect for my Family Recipe Friday Series.

Today’s recipe is Chicken and Vegetables with Balsamic Glaze. Honestly, I have no idea if she made this for us. When it came to dinner, my Mom stuck to 10 different dinners and we really didn’t sway too much from those. That aspect of dinner has probably made me the way I am and not ever wanting to eat the same thing too many times. There is just so much amazing food out there.

Buuuut Chicken and Vegetables with Balsamic Glaze sounds like something she & I would of made together for one of our afternoon lunches. It’s a light and easy meal. Plus, it only requires one skillet which means easily clean up.

Using boneless skinless chicken breasts makes this meal a healthy option. And by loading it up with a variety of veggies – red peppers, leeks, carrots and potatoes – you have a well rounded meal. I love using vinegar when I cook, but balsamic is my favorite! It gives this chicken recipe a tangy and sweet taste.

This is NOT your average chicken recipe. Chicken with Vegetables with Balsamic Glaze is very flavorful and filling. It would be a great week night dinner, especially when you don’t want to spend a lot of time cleaning up!

Family Recipe Friday: Chicken and Vegetables with Balsamic Glaze

Ingredients

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 lb baby red potatoes, cut in half
1 small onion, sliced
1/2-1 cup of beef broth
1 leek, well washed and cut into 2 inch long strips
4 carrots, peeled and cut into 2 inch long strips
1 red pepper, cut into thin strips
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4-1/2 cup of balsamic vinegar
Salt & Pepper, to taste

Instructions

In a large skillet over medium heat, add oil and chicken seasoned with salt & pepper. Cook for 10-15 minutes (or until the internal temperature is 165 degrees). Remove from skillet and set aside.
Add potatoes and onions to skillet; cook for 2-3 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of broth. scraping and loosening brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add leeks, carrots and red peppers. Heat till boiling. Reduce heat to medium-low and cover. Simmer for 10 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender.
If the skillet is looking dry, add additional broth. Add garlic and balsamic vinegar. Heat to boiling. Return chicken to pan and spoon sauce over chicken. Lower heat and cover for 5 minutes. Serve immediately.

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This recipe is from 365 Easy One-Dish Meals by Natalie Haughton.

Filed Under: Chicken, Entree, Family Recipes, Healthy, Recipes · Tagged With: balsamic chicken, chicken, chicken and vegetables, chicken recipe, Dinner recipe, healthy recipe, one skillet meal

Vegetarian Recipe: Orzo Salad with Spinach & Chickpeas

May 9, 2013 by admin · 9 Comments

Earlier this week on The Tasty Fork Facebook page, I asked what kind of recipes you’d like to see on the blog. One of the responses was from my bloggy friend, Lisa. She asked for more vegetarian recipes. I got to thinking I haven’t posted one in a while, so why not! The weather is starting to warm up, people want to use fresh ingredients and not be standing over a hot stove just to get a meal on the table. This Orzo salad recipe is a vegetarian’s delight and will make the meat people in your life happy. It’s so colorful, how can you not smile at it??

I don’t know about you but I’ve been eating lighter meals these days. I start off my day with some Greek yogurt and granola, lunch is usually a fruity protein smoothie and then something sensible for dinner. (I sound like one of those dieting ads!) I don’t know what it is but once the sun starts to shine, I’m not AS hungry. That’s why I hardly ever diet in the winter, I know whatever I put on during the colder months will come right off once I can be active outside again.

I’ve said before on this blog, if I post a salad recipe, it needs to be approved from my husband. He’s not going to be satisfied with some girly little salad. So to dress things up and make it more hearty, this salad is filled with orzo pasta, sun-dried tomatoes, chickpeas, spinach and reduced fat feta cheese. The salad dressing is easy – just lemon juice and olive oil. There is no chopping of vegetables, the orzo cooks up in 10 minutes, the lemon juice dressing is super fresh tasting…. I can go on and on about what a great and easy vegetarian salad this is!

We ate the Orzo Salad as a main entree but it would also be a great side salad. Perfect for a picnic! Personally, I loved how easy it came together and plan on making it again on the nights when I don’t have a lot of time but still want a well rounded meal. Pin this vegetarian recipe – you’ll want it to remember it for those busy work nights and you don’t want to cook!

