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!