So, I've obviously not been good at my efforts of posting here. But, I HAVE been good at finding, fixing, and eating healthy foods during the past couple of months. I'm happy to report that I haven't had any further gallbladder attacks and managed to keep my itching at bay for quite a while. Now, here I am, about 2 weeks (or less) from the end of my pregnancy, and as a result of how I've been eating, I've only gained 10 lbs. I'm actually quite happy about that, as my pre-pregnancy weight was well over what it should have been in the first place.
I will not discuss how easy it has been--because, in all honesty, it hasn't been easy. I'm one who loves to cook and bake new things. Let me clarify: new DELICIOUS things. Not all of what I've made has been great and I have "cheated" a few times--eating some sugar or homemade mac & cheese. But, there has been one staple during these past few months that has consistently been what my body wanted AND tastes good, too! Healthy Taco Stacks. In the interest of full-disclosure, there have been a few days that my tastebuds rebelled against eating yet another taco stack. But, for the most part, this has been a favorite of mine. And it's REALLY easy!
Healthy Taco Stacks
Yield: 1 serving
Brown rice
Quick and Easy Black Beans from Our Best Bites -or- fat-free refried beans
Baby spinach
Chopped tomatoes
1/4-1/2 avocado, diced
Salt, to taste
Layer ingredients on a plate in order listed. Be generous with spinach and tomatoes. Eat up!
NOTES: If I don't feel like making the Quick and Easy Black Beans, I will often use dehydrated refried beans which I prepare with a little extra water. I find if they're not very saucy, the whole stack is dry and doesn't taste as good. If you're using canned refried beans, add a little water or chicken stock to thin them out a bit. Also, you can add other veggies to the mix or squeeze a bit of lime juice over the top. And, if you have cilantro--give it a chop and toss it on. Just gives another layer of flavor!
March 7, 2012
January 10, 2012
Amanda's Amazing Enchiladas
Forgive me for posting something so non-healthy so soon after I said I was only posting healthy foods! The back story is that I made these in December, before my body freaked out on me. They were so incredibly good that I took pics the day AFTER I made them. (I may or may not have eaten them for both lunch and dinner that day...)
While we were visiting my family for Christmas, my mom had some leftover rotisserie chicken...so I made a double batch of these enchiladas. And, since it was after the body-freak-out, I didn't have any then. Let me tell you, that was quite the sacrifice! But everyone else loved them--and I'm glad that they did. I find great satisfaction in making food that people enjoy eating!
And, you'll have to forgive the unattractiveness of my photo...it was technically leftovers at this point. But, hey, I actually took a pic this time!
Amanda's Amazing Enchiladas
Adapted from "Angela's Awesome Enchiladas" at allrecipes.com
Yield: 1 9x13 pan
Heat butter in skillet over medium heat. Stir in onion; cook and stir until onion has softened and turned translucent. Add shredded chicken, green chiles, taco seasoning, half of chopped green onion, and water. Simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in lime juice, onion powder, and garlic powder; simmer for an additional 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro.
While chicken simmers, cook tortillas according to package directions. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray 9x13 baking dish with non-stick spray. Stir 1 cup of soup mixture into skillet with chicken mixture. Spread remaining soup mixture on bottom of baking dish.
Fill each tortilla with chicken mixture. Sprinkle about 2-3 Tbls. cheese over chicken filling before rolling the tortillas, reserving half of shredded cheese for topping enchiladas. Roll tortillas over filling and place seam-side down in prepared pan.
Pour enchilada sauce evenly over enchiladas. Cover with remaining 1 1/2 cups of cheese. Sprinkle reserved chopped green onions over cheese. Bake in preheated oven until filling is heated through and cheese is melted and bubbling, about 30 minutes.
NOTES: I always sub light sour cream in my recipes. It lowers the fat a bit and still tastes great! Also, you can use low-fat or "Healthy Request" cream of chicken soup. (Which I also did when I made them.) Let me know if you can't get enough of them either!
While we were visiting my family for Christmas, my mom had some leftover rotisserie chicken...so I made a double batch of these enchiladas. And, since it was after the body-freak-out, I didn't have any then. Let me tell you, that was quite the sacrifice! But everyone else loved them--and I'm glad that they did. I find great satisfaction in making food that people enjoy eating!
And, you'll have to forgive the unattractiveness of my photo...it was technically leftovers at this point. But, hey, I actually took a pic this time!
