Crockpot Sesame Chicken Lettuce Wraps

I was totally not feeling it today but I was motivated enough by a clean kitchen counter to make my family food for dinner! So I took the easier route and dragged the crockpot out, chopped veggies, defrosted chicken and let it go. Yummy yummy yummy! The house was smelling awesome and it tasted pretty awesome.

My quicker trick today: Tastefully Simple's Toasted Sesame Teriyaki Sauce. Now, I never just pour a full bottle of a sauce into anything anymore so note that a bottle of this awesomeness will last me through 4-8 meals depending. And why am I ok with using TS pre-made "stuff?" Because they use all natural ingredients and no craptastic preservatives ... So using a little of this leaves me with very few qualms!

BTW I totally preferred this over the other Sesame Crockpot Chicken I had made a few posts down. More flavor even with using just a little of the TS sauce. Plus I didn't add grains to this so that helped.

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Crockpot Sesame Chicken Lettuce Wraps

2-4 big boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 tsp. ginger
2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
Dash of Red Pepper

2 cups tri-colored peppers chopped
1/2 red onion chopped

1/8 c. Tastefully Simple Toasted Teriyaki Sauce
1/2 c. Water

1/8 c. peanuts (non-salted)
1-2 tbsp. sesame seeds

4-6 big lettuce leafs of your choice

Set the crockpot to low cook 8 hours. Chop up the veggies and place in the pot. Sprinkle the spices generously over the chicken breasts and place on top of the veggies.

Mix the teriyaki sauce with the water and pour into the pot. Sprinkle in the peanuts and sesame seeds. Cover and cook. No reason to really stir. You may need to add a touch more water towards the end to keep it moist and move everything around to keep it from sticking.

Shred the finished chicken with two forks while in the pot and mix everything together. Serve in big lettuce leafs. I added broccoli-cut cole slaw mix and rice noodles for some texture and crunch!

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Yummy for sure! I made the mistake of thinking I picked up organic lettuce but instead picked up organic white cabbage ... Needless to say I dumped the stuffing out, added regular lettuce and enjoyed LOL Note to self: don't go grocery shopping for dinner essentials when you aren't having a "with it" day!! Ugh, yes next time it will be lettuce or big ole romaine or something ... Not cabbage leaves. It looks pretty but the cabbage leaves are tough.


Challenge Friendly: Yes. No rice noodles, especially on the cleanse.

Suz's Awesome-Sauce Pumpkin Pie

Sooooooooo it's Thanksgiving! And as much as I would LOVE to give y'all a "healthy pumpkin pie" alternative ... yeah, that's not going to happen. Maybe next year when life isn't in 100% overdrive I might stop, think and PLAN just a bit better, but, this year, there was no room for TIME. So you get my awesomeness in the form of good-ole-not-so-good-for-you-pumpkin-evilleness!

My stepmom asked me to bring pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving. No biggie. I've made it before. BUT I can't just MAKE any old pumpkin pie (i.e. right off the label recipe). I have to THE BEST PUMPKIN PIE EVER. Because that's how I roll. So I meander on over to my Pumpkin Board on Pinterest to find what I would assume to be the most awesome recipe ever ... and out of the 73 pumpkin inspired recipes I have pinned, not ONE was a pumpkin pie. Oh, the irony! So I had to search Pinterest and found some awesome ideas. The best being adding brandy to the filling (mmmmmm alcohol!) and plenty of ideas for spices, etc. This is what I ended up with.

(Pic to come ... when I cut and "dollop" for presentation!)

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Suz's Awesome-Sauce Pumpkin Pie


2 Pillsbury Deep Dish Ready-to-Bake Pie Crusts

2-12 oz. cans Evaporated Milk (Used fat and cholesterol free version)

4 large eggs

1-29 oz. can Libby's 100% Pure Pumpkin
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 c. white sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. cloves
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. all spice
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tsp. raw (Michigan) clover honey (thank you, Mom, for the reminder!)
2 tbsp. Brandy

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Put frozen pie crusts on counter to thaw while you mix the filling.

Mix everything from the Pumpkin down to the Brandy together in the bowl.

Crack eggs and mix in separate bowl. Slowly pour and mix eggs into the Pumpkin mix bowl.

Crack open cans of Evaporated Milk and slowly stir into the Pumpkin/Egg bowl. Mix well until fully incorporated. Pour into pie crusts until full. (I always pour the extra filling into a Pyrex bowl and cook it as my "test bowl" ... because I hate waste LOL)

Place pies in oven and cook for 15 minutes on 400. Turn heat down to 325 degrees and cook 40-50 minutes until done.

Cooking Tip: Wrap aluminum foil around and over the edges of the pans to help avoid "burning" that happens on the outside. I had no clue! That was a Pinterest suggestion! I cooked them with the foil on for about 45 minutes and then removed for the rest of the cycle.

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As it is Thanksgiving I feel it neccessary to give thanks for all those things I do and don't give thanks for while everyone else verbal-vomits graciousness all over FB (not really because I actually do love reading the daily thanks; it gives me perspective!).

This year I am thankful for my little family whom I am working to secure the future of everyday. I'm thankful I found work that I love and loves me back without limitations, condemnation or restraints. I'm thankful for those two monsters who rule my waking and evening hours because they have changed me in enormous ways. I thankful for my success driven partner who may rant and rave BUT I know we both are moving towards greatness side-by-side and without his passion (and his ass-kicking) I would never be where I am today. I am thankful for all my families; both friend families and blood families because everyone who touches my life influences my vision of the future and without that vision I would not be moving towards my true self. I am thankful for learning to DREAM again after all these years. I am thankful to have each and everyday to wake up to and KNOW it has the potential to be GREAT because I know I am capable to make it great.

Enough gush, let's get to the pumpkin goo! I AM IN LOVE! Seriously I have never made a better mix EVER. I hope my family feels the same tomorrow <3

Challenge Friendly: HELL NO. Because sometimes I just need to enjoy the holiday ... with one slice of pie instead of three.