Vegetarian Recipe: Orzo Salad with Spinach & Chickpeas

Ingredients

1/2 lb uncooked orzo (it looks like rice. use whole grain if you can find it!)
3-4 cups baby spinach
1/4 cup julienned sun-dried tomatoes (the ones that aren't in oil. They come packaged in a resealable bag.)
1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup reduced feta cheese, crumbled
1 lemon, juiced
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Fresh ground pepper, to taste

Instructions

Cook orzo according to directions. Al dente is usually around 9 to 10 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water. Drain again. Pour orzo into a large mixing bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients and toss until well combined. Taste and add fresh cracked pepper, if needed. Serve right away or can be stored in the refrigerator for 2 days in an air-tight container.

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Filed Under: Entree, Healthy, Recipes, Salad, Vegetarian · Tagged With: chickpea salad, easy recipe, easy salad, meat free, orzo salad, picnic salad, recipe, salad recipe, spinach salad, summer salad, Vegetarian, vegetarian salad

Chicken Tinga Tacos – Mexican Street Food at Home

May 2, 2013 by admin · 14 Comments

For a girl who loves tacos and Mexican food as much as I do, you’d think all this week I’d be having a Cinco de Mayo party on the blog. I have no idea how I missed this Mexican holiday. Is anyone else shocked by how fast May snuck up on us??!! In my own defense, I do have a lot of taco recipes on the blog and I’ve linked a few options for you at the bottom of the post. But this post is all about Chicken Tinga Tacos.

This spicy taco filling is found at every street-food stand in Mexico City. The sauce is like a Mexican marinara, filled with a lot of the same things you would use in an Italian marinara sauce – onion, garlic, tomatoes – but with the addition of chipotle peppers in adobo takes these tacos right to fiesta time.

You won’t believe how easy it is to get such an authentic (and cheap!) meal at home. By using chicken thighs, you’re going to be getting a lot of flavor and this cut of meat is impossible to over cook. Chicken first needs to seared and browned in a skillet, just for 10 minutes and then put aside. Then you’ll make the tinga sauce and let it simmer for 20 minutes. Pour sauce over chicken in a large casserole dish and bake. (Or if you want to cook at a later date, store in the fridge, all ready for the oven. Just be sure to remove the casserole dish from the fridge 15 minutes before you’re ready to bake the chicken.)

Garnish for these Chicken Tinga Tacos are super easy. No fancy salsas or lots of chopping of ingredients. All you need are some green onions, cilantro and crumbled Cotija cheese. So easy!

I’ve made and eaten a lot of tacos in my day.. heck, try just this year! Tacos are one of my favorite food groups. These Chicken Tinga Tacos are spicy and smokey. The chicken was tender and shredded so easily. I loved the easiness and freshness of the taco garnish. These tacos really are no fuss and truly something you would get in Mexico. It’s nice to know I can make these Chicken Tinga Tacos at home and not have to wait until my next Mexico vacation.

Chicken Tinga Tacos – Mexican Street Food at Home

Ingredients

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 1/2 pounds trimmed, skinless, bone-in chicken thighs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large onion, thinly sliced
3 large garlic cloves, minced
One 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, including liquid
2-3 chipotle peppers in adobo, coarsely chopped
1 cup chicken broth
24 corn tortillas
2 ounces Cotija cheese, crumbled
Sliced scallions and chopped cilantro, for garnish

Instructions

Heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet. Season the chicken all over with salt and pepper, add it to the skillet and cook over moderately high heat, turning once, until browned, about 10 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and pour off the fat in the skillet.
Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil to the skillet & the onion. Cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 2 minutes. Add canned tomatoes, chipotle peppers and broth; bring to a boil. Simmer over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until thickened and slightly reduced, 20 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350°. Transfer sauce to a food processor and let cool for 15 minutes. Puree until smooth and season with salt and pepper. Pour the sauce over the chicken. Bake the chicken uncovered in the center of the oven for about 45-55 minutes. The meat should be tender, sauce thickened and browning around the edges of the baking dish. Warm corn tortillas in the oven or over a gas stove.
Remove the chicken and shred meat; discard the bones. Return the chicken meat to the sauce; combine well. Spoon about 3 tablespoons of chicken onto each tortilla and sprinkle with the Cotija cheese. Garnish tacos with the scallions and chopped cilantro. Serve immediately.

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Recipe inspired by Food & Wine.