Amanda's Amazing Enchiladas
Adapted from "Angela's Awesome Enchiladas" at allrecipes.com
Yield: 1 9x13 pan
2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast meat, cooked, shredded
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 1/4 cups sour cream
1/4 tsp. chili powder
1 Tbls. butter
1 small onion, chopped
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chiles
1 (1.25 ounce) package mild taco seasoning mix
1 bunch green onions, chopped, divided
1 cup water
1 tsp. lime juice
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
8 (12 inch) uncooked flour tortillas
3 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
1 (10 ounce) can green enchilada sauce
Combine cream of chicken soup, sour cream, and chili powder in a saucepan. Bring to simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally; turn off the heat and cover to keep warm.
Heat butter in skillet over medium heat. Stir in onion; cook and stir until onion has softened and turned translucent. Add shredded chicken, green chiles, taco seasoning, half of chopped green onion, and water. Simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in lime juice, onion powder, and garlic powder; simmer for an additional 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro.
While chicken simmers, cook tortillas according to package directions. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray 9x13 baking dish with non-stick spray. Stir 1 cup of soup mixture into skillet with chicken mixture. Spread remaining soup mixture on bottom of baking dish.
Fill each tortilla with chicken mixture. Sprinkle about 2-3 Tbls. cheese over chicken filling before rolling the tortillas, reserving half of shredded cheese for topping enchiladas. Roll tortillas over filling and place seam-side down in prepared pan.
Pour enchilada sauce evenly over enchiladas. Cover with remaining 1 1/2 cups of cheese. Sprinkle reserved chopped green onions over cheese. Bake in preheated oven until filling is heated through and cheese is melted and bubbling, about 30 minutes.
NOTES: I always sub light sour cream in my recipes. It lowers the fat a bit and still tastes great! Also, you can use low-fat or "Healthy Request" cream of chicken soup. (Which I also did when I made them.) Let me know if you can't get enough of them either!
January 8, 2012
Whole Wheat Buttermilk Pancakes
My kids LOVE pancakes. And by LOVE, I mean that for our family of 5, (which includes 3 kids, ages 2-6), I have to triple my usual recipe because my kids will fill their hollow legs with pancakes. I've tried "healthifying" my favorite recipe in the past--and while it's fine, I wanted to try something even healthier this time around. I found this recipe on allrecipes.com and took a few liberties in the name of experimentation. I have to say, we were all quite pleased with how they turned out! The kids kept asking for more, I was satisfied, and my husband even appreciated both the healthiness and deliciousness of these pancakes. I will definitely be making these again!
(Again--no pic. Apparently, I need to store my camera in the kitchen!)
Whole Wheat Buttermilk Pancakes
Adapted from "Wheat Germ Whole-Wheat Buttermilk Pancakes" at allrecipes.com
Yield: 12 servings
1 1/2 cups Bob's Red Mill whole wheat pastry flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/2 cup wheat germ
2 eggs
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp. vanilla
1 Tbls. agave nectar
2 cups low-fat buttermilk
Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into large mixing bowl. Stir in wheat germ. Set aside.
In medium mixing bowl, beat eggs, then add applesauce. Add vanilla and agave nectar; mix well. Add buttermilk and stir until well combined.
Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Stir only until dry ingredients are moistened. Let batter sit while pan/griddle pre-heats to 325 degrees. Spray cooking surface with non-stick spray. Using 1/4 or 1/3 cup measure, pour onto hot griddle. Flip when edges appear a bit dry and bubbles in pancake no longer fill in.
Serve with real maple syrup.
(Our favorite way to eat them is with natural peanut butter and real maple syrup, but I'm not doing peanut butter right now. And, the maple syrup was quite good by itself!)
NOTES: You don't HAVE to use pastry flour in this recipe, BUT--it's more finely ground than regular whole wheat flour, so the pancakes turn out fluffier.
If you don't have agave nectar, you could use honey or even sugar. Also, I didn't really measure the agave...I just eyeballed it. But be warned, because of the differences in sweetening ability, you will need to use about 1 1/2 Tbls. of honey and 2 Tbls. of sugar to replace the agave. Or, if you want, you could leave the sweetner out altogether.
(Again--no pic. Apparently, I need to store my camera in the kitchen!)
Whole Wheat Buttermilk Pancakes
Adapted from "Wheat Germ Whole-Wheat Buttermilk Pancakes" at allrecipes.com
Yield: 12 servings
1 1/2 cups Bob's Red Mill whole wheat pastry flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/2 cup wheat germ
2 eggs
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp. vanilla
1 Tbls. agave nectar
2 cups low-fat buttermilk
Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into large mixing bowl. Stir in wheat germ. Set aside.