Garlic Lemon Shrimp and Pasta

Omg omg omg I'm in love! This turned out sooooo much better than I expected! I think next time I might add some extra red pepper for more kick, add the shrimp in later (as I reflect in the recipe below) so to not over cook it, and definitely add more baby spinach. This was a hit with everyone but Birdie (who is slowly becoming an undeclared vegetarian boooooo).

And sorry for the craptastic pic but I wasn't planning on making this a Forktacular recipe until it turned out so freaking awesome!! And it was Awesome ... and now I want more ... like right now.

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Garlic Lemon Shrimp and Pasta

2 cups small pre-cooked/shelled shrimp, thawed

Marinade:
6 cloves of garlic, pressed/minced
Juice from 2 lemons
1/4 red onion diced
1/8 c. EVOO
1 tsp. coriander
1 tbsp. sweet basil
2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 tbsp. red pepper flakes
1 tbsp. agave

2-4 servings of whole grain spaghetti or pasta of choice
1-2 cups of fresh baby spinach

Put all the marinade ingredients in the processor or blender and mix well. Pour over shrimp and let set 2-24 hours.

Remove shrimp from marinade. Place marinade, pasta and a cup of water in pan and cook until pasta is almost done. Add in shrimp and cook until done. Add spinach and cook until warmed and limp. Serve. Add Parmesan for some extra flavor.

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By now, I would think y'all who read my recipe ramblings understand I like combining steps when possible; like adding the pasta directly to the marinade to cook! Not only does it save a pan and a step, but it flavors the pasta, which I love.

This time I cooked the shrimp from the beginning ... Not the best move as I overcooked the shrimp ... But it was still yummy! Next time: doing it this way AND adding more red pepper for sure!


Challenge Friendly: NO. Shrimp are bottom feeders so definitely not for Cleanse. As a healthy-eating meal, yes, this is a good alternative. A friend suggestion chicken today and I say go for it! Keep your pasta serving in check!

Sweet, Tangy Sesame Crockpot Chicken

So I found this recipe via Pinterest and The Comfort of Cooking Blog.  I am allllllll for yummy Asian dishes. I'm also allllllll for crockpot meals because I can prep that sucker and not have to worry about trying to create dinner out of thin air at 5pm when the kids are starving, Dave isn't home yet, and I haven't had time to do the dishes!

(Side note: I want a freaking dishwasher ASAP! I'm tired of living without one.)

Of course, I couldn't do just as the recipe told me to ... because that would mean I wasn't sticking with a "healthier" version AND I hate extra steps like making rice later so I threw everything together to cook AND I wanted to be good since I have 3 days left in my 24-Day Challenge. So I did good! And don't judge, but yes, I used raw honey ... life will go on! I couldn't justify using a whole cup like the original recipe so what I did use was my compromise.

I have to say, after making the "sauce" I am totally reminded of Asian BBQ and OMG we aren't telling Dave it's BBQ (since he hates BBQ) BUT he is going to eat the crap out of this ... I hope. I'm totally excited to dive in to this later.

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Sweet, Tangy Sesame Crockpot Chicken

2-3 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
Shake of Sea Salt on each side and Black Pepper. I also threw Garlic Powder on the meat for good measure.

Sauce:
1/2 c. Diced Onions
1/4 c. Raw Honey
1/4 c. Liquid Aminos
1/4 c. Organic Tomato Paste (about 3 oz. so half of a little can)
3 cloves Garlic - pressed
1 tbsp. Red Pepper Flakes
2 tbsp. Sesame Oil (or EVOO)
1 tbsp. Sesame Seeds

Base:
1 c. Brown Rice
1 c. water
Any frozen veggies you have left in the freezer. I used about 2 cups of Stir Fry Veggies I had sitting around and waiting to be used.
1 tsp. Ground Ginger

Throw your Base ingredients into the crockpot and sprinkle the ginger powder over it. There was no ginger in the sauce recipe so I added some to the base just because I LURVE ginger.

The seasoned chicken goes on top of the base.

Mix up the "sauce" and spoon on top of the chicken. That's it! I'm cooking on High for 4 Hours because my chicken was still partially frozen but cook it alllllll day for even better results but add extra water so it doesn't dry out.

Garnish with diced green onions.

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The verdict? Good but I should have taken the extra step of doing everything separate. Since it all cooked together, the sauce ends up mixed in with rice and veggies which is fine but it doesn't look as pretty as my predecessors. LOL The flavor is fine but slightly unexpected due to the tomato paste addition. I can't imagine it would be better with ketchup though. I think I might either cut the tomato paste to 1/8 cup and maybe up the honey to 1/3 cup. Not too shabby! Next time I will definitely do the rice and veggies right before I serve so the chicken gets the whole sauce flavor!


Challenge Friendly: YES but only for Max. You don't need the extra sugars during Cleanse. In fact, you probably don't need the extra sugars anyway ... so let's list this as a MAYBE ... only if in dire need of a dish ... and you happen to have everything you need sitting around ... LOL

Cleanse Friendly Chicken Soup

It's fall! Time for comfort foods! And, specifically, time for those foods that make you warm inside when you aren't feeling up to par. My friend is sick right now so I promised her some chicken soup. She is on the Cleanse Phase of the Advocare 24-Day Challenge, currently, so I can't just go throwing in a bunch of noodles and sodium rich chicken stock because her body would NOT respond well to the salty, carb overdose when it's trying to detox. Challenge: Make a cleanse friendly chicken soup that isn't going to make her body cry more! Yep, I can handle that!

In an effort to keep the stock natural and super low sodium, I bought plenty of veggies to throw in to help "stew" for the broth. I also picked up some fresh herbs since they are more savory and fragrant. This is a labor of love with all the rinsing, cutting and prepping so make sure you have time to be chopping all these veggies. Everything smells great so far (as it is cooking in the crockpot, currently) so I can't wait to taste it later! Let's get this list started ....


