Chicken, Mushroom, and Quinoa Skillet

Really tasty.  The spices give extra oomph!

• 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed
• 1 tsp crushed, dried rosemary
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp ground pepper
• 2 tsp olive oil, divided
• ½ yellow onion, chopped
• 8 oz. crimini mushrooms, sliced
• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cups low-fat chicken broth
• 1 ½ cups sliced spinach leaves
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Place the chicken thighs in a medium bowl. Add the rosemary, smoked paprika, salt and pepper, and toss to coat the chicken.
2. Heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil in large nonstick skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 2 minutes on each side. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
3. Heat the remaining 1 teaspoon of olive oil in the skillet. Add the onion and mushrooms, and cook until the vegetables are tender, 4 to 5 minutes.
4. Stir the quinoa and broth into the vegetables. Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Nestle the chicken into the quinoa, and cook (covered) until the liquid is absorbed and the chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes (total of 30 minutes).
5. Transfer the chicken to a plate. Stir the spinach into the quinoa. Serve with the chicken. Season to taste.

Tzaziki Sauce

This sauce goes great with Gyro Burgers, chicken breast, or just about anything you want to have that Mediterranean flavor.

1 Cup plain Greek yogurt
1 cucumber, peeled and diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp. Fresh dill, chopped
Salt

Sprinkle the chopped cucumber liberally with salt.  Let sit for about 1/2 hour.  Drain off liquid well.

Mix the cucumber into the yogurt along with the other ingredients.

Creamy Cashew Ginger Dressing

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• This is fabulous on Chinese Chicken Salad!
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• ½ cup cashew butter (you can substitute peanut butter)
• ¼ cup rice wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp soy sauce (or tamari, for gluten free)
• 1 green onion, rough chopped
• 1 TBSP sesame oil
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• 1 clove garlic
• 1-2 tbsp pure maple syrup
• dash of sriarcha
• salt/pepper to taste
• 1-2 tbsp of water to thin, if desired

Chop onion in blender, then add all other ingredients.  Blend until smooth and creamy.  

Lentil Salad

So good, and so HEALTHY!

1 cup dried lentils
2 1/2 cups water.
1 1/2 tsp. Kosher salt

Clean lentils, rinse and place in pot with the water.  Bring to a full boil, reduce heat to low and cover pan.  Cook approx. 1 hour, or until lentils are tender.  Stir in salt.  Chill.

1 bunch green onions
2 tomatoes
1 red bell pepper
2 carrots - grated
3 TBSP. capers
1 small can chopped black olives.

Juice of 1 lemon
2 Tbsp. Olive oil
1/2 tsp. Garlic powder
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all together in small bowl.

Chop onions, tomatoes, and bell pepper into very tiny pieces.  Add carrots, capers, and olives.  Mix in drained, cooled lentils.  Stir in dressing and let chill for at least 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Will keep several days in the refrigerator.

Southwestern Chicken and Veggies

Delicious, easy, and healthy!

2 zucchini , quartered and diced
2 red bell peppers, diced bite sized

1 rotisserie chicken breast, diced
1 can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 small can diced green chilies
1 small can black olives, drained
1 cup chicken broth
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup raw brown rice, cooked using chicken broth
Salsa
Grated cheese
Sour cream
Sliced avocado

Cook rice and set aside.
Saute zucchini and bell peppers  with 2 TBSP oil over high heat until beginning to brown.
Add chicken, beans my chilies, olives and broth, reduce heat to low and cover.  Let simmer for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper as desired.
Serve over brown rice with cheese, salsa, sour cream and avocado.

Spanish Stew

I served this over unpeeled, mashed yukon gold potatoes.  Heavenly!

(You can adjust the amounts of smoked paprika and tomato paste to your liking.  Just don't add too much tomato as it will overwhelm the sauce.)

4 to 5 pound boneless beef chuck or cross rib roast
Salt & Pepper
Flour
oil

4 large carrots peeled and each cut into 4 chunks
2 cups diced yellow onion
4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 bottle red wine (if you won't drink it, don't cook with it...just not too sweet)
1  cup beef broth
2 TBSP. tomato paste (I like the Italian type in the tube)
2 TBSP. smoked paprika
1 tsp. dried thyme
 8 ounces crimini mushrooms -cleaned and halved.