In medium mixing bowl, beat eggs, then add applesauce. Add vanilla and agave nectar; mix well. Add buttermilk and stir until well combined.
Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Stir only until dry ingredients are moistened. Let batter sit while pan/griddle pre-heats to 325 degrees. Spray cooking surface with non-stick spray. Using 1/4 or 1/3 cup measure, pour onto hot griddle. Flip when edges appear a bit dry and bubbles in pancake no longer fill in.
Serve with real maple syrup.
(Our favorite way to eat them is with natural peanut butter and real maple syrup, but I'm not doing peanut butter right now. And, the maple syrup was quite good by itself!)
NOTES: You don't HAVE to use pastry flour in this recipe, BUT--it's more finely ground than regular whole wheat flour, so the pancakes turn out fluffier.
If you don't have agave nectar, you could use honey or even sugar. Also, I didn't really measure the agave...I just eyeballed it. But be warned, because of the differences in sweetening ability, you will need to use about 1 1/2 Tbls. of honey and 2 Tbls. of sugar to replace the agave. Or, if you want, you could leave the sweetner out altogether.
November 4, 2011
The BEST and EASIEST Rolls EVER!
In honor of not posting for SEVEN months, I decided to finally post again! Yay me.
The recipe is actually called Overnight Crescent Rolls--but I've changed the name because they are so easy and always receive rave reviews. By everyone. My mother-in-law, sister-in-law, and brother-in-law have all already requested the recipe.
Oh, and last weekend, my mom saw the recipe for the first time and said, "These are Mary Riding's rolls!" Mary Riding was in my ward (congregation) when I was growing up and always made the best rolls. I always thought her roll recipe was SO hard to make! I'm glad to know that they're not hard at all...and that I've been able to master them already! :)
I think these would be a FANTASTIC addition to your Thanksgiving table! And, since they're mixed up the night before, take a few minutes of attention in the morning, and then rise for several hours, it will free up your time to prep other parts of dinner or read a book...or both. (As usual, I have no pics--but I'm going to give you a link to the site where I found these beauties to see pics.)
Without further ado, here is the recipe:
Overnight Crescent Dinner Rolls
Recipe adapted from RealMomKitchen.com (click on link for her pic!)
Yield: 2 dozen rolls
1 Tbsp yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup milk
3 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 tsp salt
4 1/2 -5 cups flour
1/2 cup butter
In stand mixer, combine yeast and warm water. Allow yeast to dissolve while you move on.
In small sauce pan melt butter. When melted and starting to bubble, mix in milk and remove immediately from heat. Set aside to cool a little.
In same bowl as yeast, add eggs, sugar, and salt. Drizzle in a little of the lukewarm butter/milk mixture to mixing bowl, while paddle attachment is running. Continue adding milk mixture a little at a time until all mixed in.
Change to dough hook. Add flour 1 cup at a time up to 4 cups. Let the mixer knead the dough for about 5 minutes. (This will ensure the flour is mixed in and not just on the outside layer of dough.) You want a very sticky dough, but it should not be runny. If needed, add up to 1 cup of flour, but DO NOT go over 5 cups.
Scrape side of bowl down, so dough is in a ball at the bottom. Cover with plastic wrap and place in fridge overnight. (If you want to keep from getting a "skin" on your dough, place the plastic wrap right on the surface of the dough, but leave enough "gathers" on top so the dough can expand. It won't expand a ton, but will definitely rise overnight.)
About 4 hours before you want the finish product, remove dough from fridge. Melt remaining 1/2 cup butter. Divide dough in half and roll 1/2 into a 14-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Pour half of melted butter on center of circle and spread within 1 inch of dough edge. (Butter will stiffen up as you spread.)
Using pizza cutter, cut each circle into 12 wedges. Roll up each wedge starting with wide end rolling toward point. Place rolls on ungreased baking sheet, point down. (I have found that the butter on the dough is enough to grease the baking sheet as they bake, but you can spray the pan with baking spray before putting the rolls on it if you want to.)
Cover and let rise for 3-4 hours. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. (If you're using a dark baking sheet, reduce oven temp to 325 degrees.) Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until golden brown on top.
NOTES: Some people are afraid of yeast recipes--but this one is actually quite easy. When mixing up the yeast and water, use the hottest tap water you can stand to put your hand in. And let the butter/milk mixture cool enough so it won't burn you if you stick your finger in. That way, it won't kill the yeast when you add it to the mixing bowl. And, make sure NOT to go over 5 cups of flour. Even if the dough seems too sticky--trust me--it works.