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Cleanse Friendly Chicken Soup

The "Meat:"

2-3 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast trimmed of fat and diced - Add some Garlic Powder directly to the chicken before you put it in the pot

1 c. Wild Rice Mix (I used Lundburg Wild Rice Mix)
1 large Leek or 2 small
1/2 Sweet Onion
8 Stalks of Hearts of Celery
1 c. Baby Carrots

The Seasonings:

2 Rosemary Twigs - strip the leaves and cut up
2-4 Basil Leaves - cut up into pieces
1 Bay Leaf
4-6 Cloves of Garlic - diced/sliced
1 tsp. Majorum
2 tbsp. Natural Chicken Stock Starter
1-2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. coriander
Black pepper

7 c. water (for a large crockpot; add more for a thinner soup)

Rinse, chop, slice, dice everything and throw in the crockpot or in a stew pot on the stove. I cooked mine on 4 Hours High in the crockpot, stirring every hour. Usually I would cook on Low for 8 hours but I was under time constraints. On the stove, set on the lowest setting and let stew away all day.

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Leek Preparation

(because I had to YouTube it since I had never cooked with leeks before!)
 
Chop most of the green head off so you have mostly white showing. Chop the root off. The leek is from the onion/garlic family so it has layers inside. Slice it once longways so you have 2 long halves. take off the outermost layer (like an onion). Rinse under cold water between the layers to get out dirt that has gotten trapped (you don't have to take it apart to do this; rinse from one side first and then the other). Let sit to drain and then chop like you would celery or green onions.

YouTube Leek Prep Video

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VERY LOW SODIUM. The Natural Chicken Stock Starter I use hardly has any salt and no MSG. It was flavorful, for sure, but for those of you needing a bit more "sodium" kick, you might want to use a can of chicken stock and fill the rest with water. I, personally, was fine with the flavor and the sodium level but Dave added Frank's Red Hot ... because that's just Dave LOL

Note on majorum: Majorum makes soups thicken. If you are looking for a "clear" broth, leave out the majorum! I love thick soups so I actually added another teaspoon towards the end to help that along.


Challenge Friendly: YES! Success was mine! My friend and her family ate it like crazy.

Mustard Marinaded Grilled Pork and Eggplant

Sometimes you have to cave and go with what you have on hand and this time ... it was pork tenderloins while on a cleanse. Boooooo me! BUT they were REALLY GOOD! Just a couple of warnings: 1. Um, oil on meat on a grill makes flames; 2. Flames make things charred ... I like charred.

I paired my "grill"-awesomeness with grilled eggplant which I desaturated beforehand, basted with EVOO and sprinkled garlic and black pepper over before I put them on the top rack in the grill. My only regret was not having MORE to make because they were DELICIOUS off the grill! The pic makes it looks all bland and one-colored ... but I say the flavor is multifaceted!


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Mustard Marinade

1/4 c. EVOO
2 tbsp. Apple Cider Vinegar
1 tbsp. Organic Dijon Mustard
1 tsp. Paprika
1 tsp. Onion Powder
1 clove Garlic - minced
Black Pepper
1 tsp. Agave

Mix and incorporate well. Use as a marinade or as a salad dressing.

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Make up the awesome sauce above. Grill, bake or pan cook. Cook some veggies while you are at it and go to town! I will say I still loved the pork the next day with this sauce made up for my salad dressing .... mmmmmmm!


Challenge Friendly: UM ... only if you aren't adverse to eating meat that roots in mud for it's food ... so NO ... but the sauce can be used for chicken, too ;)

Jerk It Out No. 1

So I decided to try my hand at Jerk Chicken, finally. Found a simple jerk mix at The Way to His Heart blog.

Note: par my usual, I did add garlic because you know I love my garlic!

Things I can do different next time:

1. Next time, I will let the marinade set for a good few hours and then probably pan seal then bake ... Or grill!

2. I might try adding a few other spices that I'm seeing on other recipes like ginger and maybe molasses. (Actually I'm stealing a mix my friend has and basing my next attempt on their ingredient list!)

3. Next time I bake, I'm going to throw a touch of water in the bottom of the pan so I have more "sauce" when I mix it all up.

All in all, I'm super happy with this flavor and the hot spice was just enough for me. I'm sure Dave could have used even more red pepper!

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Jerk Seasoning

1 tbsp. Thyme
1 tbsp. Minced Onion
1 tbsp. Minced Garlic
2 tsp. All Spice
1 tsp. Cinnamon
1 tsp. Cayenne Pepper
1 tsp. Black Pepper

1 tbsp. EVOO
2-3 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts

Combine all the spices. Coat the chicken with the EVOO and pour the spices over them. Work the spices over the chicken with your hands until everything is coated. Cover and cook on 375 degrees for an hour.

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Pair with a slaw or, like I did, warm corn salad with matching spices. Yummmmmmy!


Challenge Friendly: YES. Pair with roasted veggies or brown rice with spicy flavors.

Lime Turkey Burgers and Bruschetta

I had a entire bag full of yellow and red tomatoes my mom gave me from her garden and the yellows were on the VERGE. So what did I do? I made bruschetta ... without bread. I mean, the best part of a bruschetta is the balsamic flavoring anyways, so why waste that goodness on a starchy, bread carb? Ok, I like it on bread, but seeing as this was Day #2 of the cleanse, bread wasn't an option! BUT OMG THIS HIT THE SPOT. I did grill the turkey patties and I now wish I would have pan cooked them because they dried out really easy.

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Bruschetta Mix

5 mid-sized Red Tomatoes
5 mid-sized Yellow Tomatoes
1 mid-sized Green Tomato
1/2 Red Onion

1/4 c. Baslamic Vinegar
1/8 c. EVOO
2-3 cloves Garlic - minced
2 tbsp. Basil or fresh leaves

Slice, dice and throw everything together. Shake up and let set so the flavors combine.

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Lime Turkey Burgers

1 lb. lean ground turkey
1 tsp. Paprika
1 tsp. Corriander
1 tbsp. Basil
1 tsp. Onion Powder
1 tbsp. minced garlic
Black Pepper
1/2 Lime - squeeze the juice

Combine all the ingredients until you reach patty-making consistency. Pat out 4-5 patties (I got 5 out of mine). They will be moist but they should retain shape if you worked the meat well.

Grill until done or pan cook until juices run clear.