Trim the excess fat and silver skin from the pot roast, ending up with about 8 nice sized chunks.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then dredge in flour.
Pour a thin coat of cooking oil into a large skillet, and saute the meat chunks on each side until browned. (Don't put too many chunks in the pan at once or they won't brown well and will begin to lose their liquid.)
Put carrot chunks in bottom of a large dutch oven.  Put meat chunks on top.
In leftover pan drippings, saute the onion until they are turning a nice golden color.  Add garlic and saute for another minute or so.  Stir in 2 to 3 TBSP. of the leftover dredging flour and saute for another minute. De-glaze the pan with the wine and then add the broth.  Mixture should be starting to thicken a bit.
Add tomato paste, paprika and thyme.  Pour over the top of the beef and cover dutch oven well.
Cook in 300 degree oven for 2 hours.  Stir in the mushrooms and cook 1 more hour, or until meat is very tender.

Spinach Feta Burgers

2 lbs leanest ground beef
6 oz fresh spinach
4 oz crumbled low fat feta cheese
2 cloves garlic - minced
salt & pepper

DIRECTIONS

Saute spinach in non stick skillet, using a small amount of cooking spray. Right before spinach is completely wilted, add garlic and saute. Chop spinach and add into the ground beef along with the feta cheese and seasonings. Form into 8 patties, and fry in skillet.

Cabbage Rolls (Pigs in the Blankets)

This recipe comes originally from my paternal grandmother, who passed away before I was born.  My mother kept it alive, and I make them as soon as the weather starts to turn cold...

2 pounds lean ground beef
1 medium onion -- minced
2 eggs
2/3 cup raw white rice
1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 large cabbage
1 to 1 1/2 quarts Beef broth

Mix together meat, onion, egg, rice and salt and pepper. In the meantime core and wash cabbage and begin to steam.  As outer leaves soften, remove and save. Once all cabbage is done steaming, divide the meat mixture into 10 equal portions and form into balls. place each ball of meat onto the edge of a cabbage leaf and roll up burrito style.   Layer rolls in large pan with grate on the bottom to keep rolls from burning. Chop left over cabbage and layer in between the rolls. Mix together the crushed tomatoes and beef broth. Pour over rolls and cover with lid. Let simmer on medium low heat for about 2 hours.

salt and pepper broth to taste.

Makes 10 rolls.

Greek Rice Salad

1 can corn -- drained
2 cups cooked rice ( I use cooked brown rice)
1/4 cup red bell pepper -- chopped
1/4 cup green onion -- sliced
1/4 cup black olives -- chopped
1 cup tomato -- chopped

3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
3 tablespoons parmesan cheese -- grated

Mix together first 6 ingredients in large bowl. Mix together remaining ingredients in a shaker jar and shake well. Pour over the rice mixture and toss well. Chill overnight.

Fresh Corn & Chicken Salad

I found the beginning of this salad in Sunset magazine, but it didn't have the avacados or the cheese...the fools!

2 ears corn
1 whole chicken breast -- cooked
2 small avacados -- diced
1 can ripe olives -- drained and sliced
1 can pinto beans -- rinsed and drained
2 green onions -- sliced
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro -- chopped
2 cups lettuce leaves
1/4 cup olive oil
2 small limes -- juiced
1/4 teaspoon cumin -- dried
1 clove garlic -- minced
salt and pepper -- to taste
1 cup queso fresco -- crumbled


Steam corn slightly. Let cool. Cut off cob.
Chop chicken breast into bite size pieces. A grocery store cooked chicken works great.
Mix together all salad ingredients.
make dressing from lime juice, olive oil, cumin, garlic, salt and pepper. Pour over and toss.


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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 2026 Calories; 96g Fat (41.3% calories from fat); 123g Protein; 183g Carbohydrate; 55g Dietary Fiber; 222mg Cholesterol; 436mg Sodium. Exchanges: 10 1/2 Grain(Starch); 12 1/2 Lean Meat; 1 Vegetable; 1 Fruit; 11 1/2 Fat.


Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0