Recipes & Good Eats

As I move forward with my weight-loss journey I will document the recipes that I have tried.  I will even rate them on a rating scale of 1-10 (with 10 being the best).  Everyone's taste buds are different so there may be things I like that you don't and vice versa.  However, this will help me remember the recipes I liked and the ones that I didn't. :)

Spinach-Stuffed Chicken Breasts for Two

Rating: 8
Servings: 2  
Calories: 340
Recipe Link: http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/spinach-stuffed-chicken-breasts-for-104488.aspx

Adobo Pork Chops

 

Rating: 7 (too much cinnamon-need to use less next time)
Servings: 1  
Calories: 353.8
Recipe Link: http://www.food.com/recipe/adobo-pork-chops-240712

Chipotle-Grilled Roast Chicken with Sweet Potatoes

Rating: 9
Servings: 1  
Calories: 283.7
Recipe Link: http://www.food.com/recipe/chipotle-glazed-roast-chicken-with-sweet-potatoes-454121

Red Robin: Esenada Chicken Platter

Rating: 1
Servings: 1  
Calories:440
Website Nutrition Link:  http://www.livestrong.com/thedailyplate/nutrition-calories/food/red-robin/ensenada-chicken-platter/

Healthy Choice Steamers: Chicken Margarita with Pictsweet Tuscan Vegetable Medley

Rating: 8
Serving: 1 of the Healthy Chose and 2 servings of the vegetable medley.
Calories: 400 for both boxes combined (1 serv Healthy Choice: 320/ 2 serv PictSweet: 80)
*Heated both according to instructions and then served them mixed together. Yum!

Domino's: Thin Crust Pizza with Chicken and Green Bell Pepper

 

Rating: 7

Calories: 423 (est.) for 2 slices

Chicken Carne Asada Tacos with Pickled Onions & Spicy Black Beans 

 

Rating: 8
Servings: Tacos: 4 (2 tacos)/ Beans: 4  
Calories: Tacos: 413/ Beans: 42
Recipe Link: Tacos: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/chicken-carne-asada-tacos-with-pickled-onions-10000001973611/
Recipe Link: Beans: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/spicy-black-beans-169691/


Cooking Light Quick & Easy Low-Calorie Recipes

Easy Chicken Mozzarella (My Recipe)

 

Rating: 10 (not biased, I just love it!!)
Servings: Rice & Tomatoes (2)/ Chicken, Tomatoes & Mozzarella: 4
Calories: Rice & Tomatoes 175/ Chicken, Tomatoes & Mozzarella: 166

Ingredients: (Including the brands I used, but you can choose your own)
Rice & Tomatoes:
1- 14.5 oz can of Diced Tomatoes with Green Chilies (Aldis Casa Mamita Brand)
1 cup (dried) Instant Brown Rice (Alds Fit & Active Brand)
Chicken, Tomatoes & Mozzarella:
 4 Thin Sliced Chicken Breasts (Perdu Brand)
2- 14.5 oz cans of Stewed Tomatoes (Aldis Happy Harves Brand)
2 Mozzarella String Cheese Sticks (Aldis Fit & Active Light String Cheese 50 calories each)

Directions:
1) Lightly spray a non-cook skillet on medium-high heat.
2) Add chicken and cook until no longer pink on either side.
3) Once chicken is no longer pink add both cans of stewed tomatoes and cover.
4) At this time begin cooking rice per package instructions.
5) Once rice is cooked per package instructions add the Tomatoes with Diced Green Chilies.  Cook until there is no longer any water in the pot and all that is left is just the rice and tomatoes. At this time, you will also break up both sticks mozzarella (by pulling the strings apart) and string it all over the chicken/tomato mixture.
6)  Once the string cheese is melted and the water has evaporated from the rice/tomato mixture place 1 cup of rice mixture on serving plate and top with chicken/ tomato/mozzarella mixture.  Serve with a side salad if you'd like.
7) Enjoy!
Sorry for the poor photo quality (taken on IPod).

Best HOT Salsa (My Recipe)

 

Rating: 10 (not biased, I just love it!!)
Serving Size: 1/2 tbsp;  # of Servings: 103.7
Calories: 3 per serving

Ingredients: 

12 oz can of La Costena Green Pickled Jalapenos (dice up the jalapenos only and throw away the remaining contents)
4 oz can of Diced Green Chilies
28 oz can of Rotel Diced Tomatoes, Original (drained)
1 Cup Chopped Yellow Onion
1/2 tbsp Sugar
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp garlic (freshly minced)
1/2 tsp salt
3 tbsp cilantro




Directions:

Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend well.  Serve & enjoy!