The recipe is actually called Overnight Crescent Rolls--but I've changed the name because they are so easy and always receive rave reviews. By everyone. My mother-in-law, sister-in-law, and brother-in-law have all already requested the recipe.
Oh, and last weekend, my mom saw the recipe for the first time and said, "These are Mary Riding's rolls!" Mary Riding was in my ward (congregation) when I was growing up and always made the best rolls. I always thought her roll recipe was SO hard to make! I'm glad to know that they're not hard at all...and that I've been able to master them already! :)
I think these would be a FANTASTIC addition to your Thanksgiving table! And, since they're mixed up the night before, take a few minutes of attention in the morning, and then rise for several hours, it will free up your time to prep other parts of dinner or read a book...or both. (As usual, I have no pics--but I'm going to give you a link to the site where I found these beauties to see pics.)
Without further ado, here is the recipe:
Overnight Crescent Dinner Rolls
Recipe adapted from RealMomKitchen.com (click on link for her pic!)
Yield: 2 dozen rolls
1 Tbsp yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup milk
3 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 tsp salt
4 1/2 -5 cups flour
1/2 cup butter
In stand mixer, combine yeast and warm water. Allow yeast to dissolve while you move on.
In small sauce pan melt butter. When melted and starting to bubble, mix in milk and remove immediately from heat. Set aside to cool a little.
In same bowl as yeast, add eggs, sugar, and salt. Drizzle in a little of the lukewarm butter/milk mixture to mixing bowl, while paddle attachment is running. Continue adding milk mixture a little at a time until all mixed in.
Change to dough hook. Add flour 1 cup at a time up to 4 cups. Let the mixer knead the dough for about 5 minutes. (This will ensure the flour is mixed in and not just on the outside layer of dough.) You want a very sticky dough, but it should not be runny. If needed, add up to 1 cup of flour, but DO NOT go over 5 cups.
Scrape side of bowl down, so dough is in a ball at the bottom. Cover with plastic wrap and place in fridge overnight. (If you want to keep from getting a "skin" on your dough, place the plastic wrap right on the surface of the dough, but leave enough "gathers" on top so the dough can expand. It won't expand a ton, but will definitely rise overnight.)
About 4 hours before you want the finish product, remove dough from fridge. Melt remaining 1/2 cup butter. Divide dough in half and roll 1/2 into a 14-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Pour half of melted butter on center of circle and spread within 1 inch of dough edge. (Butter will stiffen up as you spread.)
Using pizza cutter, cut each circle into 12 wedges. Roll up each wedge starting with wide end rolling toward point. Place rolls on ungreased baking sheet, point down. (I have found that the butter on the dough is enough to grease the baking sheet as they bake, but you can spray the pan with baking spray before putting the rolls on it if you want to.)
Cover and let rise for 3-4 hours. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. (If you're using a dark baking sheet, reduce oven temp to 325 degrees.) Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until golden brown on top.
NOTES: Some people are afraid of yeast recipes--but this one is actually quite easy. When mixing up the yeast and water, use the hottest tap water you can stand to put your hand in. And let the butter/milk mixture cool enough so it won't burn you if you stick your finger in. That way, it won't kill the yeast when you add it to the mixing bowl. And, make sure NOT to go over 5 cups of flour. Even if the dough seems too sticky--trust me--it works.
April 9, 2011
Cranberry Glazed Chicken Breasts
A couple of weeks ago, I decided (for who knows what reason) that I needed to put cranberry chicken on our upcoming dinner menu. I made it a couple of years ago and felt it was time to give it another go. And cranberries just sounded really good.
From what I remembered, the past recipe basically combined a can of cranberry sauce with a bunch of barbecue sauce. Somewhere in the mixture, the cranberry flavor was lost and the chicken tasted like plain ol' barbecue chicken. I was determined that this time, my cranberry chicken would taste like cranberries. (I know. Who would expect that?) So, I set off on the search for the perfect cranberry chicken.
And, whaddya know. I hit the jackpot on the very first recipe I tried! Whoa boy. This chicken was plate-lickin' good. Not that I actually did that. *ahem* On to the recipe!
Cranberry Glazed Chicken Breasts
Adapted from Cully's Kitchen (Which has fantastic pics of the recipe!)
Servings: 6-8
1 Tbls butter
1 small onion, chopped
1 large shallot, chopped (optional)
6-8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 cups fresh cranberries **See NOTES**
1 ½ cups sugar
¾ cup water
2/3 cup ketchup
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 Tbls apple cider vinegar
1 tsp dijon mustard
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place butter, onion, and shallot to 9x13 glass baking dish and bake in preheated oven until onion is translucent, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.
