Healthy Orange Chicken

I thought this was a great way to make orange chicken that doesn't involve deep frying. The sauce is yummers!

Orange Chicken

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 2″ cubes
1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons oil or butter

1 1/2 cups water
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1/3 cup rice vinegar
2 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon orange zest
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon finely minced ginger
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons green onion
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup water

DIRECTIONS:
Heat oven to 350. In a shallow dish combine the flour, garlic powder and pepper. Dip each piece of chicken in flour mixture and coat evenly.

Pour oil (or melt butter and pour) in a shallow baking dish, large enough to accommodate chicken in a single layer. Arrange chicken in pan and bake uncovered for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan combine water, fresh orange juice, rice vinegar, soy sauce, orange zest and whisk over medium heat for a few minutes. Then stir in brown sugar, ginger, garlic, and green onion and let it come to a boil. Combine cornstarch with water and let it dissolve (very important to add the cornstarch this way) and add it to the sauce until thickened.

After chicken has baked the 30 minutes, turn each piece over and pour 1/2 sauce mixture evenly over chicken. Bake another 30 to 40 minutes basting frequently.

Serve chicken over rice with extra sauce on the side.

Tamale Pie

Tamale Pie

serves 5-6

Homemade corn bread dough (I used this recipe)
1 lb. ground beef
2 red peppers, diced (any color and amount would do)
1 onion, diced
can of corn
can of black beans
salsa (any amount to give it some liquid)
sour cream (a couple spoonfuls, again, to moisten it)
cheddar cheese, grated (however much you want)

Preheat oven to 400 F.
Make corn bread as recipe directs. I used this recipe. In a large sauté pan cook ground beef until cooked through. Add peppers and onion, sauté for 5 or so minutes. Add corn and beans. Remove from heat. Add salsa, sour cream and cheese. Mix well. Place mixture in baking pan and spread the corn bread dough out on top as well as you can.
Bake for 25 minutes or until the corn bread on top is done.

Chicken Corn Chowder & Olive Garden Dressing

Chicken Corn Chowder

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 stalks of celery, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup thinly sliced or cooked chopped ham
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 (14-oz.) cans chicken broth
3 tablespoons flour
1 can corn
2 large chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
4 oz. softened cream cheese
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

DIRECTIONS:
Place olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Saute celery, bell pepper, onion and jalapeno until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and ham; cook for another 3 minutes. Whisk the broth with the flour in a liquid measuring cup or bowl and then stir into the soup. Stir in the corn and chicken. Bring to a low boil and reduce heat. Melt the cream cheese a little in the microwave and whisk together with the milk. Add the milk/cream cheese mixture to soup and add salt and pepper.

-and-

Olive Garden Salad Dressing

1/2 cup mayonaise
1/3 cup white vinegar
1 tsp olive oil
4 TB parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp parsley flakes
1 TB lemon juice
2 TB honey
1 clove garlic, minced

Mix all in a blender! And don't let the mayo fool you or scare you away. This doesn't make a creamy dressing. It really is just like the Olive Garden dressing. Yum Yum. Many recipes say to add more sugar but I think it is just perfect with the honey already added. But do as you wish.

-and-

Costco's sourdough bread. MMMMMM. I waited wayyyyy to long in line today just for two loafs of this.

Healthy Veggie Burritos

A friend made this for my family, after I had my baby! It is delicious and healthy! I had to share it with you!

Ingredients:
green pepper
red pepper
red onion
spinach
shredded carrots
can of black beans , rinsed
can on corn, rinsed
uncooked tortillas
1 pound of chicken
shredded cheese
1 TBS Worceshire sauce
1/4 cup Italian dressing
Olive oil

taco seasoning packet (two options read directions first)
low fat cream cheese or southwestern cream cheese


Directions:
Cut up veggies, whatever I have on had, usually its red onions, green and red peppers, carrots, and spinach.

Marinade chicken  in Italian dressing and Worcesshire sauce for 10-15 min.