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Whole Grain Rice 

1 c. whole grain rice (feeds more than 2 people in my house)
2 c. water
1-2 cloves of Garlic
Basil
1 tbsp. chicken stock starter (healthy food store - no msg)
1/2 Lime - squeeze the juice in

Combine all ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat. The rice I use cooks at a simmer for 15-20 minutes (quick rice is faster!). Let set for 5 minutes and serve.

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I was surprised the Turkey Patties stayed together because they were pretty wet, but they did! The grill just leached all the moisture out of them unfortunately. The bruschetta was kickass and pretty easy considering you just had to cut the stuff up, combine and let set (I like my "salads" to marinate). The leftover patties went into our lunches. I had no lettuce left so we had just bruschetta, turkey and avocado leftovers for lunch today. Hey: I was perfectly fine with that!

Challenge Friendly: YES! And filling!

Asian-Inspired Baked Salmon

Cleanse Day #1: Seeing as this is my second cleanse and 24-Day Challenge, I am very thankful that I went through the food-learning-curve during my first cleanse! Prep time really comes down to: 1. What do I have on hand and 2. What flavor sounds good today? I knew I was going to be having salmon and veggies but only decide on the Asian flare this morning. I also skimped due to time and used dried garlic and ground ginger. I think it would have had even more flavor if I had used the real stuff! As is, PLENTY of flavor was present.

Another note: I buy the big fresh cut broccoli, cauliflower and carrot mix at Sam's and freeze it to use when I need it. Last night I pulled some and let it thaw during the day in the fridge. Something about freezing and cold defrosting softens those veggies up, so they were super prepped to accept flavor.

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Asian-Inspired Baked Salmon with Veggies and Quinoa

2-4 servings of Salmon filets
1/4 c. EVOO
1 tbsp. minced garlic
2 tsp. ground ginger
1 tbsp. liquid aminos
Black pepper
Red pepper flakes

Put the salmon in a ziplock bag with all the ingredients and mush everything around to incorporate it. Let marinade 30 minutes to 24 hours.

1/2 c. Uncooked quinoa
Veggies for those eating (broccoli, cauliflower and carrots used
today) or salad for a dish base
Splash of liquid aminos
Dusting of ground ginger
1/2 c. Water

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Put the quinoa in the bottom of a baking dish and place the marinated salmon on top. Place the veggies around or on the fish. Pour the water in the bottom of the pan (the quinoa soaks it up to cook). Splash liquid aminos over the veggies and dust some ground ginger too. Cover with foil and cook for 50-55 minutes. Serve as is or over salad or cabbage shredded.

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This was super yummy today! I wasn't starving until dinner and I devoured this happily. If I wasn't cleansing, I would have added chow mein noodles LOL And for a dressing for leftovers the next day: basically create that same marinade with less oil (unless you are making 2 servings, then keep it) and add a touch of rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar for some zing.


Challenge Friendly: YES

Up-coming 24-Day Challenge!

So, an FYI: Dave and I will be starting an Advocare 24-Day Challenge on 9/10/12 so I will be trying out some new recipes! VERY EXCITING to meal plan again and start looking at new, fresh ideas to share!

If you are interested in joining, give me a buzz over message or e-mail. Last day to order your Challenge supplies is 9/3.

I'm looking at my Pinterest board now and wondering what evil yumminess I can make!! Mmmmmmmmmmm

Turkey-Broccoli Meatballs and Pasta

I wanted to do some meatballs tonight for pasta instead of my plain ole pan cooked ground turkey. And, of course, I hid veggies in that meaty deliciousness. ;) Birdie even saw me putting the broccoli in but promptly forgot when it came to eating them. WIN! Please note: she also stole about 6 slices of orange bell pepper off my cutting board before dinner; DOUBLE WIN!

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Turkey-Broccoli Meatballs and Pasta

1 lb. Lean Ground Turkey
1/2 c. Broccoli
1/4 red onion - diced fine
3 cloves garlic - minced
1 tbsp. oregano
1 tbsp. basil
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. paprika
Black Pepper

1 c. Whole grain rotini
1/2 c. Tri-peppers - diced
1 clove garlic - minced
1/2 c. Spaghetti sauce

Put the broccoli in the food processor and get it down into little pieces. I like to cut mine down, freeze them, then process so they don't juice themselves to death when processing. Add all the meatball ingredients (Turkey through black pepper) in a bowl and work the mixture like you would prep for meatloaf (really well so it compacts well).

Roll out 1" meatballs. Place directly in a big frying pan - not heated. When they are all placed, turn the heat on medium, cover and let cook about 10 minutes (no oil needed if it's a non-stick pan). You can start turning them after they've been cooking for 5 minutes. There should be lots of liquid built up in the pan from cooking them covered.

Throw in the peppers, rotini and garlic. Add about 1 cup of hot water and cover. Let cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is cooked through. Add the spaghetti sauce (and I sliced the meatballs in half to make sure they were cooked through at this time) and cook another few minutes while everything combines with the sauce. Dish and serve!

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You can also do carrots, cauliflower, whatever veggies you want to add to the meatballs. In the future, I also would add spinach leaves to the whole thing when I throw the sauce in to warm and cook just for extra greens. Goooooood stuff!!


Challenge friendly: YES. Max Phase only due to pasta content. Try meatballs over spaghetti squash for Cleanse Phase.

Greek Chicken and Veggies

I originally posted this recipe during my first 24-Day Challenge and this chicken in now one of our FAVORITE meals. Dave gets way excited about the kalamata olives. Try it. You like it! It's evil. It's flavorful. Just MAKE IT. I usually make garlic quinoa to go with it. I'll include that recipe below, too.

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Greek Chicken

1 tbsp of EVOO
1/2 onion thinly sliced
1 clove garlic

Heat and saute in a pan. Set onions aside

2-4 Boneless skinless chicken breasts
Pepper
Dash of sea salt
oregano to taste
Minced garlic

In same onion pan, rub and season the chicken. Sear on each side for about 2 minutes per side.

Place Chicken in a glass baking dish.