Double Decker Beef Tacos

Salmon Tacos with Slaw & Mango Slaw

Crock Pot Tacos al Pastor

Filed Under: Chicken, Entree, Healthy · Tagged With: Authentic Mexican Meal, Chicken Taco Recipe, Chicken Tacos, Cinco de Mayo, easy meal, healthy recipe, healthy taco, Spicy Chicken, taco, Taco recipe, Taco Recipes, tacos

Mini Chile Relleno Casserole & Spicy Breakfast Potatoes

April 17, 2013 by admin · 21 Comments

I was never much of a breakfast person. As a child, my Mom would offer to make me a hot breakfast every morning. I was dumb and grabbed a pop tart instead. So dumb I used to be….

My husband’s favorite meal of the day is breakfast. So much so that he would go out to breakfast all by himself on those random bank holidays that no one else off but finance people. I can’t even go to a movie by myself, never less have a meal. He was the one who got me to come around to breakfast food. He inspired me to make one of my most popular recipes on this blog.

I usually cook things that I want, but for this meal, I thought I’d make the hubby happy and have breakfast for dinner. I came across a Mini Chile Relleno Casserole Recipe on Kitchen Daily and I LOVED the individual serving option by cooking the casserole in ramekins. Plus, chile rellenos is one of my favorite Mexican meals! Have you tried it? It’s a deep fried pasilla chile stuffed with rice, beans and meat. Not the most figure friendly meal, but this chile relleno casserole recipe is a much healthier option — Eggs, chilies, corn, sourdough bread, skim milk and low-fat cheese. Baking the eggs in a water bath makes the casserole texture super fluffy. I’m loving this new take on chile rellenos!

To round out the meal, I made a side of Spicy Breakfast Potatoes. YUM! I can not tell you how much I love diced potatoes from the freezer section. I HATE chopping potatoes…especially trying to make every potato exactly the same size. Thank you, Grocery Store, for doing this mundane task for me. I had some extra corn and a red pepper on hand, so I added those items to the potatoes, but feel free to add anything your family likes.

Breakfast for dinner is something I need to do more often! What are your favorite breakfast for dinner meals? Would you love to take a picture of your breakfast for dinner meal with this new camera??

Mini Chile Relleno Casserole & Spicy Breakfast Potatoes

Ingredients

For the Casseroles:

2 can 4-ounce diced green chiles, drained and patted dry
¾ cup frozen corn, thawed and patted dry
4 scallions, thinly sliced
1 cup sourdough bread, cut into cubes (can be stale)
1 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese
1 ½ cup non-fat milk
6 large egg whites
4 large egg
¼ tsp salt

For the Spicy Breakfast Potatoes:

1 Bag (16 oz) Frozen Diced Potatoes
1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 1/4 tsp Sea Salt
1 tbsp Dijon Mustard
1 1/4 tsp Cumin
1 tsp Black Pepper Coarse
1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper
1/4 cup Green Chiles Mild, Canned
1/4 cup Red Pepper, chopped
1/4 cup Frozen Corn
1/4 cup Green Onions, for garnish

Instructions

Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees. Coat 4 ramekins with cooking spray. Fill a large casserole dish with a few cups of water to make a water bath. Set aside. In each ramekin, equally divide green chiles, corn, scallions and bread. Top each with cheese. Whisk milk, egg whites, eggs and salt in a medium bowl until combined. Divide the egg mixture evenly among the ramekins. Place ramekins in a large baking dish. The water in the baking dish should come up half way on each ramekin. If there is too much water, remove it.
Bake mini casseroles for 25 to 35 minutes or until the tops begin to brown and the eggs are set. Be careful removing casseroles from oven. Stay steady and don't spill the hot water. Use tongs to remove ramekins from the water bath.
For the potatoes - heat a cast iron skillet to a medium heat. Mix together all ingredients except the green onions. Add to skillet and cook for 12-15 minutes. Garish with green onions.

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Mini Chile Relleno Casserole inspired by Kitchen Daily.

Filed Under: Breakfast, Entree, Healthy, Recipes, Vegetarian · Tagged With: breakfast casserole, breakfast for dinner, brunch recipe, easy breakfast, easy meal, healthy breakfast, Mexican breakfast, recipe, spicy potatoes

Portobello Sandwiches with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

March 25, 2013 by admin · 20 Comments

Last week I said from Thursday at 11am till Sunday night, I’ve got college basketball brain. I know most of my readers don’t care for sports, so I won’t bore you with my bracket standings. But I will express these past few days have been so fun.. lots of good games and eating lots of food! Oh and my Indiana Hoosiers are still in it to win it! And that makes me very happy.