Note: For chunkier salsa you many want to hand dice and place all ingredients in a container.  Also, the longer this salsa sits the hotter its going to get.  If you don't like a lot of heat just cut back on the amount of jalapenos.

Egg Stuffed Bell Pepper (My Recipe)

 

Rating: 9
Serving: 1
# of Calories (Egg Stuffed Bell Pepper): 168
# of Calories (Full Plate Below): 274

 Ingredients:
1 Slice Tomato
1 tsp Parmesan Cheese
1 Green Bell Pepper
1 egg
1 egg white
1 tbsp Best Damn HOT Salsa (see my recipe on previous post)
1 tsp butter
1 tsp 2% milk

Non-stick Cooking Spray

Directions:
1) Set oven to broil
2) Cut top off of bell pepper and clean out inside
3) Place bell pepper on a non-stick pan and place in oven.
4) Once bell pepper starts to char around the ring (see photo) begin preparing egg mixture.
5) Mix egg, egg white, butter, milk together and place in a pan coated with non-stick cooking spray on medium heat. 
6) Scramble mixture and continue cooking until mixture is solid (no longer runny)  then mix in salsa.
7) Pull bell pepper out of the oven and place egg mixture inside the bell pepper.
8) Place sliced tomato on top of egg mixture (to fill hole) and then top with 1 tsp of Parmesan cheese.
9) Place bell pepper back in over and cook until cheese is well melted and slightly browning.  Then remove and enjoy!

I served this with 1 cup 50/.50 Spring Mix salad topped with 1 tbsp Kraft Italian Roasted Red Pepper Dressing and 6 strawberries topped with 1 tbsp Cool-Whip.

Berry Good Smoothie (My Recipe)

 

Rating: 8
Serving: 1
# of Calories: 275

Ingredients;

1 cup of Frozen Berry Mix
1/2 scoop Slimfast Chocolate Shake Mix
1/2 cup Almond Milk (Vanilla Flavor)
1 cup Oikos Fruit on the Bottom Greek Yogurt- Strawberry

Directions: Place all ingredients in a blender and mix well.  Add Ice if necessary.

Wild Rice Meatballs

Rating: 5 (I really like it cold, but not hot.. maybe a 7 cold)
Servings: Makes 4 servings as a meal or 12 individual snacks
Calories:
Recipe Link: http://www.weightandwellness.com/resources/recipes/snacks/wild-rice-meatballs/



Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef
1 organic egg, slightly beaten
½ c. onion, finely chopped
1½ c. cooked wild rice
1 tsp. Spike natural seasoning
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. garlic powder OR finely chopped garlic to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Combine ingredients and shape into 12 meatballs, approximately 1½ inches in diameter.
3. Place meatballs on baking sheet and bake for 30-40 minutes or until brown.

 

Straw-Mango Smoothie (My Recipe)

Rating: 8

Serving: 1

# of Calories: 210

Ingredients;

1 cup of Frozen Fruit Mix (Strawberries, Mangos, Pinapple, & Peaches)

1/2 cup Almond Milk (Vanilla Flavor)

1 cup Oikos Fruit on the Bottom Greek Yogurt- Apricot

 

Directions: Place all ingredients in a blender and mix well.  Add Ice if necessary.

 

 

Garden Pot Roast

Rating: 10 (loved it!)
Servings:

The long baking time for this traditional comfort food gives the flavors time to mingle, resulting in moist, succulent meat.
Yields:  8 servings        
Active Time:  Prep 25 minutes; Bake 1 1/2 hours + 1 hour        
Total Time:   2 hr 75 minutes        


Ingredients

• (1) 3-pound boneless beef bottom round or rump roast                                 
•  Kosher Salt                                                                     
•  Freshly ground black pepper                                                                     
• 1  tablespoon extra virgin olive oil                                                                     
• 1  cup dry red wine                                                                     
• 1  14-ounce can beef broth                                                                     
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped onion                                                                     
• 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram, crushed                                                                     
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed                                                                     
• 2  cloves garlic, minced (1 teaspoon minced)                                                                     
• 6  cups fresh vegetables cut into 1 to 1 1/2 inch pieces (such as winter squash, carrots, parsnips and/or green beans- I just used onion and carrots)                                                                     
• 2  tablespoons cold water                                                                     
• 1  tablespoon cornstarch                                                                     