1 lemon
zest from 1 lemon
Handful of kalamata olives
handful of grape tomatoes
oregano to taste

(Optional: Sprinkling of feta)

Pour juice and zest over chicken. Place onions, kalamata Olives (halved), and grape tomatoes (halved) over chicken. Cover and bake in 425 degree oven for 30-40 minutes.

Optional Time-Saver: Add your veggies into the dish when you cook the chicken and flavor everything at once. 

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Garlic Quinoa

1 c. Quinoa
2 c. water
1/2 c. chopped onions
1-2 cloves of garlic - minced or pressed
Squeeze of lemon
1/8 c. kalamata olives

1 roma tomato diced

1/2 fresh spinach (I like to hand shred mine into the pot)

Place everything in pan. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes. Let set 5.

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This is one of our favorite protein leftovers for salads since the chicken is super moist and easy to break up. The Greek salad dressing recipe can be found here. I'm salivating all over my keyboard just thinking about this cooking here in a little bit!

Challenge Friendly: YES (No Feta!!!)

Asian Stir-Fry

So back when I did my original 24-Day Challenge, I tried to make lightly, slightly friend General Tao's Chicken. Um yeah, that didn't turn so well. The chicken was NOT that flavorful or good. BUT the flavor combo was actually pretty good. So, I decided to try to stir-fry without any coatings and THIS turned out pretty good. It was actually flavorful and moist enough to eat! I had looked at a jar of "chinese spice" at the store and it had 5 ingredients included: fennel, anise, cinnamon, ginger and red pepper. So I had 3 out of 5 on my shelf so I threw in the red pepper, ginger and cinnamon (I SWEAR I have anise somewhere but it's MIA). The cinnamon: total surprise but WOW I never had called out that flavor until I made this dish ... but next time you have chinese you might notice it now ;)

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Asian Stir-Fry

1-2 Chicken Boneless Skinless Breasts trimmed of fat and diced

1/2 Onion - sliced or chopped

2 cloves of garlic - minced or pressed

Ginger: Fresh Grated (about a 1/4") & Powder (2 tsp.)

1 tbsp. red pepper flakes

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tbsp. low-sodium soy OR liquid aminos (better choice)

Squirt of Agave

EVOO for the pan

Bag of frozen Stir-Fry Veggies
(broccoli, celery, carrots, mushrooms)

1/4 head of red cabbage - sliced, shredded

1/2 can of water chestnuts

1/2 cup bean sprouts

Warm up the oil in a big frying pan. Throw the garlic, fresh ginger and onions in the pan to start flavoring it. Throw in the chicken and mix it up. While it's cooking, add the ground ginger, pepper flakes, cinnamon, soy and agave. Cook the chicken through.

Throw in the frozen veggies to the mix and cook through. Add the cabbage, water chestnuts and sprouts at the end (you don't want to cook them as long as the veggies or else they get too soggy). Mix and cook until the cabbage is starting to wilt.

Serve as is or with brown rice.

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I liked it as it was, but I did make up some Asian Peanut Sauce to go over ours. I thought it was overkill as it was more than flavorful enough to start. Dave loved it of course. I should have picked up some bamboo shoots and baby corn thingys, too. mmmmmmmm

Challenge Friendly: NO. Use only broccoli, celery and carrots. No mushrooms. Use fresh if you can!

Asian Salad with Peanut Dressing

Originally Posted on my Challenge Blog. I LOVE Asian-style salads. To use as a dinner sauce, cut the vinegar back to a splash or two.

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Ok, real quick: leftover chicken from last night. Salad is cabbage, spinach, bean sprouts, snap peas and peanuts.

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Asian Peanut Dressing

1 slice ginger (quarter size piece)
1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon peanut butter
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/3 cup light olive oil
Tiny squirt of Agave
1 pinch red pepper flakes
salt and pepper

Blend and add to salad beforehand to get the flavors to break down the cabbage beforehand

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Challenge Friendly: YES

Sweet Potato Hash with Chicken

Well, I made up my Sweet Potato Hash recipe but added chicken instead of sausage this time. Didn't brown the potatoes as much as last time and it still turned out AWESOME. And yes, that is a dollop of BBQ sauce you see on top there ... because that's how I roll! This was Meal #3 out of my 4 chicken I made earlier this week.

Greek Style Salad and Dressing

This is a repost from my Challenge blog. I used this dressing for Meal #2 from that chicken I made to last for 4 meals.

So I took the salad greens I had and made the base. Added cucumber, chopped tomatoes, red onion slices and extra kalamata olives all cut up (add peppers for extra flavor). Chicken on top. And this dressing was pretty darn good. (Not Challenge friendly option: top with a sprinkle of feta cheese!)

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Greek Dressing

4 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp oregano
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp pepper
Squeeze of Lemon juice

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Challenge Friendly: YES

Chicken and Veggie Pasta with Ghetto Pesto

So I needed to prolong the life of the meat I have in my house. I made up three chicken breasts via my Blanched Lime Garlic Chicken recipe, shredded all the chicken and portioned it out into 4 "meals."

Meal #1: chicken with pan roasted zucchini, summer squash and onions with whole grain rotini and ghetto version of pesto (you'll see why when you see the recipe LOL).

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Chicken and Veggie Pasta

1 zucchini - sliced
1 yellow summer squash - sliced
2 cloves of garlic - minced
2 slices of white onion - diced or halved
2 tbsp. EVOO for the pan

(optional: I add cajun seasoning for a touch of heat)

Heat the pan with the EVOO. Turn down to med-high heat. Add garlic and onions and let them warm up for a minute. Add zucchini and squash and toss around until they are cooked most of the way through. Throw in previously made chicken so it warms up. Finish and set aside.

1 cup of dry whole grain rotini

Make this up while you are roasting the veggies so you can toss in when the veggies and chicken are done.

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Ghetto Pesto Sauce

1/4 cup EVOO
2 cloves garlic - minced
2-3 tbsp. Basil (I use regular ole dried variety)
1/4 cup Parmesan (plain ole Kraft variety)
Few turns of cracked black pepper (or regular pepper to taste)

(See why I call it "ghetto?" Yeah, I don't have the fresh ingredients on hand and no pine nuts so this is what I have to offer! LOL)

Put it all in the processor. Blend it up. Pour over your awesome veggies, chicken and pasta!