You know what else makes me happy – a hearty veggie sandwich. We’ve all been out to eat with that one friend who orders the vegetarian sandwich…and the sandwich is the SADDEST thing you’ve ever seen. I’d never pay a restaurant to feed me sprouts, cucumber and tomatoes smashed between bread and call it a meal. I’m getting depressed just thinking about it.

So if I’m going to share a veggie sandwich, it’s going to be good. And let me tell you, this recipe is man approved. We ate this Portobello Sandwich twice in 24 hours. That’s a big deal for 2 reasons. One, I’m not a fan of leftovers unless if I can turn it into a different meal. Two, my husband didn’t even complain. He was happy to be meat free for another meal.

Honestly, if you make this sandwich, you won’t even miss the meat. I think portobello mushrooms are very filling and the roasted pepper sauce is so flavorful. I could’ve had a meal of bread with the roasted pepper sauce and been content. This sandwich is also loaded with grilled onions, fresh basil, spinach and goat cheese. It really brings those other veggie sandwiches to shame.

Portobello Sandwiches with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce, Cooking Light April 2013

Ingredients

4 Portobello mushroom caps
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
2 garlic cloves
2 thick slices of onion
Salt
1 loaf of crust ciabatta bread (enough for 4 sandwiches)
1/2 cup bottled roasted red bell peppers, rinsed and drained
A few basil leaves
1 tbsp dry roasted almonds, chopped
1 tsp red wine vinegar
1/2 cup goat cheese crumbles
1 cup fresh baby spinach
12 basil leaves

Instructions

Preheat broiler to high.
Heat a pan over medium-high heat. Remove gills from mushrooms using a spoon; discard gills. Combine 1 1/2 tablespoons oil and half of garlic. Add mushrooms & onions to a resealable bag and pour in olive oil. Make sure mushrooms and onions are equally coated. Place mushrooms and onion slices in pan, and cook for 5 minutes on each side or until tender. Remove from heat. Sprinkle mushrooms with salt. Separate onion slices into rings.
Place bread slices on a baking sheet. Broil for 1 minute or until bread is lightly browned.
Place remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil, remaining garlic, roasted red peppers, basil, almonds, and vinegar in a food processor, and process until smooth. Taste & season with salt and pepper if needed. Spread red pepper sauce evenly over each bread slice; top 4 bread slices evenly with cheese, 1 mushroom, onion rings, spinach, and basil. Top with remaining 4 bread slices, sauce side down.

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Recipe from Cooking Light, April 2013 Issue

Filed Under: Appetizers, Healthy, Recipes, Sandwich · Tagged With: Cooking Light, easy recipe, healthy recipe, quick meal, Vegetarian, vegetarian sandwich

Green Giant’s Veggie Snack Chips: Healthy Snack Foods

March 21, 2013 by admin · 19 Comments

In case you didn’t look at you calendar yesterday, Wednesday marked the official first day of Spring. Seems hard to believe when you live in an area that’s daily high temperature is just about freezing, but it’s nice to know we have warmer days coming our way. Even if Chicago doesn’t get much of a Spring, we always have a hot Summer.

I can’t wait for warmer days. But do you know what warmer weather means?? It’s time to put away the sweaters and jeans. Hello shorts, skirts and tank tops. I don’t know about you, but I’m not 100% ready to flaunt a summer body. As you can see from this blog, I love to eat….just about anything.

I feel like I’m eating something every couple hours. I love to snack. Like really love to snack. I wish I could say all of my snacks are healthy, but they aren’t. When I’m craving a salty food, I’ll head to the pantry and grab some chips. I’ve tried a certain baked chip brand, and unless I’m craving cardboard, I see no reason to go down that path ever again. It’s been years since I’ve tried a healthy chip. So when Green Giant contacted me about trying their new Veggie Snack Chips, I was skeptical. I mean, chips being made with veggies sounds like another chip I’d try once and never want to see again.

Well, I was in for a huge surprise. Green Giant sent me two kinds of their Veggie Snack Chips; Roasted Veggie Tortilla Chips – Zesty Cheddar Flavor & Multigrain Sweet Potato Chips – Sea Salt Flavor. My taste buds could hardly believe it. I couldn’t stop eating these chips.