Grill chicken on the stove over medium high heat with olive oil. when the chicken is seared turn it down to medium heat

Add the veggies, corn add black beans

two options: either add a 8 oz tub of Fat Free Cream cheese and 1/4 of milk. and then do 1/2 of taco seasoning from a packet(low sodium). Make sure to stir thoroughly.or you can do the Philly cooking cream southwestern style tub. already premixed with the above stuff. both taste exactly the same.

Let it simmer for 5 minutes or so.

cook the uncooked tortillas, grilled them on each side then added the chicken mixture and some cheese.

homemade refried beans (healthy version)

And yet again I have no after picture. I just get so excited. And hungry.

I have been wanting to make homemade refried beans for some time now. Kevin fell in love with them on our trips to Mexico. He would eat refried beans for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
But I did not want to put bacon grease or lard in it (like 1/2 cup!). That fat is probably what Kevin loves about it, but Im pretty sure if I saw that much lard or grease go into anything, I would feel sick.
But I will gladly eat refried beans made at any Mexican restaurant since I don't have to watch them make it :).

People these are good. Flavorful and good.


Healthy Refried Beans

1 T olive oil
4 large cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 C diced carrots (about 4 med carrots)
1 diced onion
2 cans beans, rinsed and drained
1 3.5oz can green chilies
2 cans low-sodium beef broth
1 t kosher salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/2 t chili powder
1/4 t cumin
1/2 t dry oregano leaves
1 bay leaf

Saute onion, carrots and garlic in olive oil for 3-5 minutes.
Add the rest of ingredients and simmer for 25 minutes.
Remove bay leaf.
Puree in blender until completely smooth.
Enjoy!
Sprinkle cheese, or melt cheddar cheese on top.

perfect roast chicken

Sorry no pictures. My computer is being difficult.

Found this Ina Garten recipe online. Looked easy enough. And it was! I will be making this over and over and over and over again.

Roast Chicken

1 (5 to 6 pound) roasting chicken
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 large bunch fresh thyme, plus 20 sprigs
1 lemon, quartered
1 head garlic, cut in half crosswise
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter, melted
1 large yellow onion, thickly sliced
4 carrots cut into 2-inch chunks
1 bulb of fennel, tops removed, and cut into wedges ( I didn't add this, and it was still awesome)
Olive oil

Preheat oven to 425 F.

Pat the outside of the chicken dry so the salt + pepper and butter will stick to make a nice crusty top.
Generously sprinkle salt + pepper all over chicken and inside cavity.
Fill the cavity with the fresh thyme, lemon quarters and garlic.
Brush melted butter all over chicken and then again sprinkle with salt + pepper.
Tie the legs together with some kitchen string (you want those legs close to the body so they will not get burnt), and tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken.
In your oven-proof pan, toss carrots,onion and extra thyme with the olive oil and sprinkle will salt + pepper. Place the chicken on top.
Roast the chicken for 1 1/2 hours.
Remove chicken and cover with aluminum foil for about 20 minutes.
Enjoy!
You'll probably want to eat the whole chicken in one sitting between just the two of you; we did.

Easy Baked Eggplant Parmesan

Recipe from Whole Foods Market

I made this last week, because I was given my aunt and uncles fresh eggplant ... this recipe is really easy and yummy!!

Ingredients:
1 large eggplant, sliced lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick pieces (about eight)
2 eggs, beaten with a fork
1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs (sundried tomato or plain)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil*
1 (25-ounce) jar pasta sauce (roasted vegetable or any variety)*
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese*
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven with a baking sheet inside to 375°F. Coat eggplant slices with beaten egg, then bread with panko crumbs. Spread oil on hot baking sheet and place eggplant slices on it in a single layer. Bake 15 minutes, flip and bake another 10 minutes.
Increase oven temperature to 475°F. In an 8 x 10-inch ovenproof dish, layer pasta sauce, then eggplant, and top with cheeses. Repeat, finishing with cheese. Bake until the cheese melts and turns golden in spots, about 15 minutes.