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This whole dinner fed me, Dave, Birdie AND Buddy (Who ate the crap out of it! Impressive for a 1-year old!) AND I have enough leftover for a dinner for the kids and I when we need it. Now that's extending my food supply!


Challenge Friendly: NO - cut the parm from the sauce.

Blanched Garlic Lime Chicken

One of the easiest ways to do chicken is to boil the crap out of it! I like it because it keeps the chicken moist and tender plus adds flavor. I use blanched chicken for salads, "tacos," ... whenever I need easy prepped chicken to add protein.

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Blanched Garlic Lime Chicken

2-4 Boneless/Skinless Chicken Breasts
2 cloves of garlic chopped/minced
1/2 real lime (squeeze over the meat while it's defrosting to marinade)

These are optional:
1 tbsp. Tastefully Simple Garlic Garlic
1 tbsp. Tastefully Simple Simply Salsa
1 tbsp. Tastefully Simple Onion Onion

(I am a TS fan since they use all natural ingredients!)

Place the chicken (thawed or not) in a big pan. Throw in the spices, garlic, half a lime. Fill the pan with water as high as you can where it won't boil over (or at least covering the chicken). Put a lid on top, turn the heat up and let that meat cook. I literally cook all the water out or leave just a touch in the bottom. This leaves the chicken moist with lots of flavor and you know it's fully cooked. Try to skim off the fat that cooks out of the chicken as it boils down. When it boils about half way, turn the chicken over and take a fork to poke some holes in it. Cut into a couple of smaller chucks too if you are worried about it cooking all the way.

After it boils down, take out the lime half (scrap out the soft insides into the pan). Break the chicken apart using 2 forks (essentially "shredding"). Toss the shredded chicken around the pan to incorporate any left over garlic, onions etc. that are left in the pan from boiling. Want more flavor? Squeeze in the other half of the lime for extra moisture and LOTS more flavor.

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Simple and easy and you have plenty for quick salads!


Challenge Friendly: YES

My Food-Stock

I started "posting" my food pics on Facebook when I switched my food-style back in April (2012). I had started blogging my menu at that time since I made an effort to switch to totally clean eating for the cleanse part at the beginning and it was tough to make fresh EVERYDAY but it taught me a lot about flavor combinations. I get asked once in awhile what I staples I keep in my kitchen, so here is an overview of the yumminess I generally have on hand and some tips!

Getting Ready

(previously posted on my Challenge blog)

1: Clean out your Fridge and Pantry!! I threw out 2 black trash bags of CRAP that we hadn't ate or was expired. This included cake mixes we never made, dip packages, sauces in my fridge that were old and mostly unused, old pasta, crackers, etc. Really: it was eye opening. What did I keep? A couple of mixes I might someday need in a pinch for brownies, spaghetti, pickles, A1 (I'm sorry, but sometimes you need the tang) and the list goes on. I kept condiments that are general and used most often. Removing temptation was necessary for me to succeed!

2: Buy Local! I shopped one of my local health food stores and picked up organic nuts for snacking and salads, bean soup variety mixes, quinoa, rice, oats, chicken stock starter with no whey or MSG, etc. Next, I somehow made it to the Saturday Farmer's Market with both kids and walked out with fresh veggies and ground turkey to use in meals this week. I didn't have enough arms for the fruit ... so I'll be going back on Thursday during lunch to pick up more supplies. I actually felt bad that I had to run to Meijer to pick up strawberries for my salad today. BUT I will have to get my fish from the grocery store because I'm not pay $18 per pound at the Market ... and I'm not catching my own and fileting it ... unless you want to filet it for me!

3. Just Be Aware of what you are buying. Just because it says "hummus" at the store doesn't mean that it's JUST a basic hummus. There are preservatives, hydrogenated oils, refined sugars and more in most packaged items you buy at the store. Shop smart!

My Current Kitchen

Spices!

Considering that we have cut a lot of sodium, spices are a great way to make sure my food has flavor. When combined with other enhancers (vinegars, oil, citrus) I can create almost any delicious dressing or marinade I need. I have a TON of spices on my shelf, so bare with me. I use many of them frequently and some I never had until a recipe called for it and now I find myself using on a regular basis.

Cumin (great for ground meat and hummus!), Coriander (fish mostly and sometimes chicken), onion powder (everything), Minced Garlic (Garlic Garlic is my fav from Tastefully Simple!), ground mustard, paprika, marjoram, curry, ginger, dill, basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, tarragon, red pepper flake, sage, red pepper, chili powder, black peppercorns (in the pepper mill). Those are my basic dish/meat flavors.

Baking-wise, I haven't used some of my spices in awhile :( But I keep the following on hand and use them in other dishes when needed: cinnamon, nutmeg, all-spice, anise, vanilla, cloves, pumpkin pie spice.

Now, I do have some salts left but only use them VERY rarely. Cajun seasoned salt, Lawry's (sorry but everyone needs it!), sea salt, non-MSG based chicken stock (health food store awesomeness!). Also, a low sodium soy sauce for asian sauces. I want to get Liquid Aminos but haven't found them in the store yet.

Sweeteners: my main sweetener is now agave but I do love honey! I have sugar and brown sugar on hand ... But the only time I have used any lately was a couple of weeks ago for my grilled chicken marinade and it was worth it!

Vinegars & Oil

Yeah, I have two oils in my house that get used: Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Tihini. Yes, I have spray oil but how often do I really need that?

OMG vinegar has seriously helped curb any sodium cravings I had in the beginning! And there is such a vast variety out there and each one enhances differently and I love it. On my shelf: white (I like the organic better than the plain mass-produced kind), red wine, balsamic (I always thought I hated it, but I love it now!), rice (again, amazed at the flavor difference), apple cider (regular), Bragg's Apple Cider (mmmmm!). There are others out there and when I run out, I do try different brands to help find favorites.

In My Pantry

I keep some very basic items around at all times when it comes to grains or canned items. Since I try to go unprocessed, my pantry is much less packed than it used to be! Also, I go organic when I can. Love my local health food stores!

