Tabbouleh

Who ever said that Ina Garten can't cook without using a stick of butter must have missed this delicious recipe. There are so many health benefits in this dish and it is so delicious. My husband loves this! I honestly think he is part rabbit because he can sit down and chomp on a red pepper like it's an apple, but it's kinda nice because I am able to serve him yummy healthy meals like this and he really appreciates it. You can serve this as a side dish or eat up a bigger portion for the main dish. I made this full recipe and Micah and I ate it for a few days. If you make it for dinner any extra left over will make a great lunch the next day. You will love the texture and flavor the bulghur wheat gives this dish. I have been using bulghur wheat a lot-talk about good for you! I will work on a post examining the benefits of eating this wheat because it will make this dish that much more appealing:)

Tip: To make this a heartier meal I added some chunks of feta. Also, I have seen Ina serve this in pita bread with big chunks of feta.

Tabbouleh
Ina Garten
serves 8

Ingredients

nocoupons

• 1 cup bulghur wheat
• 1 1/2 cups boiling water
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
• 1/4 cup good olive oil
• 3 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 cup minced scallions, white and green parts (1 bunch)
• 1 cup chopped fresh mint leaves (1 bunch)
• 1 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley (1 bunch)
• 1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, seeded, and medium-diced
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes, cut in half (I used red pepper instead, just because I don't like tomatoes....I know I really gotta work on that one)
  
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Place the bulghur in a large bowl, pour in the boiling water, and add the lemon juice, olive oil, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Stir, then allow to stand at room temperature for about 1 hour.

Add the scallions, mint, parsley, cucumber, tomatoes, 2 teaspoons salt, and the pepper; mix well. Season, to taste, and serve or cover and refrigerate. The flavor will improve if the tabbouleh sits for a few hours.

Balsamic Chicken with Baby Spinach

This is the first Ellie Krieger recipe I have tried, and it was definitely a keeper. Yum! I am getting hungry right now thinking about it. It if a very simple yet flavorful meal. It has a serving of protein, a whole grain, and a green vegetable...perfect!

Balsamic Chicken with Baby Spinach

by Ellie Krieger

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

3 cloves garlic, chopped

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast

8 ounces baby spinach

2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1/3 cup low sodium chicken stock

1 cup canned low-sodium diced tomatoes in juice

2 cups whole-wheat couscous, cooked

Heat a large saute pan over med-high heat. Add the oil and heat. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the chicken and cook about 4 minutes per side, until cooked through and juices run clear. Remove the chicken and set aside. To the same pan, add the spinach and cook just until wilted, about 1 to 2 minutes. Lower the heat to medium and add the balsamic vinegar and chicken broth to the pan and stir, scraping the bottom of the pan to remove any browned bits. Add the tomatoes, bring to a simmer and cook 3 to 5 minutes. Place couscous in a serving bowl. Top with the spinach, chicken and balsamic-tomato sauce.

Greek Chicken Kabobs with Lemon Rice

I am excited to say that I have found a yummy, easy, and healthy recipe! I have felt like I have done the same dinners the past month-stir fry, pasta, breaded chicken breasts. I needed something new, and something amazing. These chicken kabobs definitely fit the description. They are so flavorful while tasting so light. I paired these kabobs with a Greek salad and Greek lemon rice. Rarely do I ever make a meal, sit down to eat it, and rave about my own work-but last night I couldn't stop saying how delicious the whole meal was! The rice was wonderful, the salad fresh, the kabobs so flavorful. I am so excited to make this meal again. It's definitely going to become a staple meal in our home. The rice recipe calls for white rice, but you can substitute brown if you want. I rarely ever cook with white rice, in fact, before last night I couldn't remember the last time I had used it. I was lucky we even had it. Since it's such a rare occasion when I use white rice I didn't feel the least bit guilty using it for the rice dish. I will probably try the recipe out next time with brown, but the white rice was so good in it! A quick tip, if you don't have a grill or don't want to take the time to fire it up, I grilled my kabobs on my panini maker and they turned out great.