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Trim fat from roast. Season roast with kosher salt and pepper. In a 6-quart oven-going Dutch oven brown roast in hot olive oil for 5 minutes, turning to brown evenly. Remove roast from Dutch oven; set aside. Carefully drain fat from Dutch oven. Add wine to Dutch oven bring to boiling. Boil gently, uncovered, for 8 to 10 minutes or until wine is reduced to 1/2 cup. Return roast to Dutch oven. Pour broth over roast. Add onion, marjoram, thyme, and garlic. Bake, covered, for 1 1/2 hours.
2. Add desired fresh vegetables. Cover and bake about 1 hour more or until meat and vegetables are tender. Transfer meat and vegetables to a serving platter; reserve cooking juices in the Dutch oven. Cover meat and vegetables with foil and keep warm.
3. For gravy, strain cooking juices in a 4 cup glass measure. Skim fat from cooking juices; return 1 1/4 cups of the cooking juices to Dutch oven (discard remaining juices). In a small bowl stir together the cold water and cornstarch. Sir into cooking juices in Dutch oven. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 2 minutes more. Season to taste with kosher salt and pepper.
4. Slice meat. Spoon some of the gravy over meat and vegetables. Pass remaining gravy.

Red Pepper Boats with Bacon Sailors (My Recipe)

Ingredients:

Boat:
2 eggs
1 diced green onion
1 tsp adobo sauce
diced onion (I use about 3 tbsp diced)
a few dashes of salt
a few dashes of pepper
1 red bell pepper
4 cherry tomatoes sliced in half
cooking spray
cheese (if desired)

Bacon Sailor
3 stalks asparagus
1 tbsp coconut oil
3 slices turkey bacon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Cut bell pepper in half and clean out the insides; place on a baking sheet
3. Drizzle ( or coat) asparagus with coconut oil and wrap with bacon; place on baking sheet
4. Spray a small skillet with cooking spray and put on medium heat
5. In a small bowl mix the first six ingredients until well blended and add to skillet
6. Using a spatula, keep mixing the egg mixture (scrambling it) until the eggs are no longer runny
7. Place the egg mixture in the bell pepper
8. Sprinkle the diced green onions onto the pepper boats and top with the cherry tomatoes
9. Add cheese if desired
10. Place in the oven and bake until the bacon & asparagus are done and the bell pepper is starting to "wrinke" and slightly darken on the sides (about 10 to 15 minutes)

Steak Dinner in a Crockpot with Gluten Free Marinade

Ingredients:

• Steak (2 New York Strip Steaks and 1 Porterhouse Steak) 
• Potatoes (one for each person)
• Corn on the Cobb (one for each person, or more if desired)
• 2 tbsp. oil for searing the steaks- I used Canola Oil
• salt
• pepper
• butter or vegan butter spread

Marinade Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup Balsamic Vinegar
• 1/2 cup French's Worcestershire Sauce
• 1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 glove garlic minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Instructions:

1. Place 2 tbsp. oil in a frying pan on medium high heat
2. Once oil is hot add your steaks one at a time and sear for two minutes on each side. Then sear around the edges of the steak to seal in the juices.
3. Place steaks in the bottom of the crockpot.
4. Combine all ingredients for the marinade in a glass jar.  Close tightly and shake to combine.  Pour over steak.
5. Cover with a sheet of aluminum foil (this will separate the meat from the vegetables).
6. Slice your potatoes almost all the way through and pull back the sections so that you can sprinkle the inside of the potato with salt and pepper and stuff with butter.
7. Individually wrap the potatoes in aluminum foil and place in the crockpot.
8. Tear off sections of aluminum foil that will be big enough to wrap each ear of corn individually.  Spread butter over the sheets of aluminum foil and lightly sprinkle with salt (this will butter the corn on the cobb all the way around).
9. Individually wrap each ear of corn and place in the crockpot.
10. Close the lid and put the crockpot on high for 5 1/2 hours.
11. Reduce head to Low or Warm and cook an additional 2 hours.

When dinner is done I like to pour some of the left over juices on my steak. Yumm!  However, be careful when taking the steak out of the crockpot.  The meat will literally fall off the bone.  I had to use a really big spatula to keep the steak in tact (for presentation purposes only of course).