While onions are softening, combine cranberries, sugar, and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.
Remove dish from oven, push onions to either end. Place chicken into baking dish and return to oven. Bake for an additional 10-15 minutes.
In small mixing bowl, combine ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, and mustard. Add to warm cranberry mixture. Remove chicken from oven, scoop onions into cranberry mixture; stir to combine. Pour cranberry mixture over chicken and return to oven. Bake until cranberry mixture is slightly caramelized, which should be about 20 minutes, (or until internal temperature of chicken reaches 180 degrees on thermometer).
NOTES: The shallot is completely optional. I happened to have one on hand, so I tossed it in.
I only used 4 chicken breasts, but there was plenty of sauce for much more. I served rice with ours--and the sauce is just as incredible over steamed rice as it is over the chicken.
Speaking of sauce--you can substitute canned "whole berry" cranberry sauce instead of making your own, but I wouldn't recommend it. My original plan was to do just that. When I opened the can and saw that mound of gelatinous goop glowering back at me, I wondered if I could go through with it. Since when does "whole berry cranberry sauce" on the outside of the can translate into "cranberry jelly with a few whole berries tossed in" on the inside? I've apparently been very spoiled at Thanksgiving in recent years. Thank goodness I remembered the fresh cranberries waiting in my freezer. Immediately, the canned gel was ziplocked and stashed in the freezer for some other application. You could use it in this recipe, but it will certainly change the fresh flavor of the dish. And, tossing your own fresh sauce together is so easy, why would you opt to go the canned route anyway?
In all honesty, I don't really know how long I baked my chicken. I used our meat thermometer, instead of the timer as a guide. I did watch the clock, though, and think that my approximate times are fairly close.
From what I remembered, the past recipe basically combined a can of cranberry sauce with a bunch of barbecue sauce. Somewhere in the mixture, the cranberry flavor was lost and the chicken tasted like plain ol' barbecue chicken. I was determined that this time, my cranberry chicken would taste like cranberries. (I know. Who would expect that?) So, I set off on the search for the perfect cranberry chicken.
And, whaddya know. I hit the jackpot on the very first recipe I tried! Whoa boy. This chicken was plate-lickin' good. Not that I actually did that. *ahem* On to the recipe!
Cranberry Glazed Chicken Breasts
Adapted from Cully's Kitchen (Which has fantastic pics of the recipe!)
Servings: 6-8
1 Tbls butter
1 small onion, chopped
1 large shallot, chopped (optional)
6-8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 cups fresh cranberries **See NOTES**
1 ½ cups sugar
¾ cup water
2/3 cup ketchup
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 Tbls apple cider vinegar
1 tsp dijon mustard
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place butter, onion, and shallot to 9x13 glass baking dish and bake in preheated oven until onion is translucent, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.
While onions are softening, combine cranberries, sugar, and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.
Remove dish from oven, push onions to either end. Place chicken into baking dish and return to oven. Bake for an additional 10-15 minutes.
In small mixing bowl, combine ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, and mustard. Add to warm cranberry mixture. Remove chicken from oven, scoop onions into cranberry mixture; stir to combine. Pour cranberry mixture over chicken and return to oven. Bake until cranberry mixture is slightly caramelized, which should be about 20 minutes, (or until internal temperature of chicken reaches 180 degrees on thermometer).
NOTES: The shallot is completely optional. I happened to have one on hand, so I tossed it in.
I only used 4 chicken breasts, but there was plenty of sauce for much more. I served rice with ours--and the sauce is just as incredible over steamed rice as it is over the chicken.
Speaking of sauce--you can substitute canned "whole berry" cranberry sauce instead of making your own, but I wouldn't recommend it. My original plan was to do just that. When I opened the can and saw that mound of gelatinous goop glowering back at me, I wondered if I could go through with it. Since when does "whole berry cranberry sauce" on the outside of the can translate into "cranberry jelly with a few whole berries tossed in" on the inside? I've apparently been very spoiled at Thanksgiving in recent years. Thank goodness I remembered the fresh cranberries waiting in my freezer. Immediately, the canned gel was ziplocked and stashed in the freezer for some other application. You could use it in this recipe, but it will certainly change the fresh flavor of the dish. And, tossing your own fresh sauce together is so easy, why would you opt to go the canned route anyway?
In all honesty, I don't really know how long I baked my chicken. I used our meat thermometer, instead of the timer as a guide. I did watch the clock, though, and think that my approximate times are fairly close.
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