Marinated Greek Chicken Kabobs

Ingredients

• 1 (8 ounce) container fat-free plain yogurt
• 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese with basil and sun-dried tomatoes (I used plain feta)
  
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed dried rosemary
• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1 large red onion, cut into wedges
• 1 large green bell pepper, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces

Directions

1. In a large shallow baking dish, mix the yogurt, feta cheese, lemon zest, lemon juice, oregano, salt, pepper, and rosemary. Place the chicken in the dish, and turn to coat. Cover, and marinate 3 hours in the refrigerator.
2. Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat.
3. Thread the chicken, onion wedges, and green bell pepper pieces alternately onto skewers. Discard remaining yogurt mixture.
4. Grill skewers on the prepared grill until the chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.

Pilafi (Greek lemon rice)

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Serves 4 people

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 cup long grain white rice
• 1/4 onion, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 cups chicken broth
• juice and zest of one lemon

Directions

1. heat olive oil and butter in saucepan over medium heat.

2. cook onion, garlic and rice for 3-5 minutes until onion is soft and rice is completely coated in butter/oil.

3. stir in black pepper, lemon zest and chicken broth.

4. bring to a boil.

5. turn down heat and let simmer for 15 minutes covered.

6. when rice is fully cooked take off heat and add lemon juice.

7. serve as is or add a touch more butter and pepper.

Vegetable Curry Stir Fry

Ok, so I know I am posting another stir fry recipe right in a row, and this picture pretty much looks like the last one I posted, but I made this one the other night and loved it. I am a huge fan of curry and this sauce will now be my go to stir fry sauce. I will give you the full recipe to this stir fry, but I just used the sauce and did my own thing for the rest. I got the recipe from here, and it has all the nutritional information for this whole meal if you want to try it out.

Ingredients:

1/2cup fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth

2teaspoons cornstarch

2teaspoons reduced-sodium soy sauce

1-1/2teaspoons curry powder

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes (I left this out because I didn't have it)

Nonstick olive oil cooking spray

3 green onions, sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups broccoli florets

2/3 cup sliced carrot

1-1/2 teaspoons olive oil

6 ounces boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces

2/3 cup hot cooked rice, prepared without salt

Preparation:

1.

Stir together broth, cornstarch, soy sauce, curry powder and red pepper flakes. Set aside.

2.

Spray nonstick wok or large nonstick skillet with cooking spray. Heat over medium-high heat. Add green onions and garlic; stir-fry 1 minute. Remove from wok.

3.

Add broccoli and carrot to wok; stir-fry 2 to 3 minutes or until crisp-tender. Remove from wok.

4.

Add oil to hot wok. Add chicken and stir-fry 2 to 3 minutes or until cooked through. Stir broth mixture; add to wok. Cook and stir until broth mixture comes to a boil and thickens slightly. Return all vegetables to wok. Heat through. Serve over rice.

Quick and Easy Stir Fry

Lately I have been making a lot of stir fry. It's a great meal for when you have no idea what to make, it's inexpensive, and it can be very healthy. Now, I say it can be healthy, because a lot of stir fry recipes call for cooking the vegetables in oil or butter for a while. I used to do that, but lately I have been steaming my vegetables and find that the stir fry's turn out just as good. This stir fry is hardly an exact recipe. Whatever vegetables I have I use. I usually have brocoli and carrots on hand, so sometimes I just do a brocoli and carrot stir fry. But if I plan ahead I will grab zucchini, green onions, and peppers. Bok choy would be a great addition as well. I used to serve my vegis over brown rice, but lately I have been serving them over quinoa which I like better because it takes less time to cook and it's better for you. So like I said, this isn't an exact recipe but I will give you the jist as to what I do for my quick and easy stir fry meal:)

For the Sauce:
3 T. soy sauce (low sodium if you have it)
1 T. corn starch
1/4 c. water
1 T. honey (this is optional, but I like to add it to give it a little sweetness)

mix and set aside.

Steam assortment of vegies. I usually steam over a cup of vegies per person. You could do more or less if you like. I steam my vegies for about 10 minutes, I like them to remain a little crunchy. After vegies are steamed transfer them to a pan with just a tsp of olive oil, and sautee for just a minute (this step is optional, I like to do it because it sears the vegis a little which I like). Toss in the sauce and green onions if you have them (I like alot of green onions, about half a cup) Cook until sauce thickens. Serve over rice or quinoa.