Grains: quinoa, rolled oats, steel oats, rice, simple whole grain pastas, black beans, chickpeas, whole wheat flour, regular flour. As for "processed," we don't use bread anymore, so we buy the Sam's Club pack of Santa Fe Tortilla Co. Whole Grain Tortillas (100 cals, 6 carbs, 7 g fiber). And I keep fast-acting yeast on hand to make whole wheat pizza crusts.

Canned: I do get canned fruits for the kids to make sure I always have fruit on hand so peaches, mandarin oranges, pears - I buy light or in juice to keep the sugar/syrup down. I love diced tomatoes with green chiles and the Meijer brand ones are just fine. I also keep green beans and corn as back up.

Fresh: real garlic (I LOVE my garlic press), fresh ginger, uncut onions, bananas, organic peanuts/almonds/brazil nuts.

Other than that: you will find kids stuff like graham crackers, animal crackers, biscuits and mum-mums. LOL

In My Fridge

My refrigerator is always packed after I hit the store and it will last me up to two weeks! What I freeze (meat-wise) lasts us about a month.

My Veggie Must-Haves: lettuce mix (I like spring mix with spinach because you can pick out the spinach for a dish if you need to!), cucumber, zucchini, squash (when available), carrots, tomatoes, avocado (must have!), peppers (all 4 colors when I can! I slice them into strips and the just chop up what I need for a dish or snack on the strips), green onions (easy for salads). I buy the big bag mix of broccoli, cauliflower and carrots from Sam's and freeze it so I have fresh cut veggies on hand for steaming or roasting. Also I keep frozen corn and peas around.

Fruit: whatever is fresh! We usually have berries on hand of some sort. And I try to keep a mango around for mango salads. CITRUS!!! I always have lemons and limes on hand for cooking and dressings now.

Dairy: milk (for the kids), Greek yogurt, feta, eggs (love the ones from the Farmer's Market!), and sharp jack (because sometimes you need a different flavor). I was keeping almond milk around but I haven't been making oatmeal much lately so it keeps going bad.

Jarred/processed: yes we still have basic condiments like ketchup, mustard, ranch ... but we rarely, if ever, use them. Dijon mustard has been a favorite enhancer lately. Kalamata olives (Dave can't live without these anymore and we eat greek chicken at least once a week!), pickles, green olives, relish. Nothing really out of the ordinary here.

Meat: I buy bulk and freeze because it has been cheaper. If I make it to the Farmer's Market, I will buy fresh ground turkey or chicken. But lately it has been more efficient to buy at Sam's once a month, portion out, and freeze for the month. I get chicken breasts, ground turkey, fresh salmon and fresh talapia.

OMG I Think That's My Kitchen!

Wow. I think I just inventoried everything for you :( Well now you know why I can whip something up at the drop of hat! My meal planning has been seriously lacking lately so I end up just pulling a protein and veggies and whipping something up for dinner each day. I use the left over meat from dinner for salads the next day. And it helps that I work from home now so I can prep, get the kids from school and then make dinner when I get back.

As a note: yes, we have alcohol in the house! I will do a separate post on alcohol when the time is right, but please note that even with us eating better, we still indulge in certain items! Hey: we are only human!

Fridge Oatmeal

This is a re-post from my old Challenge blog.
Yes this is Challenge friendly and was my breakfast for 10-days! Lots of variations to try, too. Check out the Pinterest Challenge Board for a Chai version!

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The recipe and idea I based this off is Overnight, No-Cook Refrigerator Oatmeal from The Yummy Life.

I bought the Freezer Storage 8 oz. Ball Jars to use. LOVE the fact Ball makes jars in plastic now so they are light and the lids won't rust, of course! The grains I used are from my local Health Food store so they are organic and sold in bulk. Everything is mostly an estimate. The only time I really use "measuring" is when I need precise liquids.

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Fridge Oatmeal

1/8 c. Steel Oats
1/4 c. Rolled Oats
A Squirt of Agave (natural sweetener)
Fruit
Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk

Throw in the grains. They should fill an 8 oz. cup about half way or so. Chop up a fruit (I used 1-2 strawberries) and add to the top. Squirt in agave (we aren't supposed to have sugars ... but plain ole oatmeal with no butter or sugar is pretty PLAIN). Fill the cup to almost full with the Almond Milk. Put the lid on; shake; put in the fridge for at least 10-12 hours. Grab from the fridge on your way out the door.

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Note: you can use all rolled oats too. No big deal!
Challenge Friendly: YES

Basic Ground Meat Seasoning

I used to love my ground beef! And I can season a burger so it's yummy and flavorful. So what happens now that I use ground turkey or ground chicken?? I can STILL rock that flavor no problem ;)

This is my basic seasoning mix for ground meat specifically. I use other flavor combos for my fish, full chicken breast, etc.

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Basic Ground Meat Seasoning

Equal amounts of the following:

- Cumin
- Paprika
- Onion Powder
- Black Pepper
- Garlic
- Oregano

Just a dash of sea salt.

Optional: Red Pepper, Red Pepper Flakes, Chili Powder.

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I like my spices if you can't tell! But really, the biggest surprise to me over any other spice was Cumin. I had never had it before and now I don't know how in the world I never used it before. To me, Cumin IS hardy meat flavoring and totally makes my ground meat taste like meat in my opinion.

I will say: depending on what I'm putting the meat with, I do add spices accordingly. Like if I'm doing a "pasta" dish, then I throw in basil, too. Mexican? Definitely throw in the red pepper! It all depends on taste. "Sausage" gravy (totally not healthy)? Yeah, my ground turkey easily compares to the real thing!

Garlic Basil Dressing

Something simple to whip up! We were having a veggie salad with avocado as our "meat" and I wanted some flavor to shake it up. The salad is simple: my normal organic spring/spinach mix from the store, tri-peppers, red onion, cucumber and avocado. Add the dressing and Viola! Success!

