The Foodista Chronicles

Saturday, March 7, 2015

Orange Marmalade Chicken

Orange Marmalade Chicken

1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
2 tablespoons Sugar-Free orange marmalade
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon cornstarch
20 oz chicken tenders
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 large shallots, minced
1 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest

Whisk broth, vinegar, marmalade, mustard and cornstarch in a medium bowl.

Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until golden, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.

Add the remaining 1 teaspoon oil and shallots to the pan and cook, stirring often, until beginning to brown, about 30 seconds. Whisk the broth mixture and add it to the pan. Bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer; cook until the sauce is slightly reduced and thickened, 30 seconds to 2 minutes.

Add the chicken; return to a simmer. Cook, turning once, until the chicken is heated through, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in orange zest.

This recipe comes from Eating Well.

4 Servings

196 Calories

5.3g Fat

5.2g Carbs

32.9g Protein

Low-Carb Meatballs

Low-Carb Meatballs

2 lb Ground Turkey
2 Egg Beaters
1/2 Cup Finely chopped Mushrooms
1/4 Cup of Parmesan Cheese
1/2 tsp of Sage
1 Tbsp of Garlic Powder or Chopped Garlic
1 Tbsp of Basil or Italian Seasoning
1/8 Cup of Crystal hot sauce or any kind
1/8 Cup of Mustard
2 Tbsp of Worcester sauce

Preheat oven to 400°. In a bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well. Roll out meatballs in approximately 1 inch in diameter and place on cookie sheet side by side.

Place into the oven and bake for approximately 40-60 minutes. Keep an eye on them. Check center to make sure it is no longer pink. Put foil under the meatballs so that they don't ruin your baking sheet like mine did!

I bake these and then freeze them for later!

Makes 22 meatballs.

81 Calories

2.4 g Fat

4.8 g Carbohydrates

9.5 g Protein

This awesome recipe comes from My Daily Dish.

Cheesy Mashed Cauliflower

1 Small head Cauliflower, chopped into small pieces
3 Wedges of Light Garlic & Herb Laughing Cow Cheese
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp White Pepper
1/2 Cup low-fat shredded cheddar cheese
2 Tbsp Parmesan Cheese
1/2 tsp Paprika

2 Garlic Cloves

Boil Cauliflower and garlic until tender. Process Laughing Cow Cheese in a food processor or blender. Add in Cauliflower and garlic and blend until smooth. Add in Parmesan and Salt & pepper.

In a small 1 QT greased pan pour in cauliflower mixture. Sprinkle Paprika and shredded cheddar on top. Bake at 350 for 20 mins or until bubbly.

Makes 4 servings.

105 Calories

4.5 g Fat

3 g Carbohydrates

6 g Protein

This recipe comes from Spark People.

Spinach Artichoke Chicken

1 spray - I Can't Believe It's Not Butter
20 oz raw chicken breasts
13.75 oz artichoke hearts packed in water, drained
10 oz frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed
2 shallots, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
½ cup 0% Faye Greek yogurt
½ cup low-fat mayonnaise
½ cup Parmesan cheese
½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 375º F. Spray baking dish with olive oil nonstick baking spray.
Place chicken into baking dish. Salt and pepper chicken and then bake 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine remaining ingredients and then pour on top of chicken. Bake 20-25 minutes.

Let stand about 5 minutes before serving.

This recipe comes from the Add a Pinch blog.

4 Servings

357 Calories

11.6 g Fat

12.6 g Carbohydrates

48.8 g Protein

Zucchini Noodles with Cilantro Lime Chicken

Zucchini Noodles with Cilantro Lime Chicken

4 medium zucchini
23oz boneless & skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1" pieces
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt, divided
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
2 tsp any small hot pepper/jalapeño or to taste, seeded and minced (leave seeds in for very hot version)
1 medium or 1/2 large lime, juice of
3/4 cup cilantro, chopped
3 seconds of Cooking spray

Using a spiralizer or mandoline, make zucchini noodles, transfer into a large bowl and set aside. You can also chop zucchini into any size pieces, if you don't have the gadgets for making zucchini noodles.