The Roasted Veggie Tortilla Chips – Zesty Cheddar Flavor was exactly that. Zesty & very cheesy. Every chip was equally coated with delicious seasoning. These chips are made with real vegetables, have 17 grams of whole grain per serving and are naturally flavored. The best part, it contains 0 grams of trans fat and 30% less fat compared to regular chips! I couldn’t believe this was a healthy chip; but I happily kept on eating.

I’ve tried other sweet potato chips on the market and I have to admit I’ve never eaten a brand as good as Green Giant’s Multigrain Sweet Potato Chips – Sea Salt Flavor. The chips are made with real sweet potatoes and with 14 grams of whole grain. Plus, they contain 40 percent less fat than regular potato chips!! (YES!!) I loved the sweetness of the potato matched with the saltiness of the seal salt. It was so delicious and complimented each other perfectly.

Isn’t it great Green Giant created a snack food you can feel good about??!! The next time I’m craving chips, both of Green Giant’s new Veggie Snack Chips will be my go to snack option. And you can totally try them too! Green Giant Veggie Snack Chips are located in the chip isle in your grocery store. And as a “thank you” to my readers, I’ve got a printable coupon for 85 cents off Veggie Snack Chips. Click here to redeem your coupon!!!

All month people are sharing surprise talents at Green Giant’s Facebook page & YouTube Channel. Green Giant’s surprise talent is definitely their tasty new veggie snack chips. What’s your surprise talent? Be sure to let them know!

Thank you to The Green Giant™ for being a sponsor. Show the Giant your surprise talent at www.facebook.com/greengiant

Filed Under: Healthy, Sponsored Post · Tagged With: #AGiantSurprise, #spon, Green Giant, Healthy snack, sponsored post, Veggie Snack Chip

Skinny Spinach & Artichoke Dip Stuffed Shells

March 4, 2013 by admin · 26 Comments

Happy Monday! Sorry I’m getting this post up a little late. My Sunday was on the non-productive side. Lots on laying around and watching TV. It was a great way to end the weekend because I feel so well rested and excited about my week.

Since it’s Monday, let’s start off with a healthified recipe. I always try to eat healthy but it always seems to be easier to do in the beginning of the week. The March Issue of EveryDay Rachael Ray has several skinny recipes! I came across her recipe for Skinny Spinach & Artichoke Dip and I was very intrigued to try it. Instead of mayo, the recipe calls for Greek yogurt, which is now becoming a very popular healthy substitute. The thing that made me go “hhmmmm” with Rachael’s recipe was adding pureed edamame. I sampled the dip before stuffing it into pasta shells and the edamame adds a creamy texture. Not to mention tons of protein!

If you just want to try the skinny dip, it can be baked for 15 minutes in a baking dish with the oven set to 350 degrees. I decided to take a step further and use the dip as a filling for stuffed shells. It was amazing as a filling and was a healthy alternative to the usual stuffed shells filling.

I hope all of you have a great week! Give this recipe try as a healthy alternative to the everyday classic!

Skinny Spinach & Artichoke Dip Stuffed Shells

Ingredients

For the Dip:

1 cup shelled edamame
1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 small onion, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 10 ounce package thawed frozen chopped spinach, squeezed dry
1 9 ounce package thawed frozen chopped artichoke hearts
1 1/4 cups plain nonfat Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup shredded parmesan
Salt and pepper

For the Pasta:

12 oz jumbo shells
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup your favorite white wine
28 oz can crushed tomatoes
28 oz can diced tomatoes
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
Salt & Pepper

Instructions

1. Set the oven to 350 degrees. In a food processor or blender, puree the edamame. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside.
2. In a large nonstick skillet set at medium heat, pour the extra virgin olive oil and add onion & garlic. Cook for 3 minutes. Add the spinach and artichoke hearts; cook & stir for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat - add in the yogurt and lemon juice.
3. Add half of the spinach mixture to a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Fold into the remaining spinach along with the edamame, cheese, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Set aside.
4. Cook pasta shells according to package directions. Drain and spread jumbo shells on 2 baking sheets. Let them cool before stuffing.
5. For the pasta sauce - Add oil to a heated pan. Saute onions and garlic until onions are translucent. Deglaze with white wine; cook until wine has evaporated. Add both cans of tomatoes, brown sugar and red pepper flakes. Bring to boil and lower to simmer for 10 minutes. Taste and season with salt & pepper.
6. Spray a large baking dish with cooking spray. Cover the bottom of the dish with tomato sauce. Start to stuff the shells with the dip and line them up in the baking dish. When the dish is full, drizzle pasta sauce over the shells. Cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes.