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Garlic Basil Vinaigrette

1/4 cup EVOO
1/8 cup red wine vinegar
1-2 garlic cloves pressed or minced
2 tbsp. Sweet basil (use fresh if you have it!)
Black Pepper

(Optional and not Challenge friendly: 1/8 cup feta cheese)

Mix or process well and pour. More than enough for 2+ salads.

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I love garlic. I love basil. I love feta. I love flavor!

Note: I like to adapt dressing to go with dinner sometimes. When I do that, I always either: A. don't use vinegar at all or B. just cut the vinegar measurement in half.

Super Simple Tuna Salad

It's amazing how after you have retrained your palate, some foods just don't taste right anymore. Take Miracle Whip, for example. I grew up with that awesomeness on my bologna sandwiches, in my egg salad, tuna salad, potato salad ... and now I try to use it and it's waaaaaay to sweet and creamy! *sadness* BUT I have found ways around it by using Greek yogurt to add the creaminess to my dishes so I'm totally comfortable with the substitution. The only thing with yogurt is that you have to flavor it up a touch.

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Super Simple Tuna Salad

1 small can albacore tuna
1 tbsp. Greek yogurt
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. dill (I <3 dill!!)
1 tsp. Dijon mustard (or just a squirt)
1 tbsp. sweet relish

Mix together. Place in tomato for lunch or throw into a wrap.

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I'm a pickle whore. I lovvvve pickle or relish in my cold salad mix and it not only adds flavor, but those 4 grams of sugar are enough to satiate my sweet tooth now.

You may catch a glimpse of cheese at the bottom of my wrap. It's not necessary! But I wanted it today (some habits die hard even if I'm not using Miracle Whip!). And there is a smear of hummus on the very bottom for some extra flavor.

No matter what: don't forget your veggies! It may be tempting to leave them off ... But your body needs them :)

Don't Stick a Fork in Me ... I'm Not Done Yet!

I am not a skinny girl. That's not what I do. (For some reason, I have Ani DiFranco's "32 Flavors" rolling in my head so that statement works.)

I am determined to not just be "skinny" (and right now, I feel that I "am" after many months of hard work and good choices), BUT to be a healthier, happier me. I want to be strong! I want to make food that I love and my family eats and enjoys. I love food. I love to eat. After almost 4 months of making healthy food choices, my body recognizes when I eat crap and responds accordingly to let me know I screwed it up! I am conscious of the effect that eating healthy has on my children and their eating habits. And I am super aware that by sharing what I make, my progress and my goals that I do influence people and THAT amazes me! How cool is it to know that my friends and family drool over what I create? Yeah, I like attention, too. LOL

In an effort to consolidate some of my favorite endeavors, I am proud to launch Forktacular as my own personal recipe box and public display of action (PDA!) where I can share what I am doing, creating, succeeding at, and totally what I fail at! Don't be afraid to interact, ask questions or offer suggestions because food, health and exercise is constantly evolving in my life and I always need good ideas!

Sweet Potato Hash

Mmmmm I LOVE roasted sweet potatoes. As "sweet" as a sweet potato is, there's something to be said for the savory flavor that erupts from combining them with garlic and spices versus butter and brown sugar.

I made this hash up to go with some grilled Spinach & Asiago Chicken Sausages (Artisan Fresh brand from Sam's Club - 140 calories per sausage).
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Sweet Potato Hash

2 sweet medium sweet potatoes
1/2 an onion
1/2 cup tri-pepper mix
2+ cloves of garlic, minced
1-2 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. Cajun seasoning salt
1 tsp. Red Pepper
3 tbsp. EVOO

Warm a frying pan on high heat with the EVOO. Cube the potatoes into about 1/4 in. cubes (cooks faster in the pan). Throw the potatoes, garlic, and spices in the pan and stir/toss around to get them coated in oil. Turn the heat down to medium and cover, stirring every few minutes. After about 5 minutes, add the onions and peppers. Cover and cook (stirring occasionally) another 5ish more minutes until the largest potato cubes are cooked and soft.

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Don't be afraid of the garlic! It makes it more savory! Also, I threw a dash of Worcestershire at the end to flavor it up more and added Dijon mustard to the whole shebang. Mmm mmm mmm!

Talapia and Mango Salad

I have a special love for raw, cold salads that include fruit and citrus based dressings. There's something about it that make me feel like I might be able sit outside and survive the dry summer if I shovel it into my mouth. But then again, probably not! I'll sit inside and enjoy it in the comfort of my AC, please.

This is a great combo that not only fills you up but helps you feel like you ate light and cool after a hot day in the sun.

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Simple Fish Marinade

2 full Talapia filets
1/4 cup EVOO
1 lime (cut and squeeze juice)
1-2 cloves of garlic minced
1 tsp. coriander
2 tsp. onion powder
1 tbsp. basil
1 tbsp. rosemary
1 tbsp. agave (optional)

Combine everything in a baggie or pan and let marinade for 1-24+ hours.

Warm frying pan on medium/high heat with a touch of EVOO and place filets in pan to cook. About 5-6 minutes each side. You want the filets to flake when they are done.

Cold Mango Salad

1 cucumber (skin on or off is your choice)
1/2 red pepper
1/2 yellow pepper
1/2 orange pepper
1/2 green pepper
1 mango or 1 cup mango (frozen)
1/2 cup red onion
1 cup red cabbage (thinly sliced and diced - OPTIONAL)

1 lime (cut and squeeze juice)
1/8 cup EVOO
1/8 cup white vinegar
1-2 cloves garlic (minced)
1 tbsp. dill
1 tbsp. rosemary
1 tbsp. basil

Dice all the veggies and mango up and place in a sealable bowl with the marinade mixture above. Toss with lid on and let set in the fridge for at least 4 hours to let the juice and vinegar do its work flavoring the salad. Serve cold with fish.

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Some things to remember: when I cook I use approximate measurements. I'm really bad about pulling out my cups an spoons and generally eyeball based on how I know what I'm adding is going flavor a dish. So feel free to add or subtract to your taste. Generally, I'm actually not using as much EVOO as I think which is a good thing!

The red cabbage in the salad is a great way to bulk it up and keep it light with some crunch. I LOVE red cabbage after it's been soaking in a vinegar mix mmmmmmmm