Preheat large deep skillet on high heat and add chicken. Saute until golden brown, stirring occasionally. Add cumin, 1/2 tsp salt and ground black pepper towards the end, stir and cook for another minute. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

Wipe clean or wash and pat dry the skillet and return to the stove on high heat. Spray with cooking spray and add zucchini noodles. Saute for 1.5 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and add previously cooked chicken, remaining salt, small hot peppers/jalapeños, lime juice and cilantro. Stir gently and serve hot.

Makes 3 servings.
258 Calories
5.3 g Fat
10.3 g Carbohydrates
47.5 g Protein

This recipe comes from Mouth Watering Foods.

Broccoli, Mushroom, and Ham Egg Bake

Broccoli, Mushroom, and Ham Egg Bake

1 lb. brown or white mushrooms, sliced
6 seconds of Spray Cooking Oil
4 cups broccoli flowerets, cut into fairly small pieces
9 oz diced lean ham
1 cup shredded Mozzarella Cheese
1/2 cup lowfat Cottage Cheese
4 eggs
24 Tbsp of Egg Beaters
1 tsp. Spike Seasoning (or your favorite all-purpose seasoning that's good with eggs)
fresh ground black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375F. Spray a 10" x 14" glass baking dish with 3 seconds of nonstick spray.

Heat 3 seconds of nonstick spray in a large frying pan, then saute mushrooms until they're soft and liquid has evaporated, about 8 minutes. While mushrooms cook, chop broccoli and bring a large pot of water to a boil. Put chopped broccoli into water and cook 2-3 minutes (not longer, because the broccoli will cook more when this bakes.) Drain broccoli into a colander placed in the sink, and let drain while you chop the ham.

In a glass baking dish layer the blanched broccoli, sauteed mushrooms, diced ham, and grated cheese. Beat the eggs with the cottage cheese, Spike Seasoning and black pepper and pour over the other ingredients. Use a fork to gently stir until all the broccoli, mushrooms, ham, and cheese are coated with egg.

Bake 50-60 minutes, or until the eggs are set and the top of the egg bake is slightly browned.

I bake this on the weekend and keep in the fridge for breakfasts all through the week. Reheat in the microwave for only 60 seconds.

Makes 8 servings

200 Calories

9.2 g Fat

7.6 g Carbohydrates

20.2 g Protein

This recipe has been modified a bit, but comes from one of my favorite websites: Kayln's Kitchen.

Skinny Chimichangas

20 oz ground lean turkey breast

1 cup onion, finely chopped

1.5 cloves garlic, minced

4 tsp chili powder

2 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp ground cumin

15 oz can tomato sauce

4 tbsp mild green chili peppers, diced

¹⁄₂ cup reduced-fat cheddar cheese, shredded

4 second cooking spray

5 in fat-free flour tortillas

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a medium nonstick skillet with 2 seconds of nonstick spray; set over medium-high heat.

Add the turkey, onion, garlic, chili powder, oregano, and cumin.

Cook, breaking up the turkey with a wooden spoon until browned, about 6 minutes.

Stir in the tomato sauce and the chilies; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until the flavors are blended and the mixture thickens, slightly, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the cheddar cheese.

Meanwhile, wrap the tortillas in foil and place in the oven to warm for 10 minutes.

Divide the filling into 5 equal portions. Place on top of the tortillas. Fold in the sides, then roll to enclose the filling.

Place the chimichangas, seam-side down, on the baking sheet that’s been slightly sprayed.

Lightly spray the tops of the tortillas with nonstick spray. Bake until golden and crisp, about 20 minutes. Do not turn.

5 Servings

292 Calories

7.4 g Fat

29.5 g Carbohydrates

37.5 g Protein

This recipe comes from KitchMe.