Note: The sauce makes a lot, you could probably get 4 servings out of it. You could also toss in some chicken if you wanted, but quinoa is a good source of protein so this really is a nicely balanced meal.

Chicken Chili

I have never been a big fan of traditional chili, I think it is great that we have two alternative chili recipes in a row. I don't really like to call this chili because it doesn't taste anything like a typical bowl of chili...it's so much better and good for you too! I love this chili! Oh, and one serving, about 1 1/2 cups, has around 170 calories (not including toppings).

Chicken Chili

by Ina Garten

Ingredients

• 4 cups chopped yellow onions (3 onions)
• 1/8 cup good olive oil, plus extra for chicken
• 1/8 cup minced garlic (2 cloves)
• 2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded, and large-diced
• 2 yellow bell peppers, cored, seeded, and large-diced
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes, or to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more for chicken
• 2 (28-ounce) cans whole peeled plum tomatoes in puree, undrained
• 1/4 cup minced fresh basil leaves
• 4 split chicken breasts, bone in, skin on
• Freshly ground black pepper
• I added 1 cup of cooked quinoa - thanks for the idea Dana

For serving:

• Chopped onions, corn chips, grated cheddar, sour cream
• I top with avocado slices and corn tortilla strips

• Cook the onions in the oil over medium-low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the bell peppers, chili powder, cumin, red pepper flakes, cayenne, and salt. Cook for 1 minute. Crush the tomatoes by hand or in batches in a food processor fitted with a steel blade (pulse 6 to 8 times). Add to the pot with the basil. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Rub the chicken breasts with olive oil and place them on a baking sheet. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Roast the chicken for 35 to 40 minutes, until just cooked. Let cool slightly. Separate the meat from the bones and skin and cut it into 3/4-inch chunks. Add to the chili and simmer, uncovered, for another 20 minutes. Serve with the toppings, or refrigerate and reheat gently before serving.

Tortilla Strips

Stack 2 or 3 small corn tortillas and cut into thin strips with a pizza slicer. Heat some olive oil in a saute pan over med-high and then add the tortilla strips, cook until lightly browned and crunchy.

Tostadas

I found this recipe years ago in the Moosewood Cookbook by Mollie Katzen. When I made them way back then, I felt like it took hours, and I was left feeling exhausted! But I always thought it was worth the work because they are really good. Now when I make this meal, it doesn't seem like a big deal at all. I've got pretty good chopping skills now and more help in the kitchen. The beans are cooked in a little olive oil, rather than bacon fat, and you don't need to fry the tortillas in oil, so it really is a - good for you too - recipe.

Refried Beans

2 cups dry pinto beans, soaked

2-3 Tbs. olive oil

2 cups minced onion

5-6 (or more) medium cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp. cumin

1 1/2 tsp. salt black pepper

optional: 1 small bell pepper, minced

1) Cook the presoaked beans in plenty of boiling water until very soft. Drain and set aside.

2) Heat teh olive oil in a large skillet. Add onion, half the garlic, cumin, and salt. Saute over medium heat about 10 minutes, or until the onions are soft. Add (or don't add) the optional bell pepper, and saute another 5 minutes. Add remaining garlic; season with black pepper.

3) Turn heat to low, add beans, and mix well. Mash with a fork or a potato masher, and cook for just a few minutes more. Serve right away, or store in refrigerator or freezer until time to reheat.

Tostadas

Tortillas - You can deep fry them or just spray a pan with Pam and heat. I've been making my own and they are fabulous.

Refried beans - layer on top of tortilla.

Accessories -(use all or some - I always use cabbage rather than lettuce.)

shredded lettuce, shredded cabbage, avocados, minced olives, grated cheese, chopped tomatoes, shopped hardboiled egg, minced mild chilies, sour cream

Salsa Fresca - I think this is what makes them so good. Recipe follows.

Salsa Fresca

3-medium-sized ripe tomatoes

2 scallions, finely minced

2 medium cloves garlic, minced

a handful of parsley, finely minced

a handful of cilantro, finely minced

1 tsp. lightly toasted cumin seeds

3/4 to 1 tsp. salt

1 T. cider vinegar

1 T. olive oil

1 T. fresh lime juice

crushed red pepper, to taste

Just combine everything in a small bowl, cover tightly and chill.