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Dip recipe was inspired by Rachael Ray

Filed Under: Dip, Healthy, Pasta, Vegetarian · Tagged With: dinner, meatless monday, pasta recipe, Rachael Ray Recipe, recipe, skinny dip, Vegetarian

Lent Friendly Meal – Fennel, Roasted Red Pepper and Goat Cheese Quiche

March 1, 2013 by admin · 13 Comments

Can I be honest? Growing up, Easter was never a holiday I looked forward to. Besides having to give up something I loved, no meat on Fridays in our home was strongly enforced. I was raised on the Irish Catholic diet of meat & potatoes. When Fridays during Lent came along, I pretty much thought I’d just starve.

I’m sure you’re thinking, “Starve?? There are plenty of vegetarian options or even fish.” At this point in my life, I had no idea there was a vegetarian lifestyle and fish was too slimy or smelly to eat. My Mom tried to be creative with food options but I thought of every excuse in the book to eat something I wanted. “Mom, I’m growing and need meat! Mom, I bruise so easily, I need iron! Mom, why can’t we just get a cheese pizza like a normal family??!!” No dice. Never worked for me. My Dad’s favorite Lent meal still haunts my dreams. It was a casserole with bread, cheese, cream of mushroom soup & peas. So gross. I’m pretty sure I fed most of that meal to our dog.

Thinking back, I don’t know why we didn’t have more breakfast for dinner meals. Hello – french toast, waffles, pancakes would’ve been better options than Dad’s casserole.

And let’s not forget about eggs. Of course all eggs go great with a half pound of bacon, but I could pass on the bacon for just one day. Especially if I could eat this quiche. Fennel, Roasted Red Pepper & Goat Cheese Quiche. It’s got so much flavor, you won’t even miss the meat! Another thing missing is a crust, so it’s also a gluten free option.

Can we talk about fennel for a second?? By no means am I fan of anything licorice flavored, which is how fennel tastes when uncooked. But when you saute it with a little olive oil and salt, holy moly, talk about delicious! Whatever you do, please use 1 fennel bulb to make this quiche. It’s the type of ingredient which makes the recipe and at the same time, people will ask you how did you get such a mouthwatering quiche. Cooked fennel = Total Game Changer.

To round out the meal, I bought a bag of frozen O’Brian potatoes (of course I’m Irish!) and seasoned them with a little salt & chopped parsley.

If you have picky eaters or are looking for a truly tasty vegetarian recipe, Fennel, Roasted Red Pepper & Goat Cheese Quiche is an excellent choice! I could only wish I would have thought of this during my teen years. Ooooh hindsight — I would’ve saved my Mother from a couple pouting sessions.

Fennel, Roasted Red Pepper and Goat Cheese Quiche

Ingredients

1 medium fennel bulb, quartered and thinly sliced
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup jarred roasted red peppers (2 large peppers), drained and chopped
6 large eggs
8 oz. low-fat cottage cheese
2 oz. fresh goat cheese, crumbled
2 tsp chopped parsley

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9-inch glass pie dish with cooking spray. be sure to spray the bottom AND sides. (You'll thank me for that tip!)
2. In a large skillet, coat with extra virgin olive oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add fennel and onion, and sauté for 10 minutes. Onions should be translucent. Season with salt & pepper. Stir in garlic, and cook 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Stir in roasted peppers, and remove skillet from heat. Cool 15 minutes.
3. Whisk eggs with cottage cheese, goat cheese and parsley. Season with salt & pepper. (trust me, 6 eggs is enough. I thought about adding more but I'm glad I didn't.) Stir cooled vegetable mixture into egg mixture. Pour into prepared pie dish. Bake 35 to 45 minutes, or until center is set and top is golden brown. Cool 10 minutes before slicing and serving. Serve with your favorite breakfast potatoes or a leafy green salad.

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Inspired by Vegetarian Times

Filed Under: Breakfast, Entree, Healthy, Recipes, Vegetarian ·