Cauliflower Pizza

1 cup shredded cauliflower

1 oz low fat ricotta cheese

3 oz light mozzarella cheese, divided

1/4 cup Egg Beaters

1/8 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp dried basil

1/2 cup Italian or Rotel diced tomatoes - less than 5 g of carbs per 1/2 cup

1/5 cup of chopped veggies for toppings

1 spray cooking oil

Puree diced tomatoes if desired in a small chopper for a few seconds. Set aside. Weigh/measure cauliflower (1 cup of raw cauliflower = 100 grams), then wash it and grate in a food processor. Next, add the 1/4 cup egg beaters, 1 oz light ricotta, 1 oz light mozzarella, basil and garlic powder and stir.

Line a pan with parchment paper sprayed lightly with cooking spray. Use the back of your spoon to spread them out. They really won't spread much during cooking (they'll actually shrink a bit), so you can get the crusts close together. The thinner, the crispier.

Bake for 30 minutes at 425. Take it out, flip it and then bake for another 10-15 minutes. If it needs longer, keep it in the oven longer.

Add tomato sauce, cheese and toppings on top. Broil until cheese is melted about 5 to 10 minutes.

Tip from Sandy:
Cool completely and toss them in a gallon Ziploc bag in the freezer. They freeze and reheat VERY well. I used to put waxed paper in between them so they wouldn't stick, but I didn't do it last time, and guess what? As long as you cool the crusts before freezing, they won't stick anyway. Waste of waxed paper and a hassle (again, the lazy). (I add my tomato sauce, cheese and toppings to the crust and then freeze but you can do it this way as well. I wrap each pizza individually in foil and then put 2 or 3 pizzas in one gallon sized Ziploc bag. Then I bake for 15 minutes at 425 degrees.)

*To reheat and finalize cooking, pop a frozen one back in the oven at 425 on parchment for 10 - 12 minutes. Then add my tomato puree, cheese, and toppings and cook it for another 5 minutes to get the sauce and cheese hot and melted.

1 Serving

239 Calories

8.6 g Fat

15.7 g Carbohydrates

21.6 g Protein

This recipe comes from Sandy's Kitchen.

Oven-Fried Chicken

32 oz skinless chicken breasts cut into 4 oz pieces

1 cup 7 Whole Grain Kashi Nuggets
1 1/4 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
3 tbls Egg Beaters with 2 Tbls water until foamy

Heat oven to 350'F. Spray a large, rimmed baking sheet with nonstick spray; set aside. Mix the Kashi, chili powder, cumin, thyme, onion powder, and garlic powder on a large plate until well blended.

Drain and rinse the breasts and blot dry with paper towels. Dip one piece in the egg white mixture, let the excess slip back into bowl, then roll the breast in the cereal mixture, lightly coating all sides. Place on the prepared baking sheet and repeat with remaining breasts.

Bake until crunchy and brown, about 25 or 30 minutes. Let stand at room temperature 2 to 3 minutes before serving.

6 Servings

245 Calories

2.5 g Fat

16.6 g Carbohydrates

38.2 g Protein

This recipe comes from Dr. Phil.

Thursday, January 8, 2015

Vegetable Pizza

Vegetable Pizza

1 Tube Crescent Rolls
8 oz Cream Cheese
1 envelope of Ranch Salad Dressing Mix
2 tablespoons Milk
3 cups chopped vegetables (broccoli, sweet peppers, cauliflower, olives, etc)

Unroll crescent roll dough into one long rectangle. Spray cooking spray on a cookie sheet and smooth out the crescent rolls with a rolling pin to seal seams and perforations. Bake at 375° for 11-13 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely.

In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, salad dressing mix and milk until smooth. Spread over crust. Sprinkle with vegetables.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. Cut into 16 pieces.

Wonton Soup

1 tablespoon sesame oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger

4 cups chicken broth

4 ounces shiitake mushrooms (any kind can be used)

2 baby bok choy (cut in thirds)

1/4 bunch chopped cilantro (more to taste)

3 green onions, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon yellow miso paste, or more, to taste

Frozen wontons of your choice

Heat 1 tablespoon sesame oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add garlic and ginger, and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.