Crunchy Garlic Chicken

Well, since Christmas I have had a new found determination to eat healthier and lose weight. Everyone has something that works best for them and I have definitely found what works for me. Its called Calorie Count! It is a website that helps you decide how much you should lose and sets goals with you to lose it in a certain amount of time. You enter your calories that you have eaten in a day and also the calories you have burned in a day. It is really nice because it has almost every food imaginable already in its system so if you have no idea how many calories are in something you can just type it in and figure it out!

This site has helped me so much because I never realized how many calories I take in in one day! I snack way too much and eat way too many useless calories. It has really made me aware of what I am putting in my mouth and I make a conscious effort to eat foods that are low in calories and also filling. I eat 1500 calories in a day (which when I first started I thought that I would be starving all day long) and I am shocked that at the end of the day I quite often have 200-500 calories left that I use to have a snack. I don't know about you, but if I tell myself I can't have any treats or snacks that is all I think about all day long :) I love Calorie Count because I can still have my snack if I am wise during the day with my calories. I am proud to say that I have lost ten pounds since Dec. 26th!! Wahoo! :) If you are interested the website is caloriecount.about.com.

So, since I started this I have been on a search for healthy, low calorie, and still yummy foods. I found this Cruncy Garlic Chicken in a Betty Crocker cookbook and it was a hit! I made it for Rick, Daci, Sophie and I (Fred and Penny were out of town) and everyone loved it! The chicken is only 205 calories and I made green beans and mashed potatoes as a side. Now, the potatoes are SCRUMPTIOUS (it is the BYU catering recipe) but definitely NOT healthy :) I thought that it would be okay to have them since the chicken is so low-calorie. I will post the potato recipe below but just keep in mind that they probably shouldn't be on this "healthy blog" :) I will definitely be making the chicken again, everyone liked it :)

Crunchy Garlic Chicken:
2 Tbsp butter, melted
2 Tbsp milk
1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 cups cornflakes cereal, crushed into one cup
3 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1/2 tsp paprika
6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (* I only had enough "juice" for 5 breasts)
2 Tbsp butter, melted

1. Heat oven to 425
2. Mix 2 Tbsp butter, the milk, 1 tbsp parsley, salt and garlic powder. Mix cornflakes, 3 tbsp parsley and paprika. Dip chicken into milk mixture, then coat lightly and evenly with cornflakes mixture. Place in pan and drizzle with 2 tbsp butter
3. Bake uncovered 20-25 minutes

1 serving is 205 calories

Fabulous Mashed Potatoes (BYU recipe)
4 large potatoes
4 oz cream cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1-2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
up to 1/2 cup milk
1 cup grated cheddar cheese (optional)

I calculated that one heaping serving is around 250 calories

Enjoy!

A Giada Keeper!

I wanted a special but healthy meal coming off of a week long cleanse and this dish exceeded my expectations. I have never been a fan of whole wheat pasta, but because of this meal I am now a believer! The fresh lemon and basil flavors played up the whole wheat pasta beautifully. It was an explosion of yumminess in my mouth! Hard to believe that a meal this beautiful and tasty took only 20 minutes to prepare. My daughter Sophie, who is not a fan of fish, LOVED the salmon mixed with the other ingredients. Carly, my other daughter, kept saying "How is this pasta going to be flavorful with hardly any sauce?", but after one bite, she was blown away with how just a few simple, fresh flavors can make a meal so incredibly flavorful. My husband said, "This is delicious!" I quickly responded, "And it's good for you too!"

-Penny

Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Lemon, Basil, and Salmon
by Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients

nocoupons

• 1/2 pound whole-wheat spaghetti pasta
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 (4-ounce) pieces salmon
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
• 3 tablespoons capers
• 1 lemon, zested
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 cups fresh baby spinach leaves

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta and transfer to a large bowl. Add the garlic, extra-virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper. Toss to combine.

Meanwhile, warm the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Season the salmon with salt and pepper. Add the fish to the pan and cook until medium-rare, about 2 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of the fish. Remove the salmon from the pan.

Add the basil, capers, lemon zest, and lemon juice to the spaghetti mixture and toss to combine. Set out 4 serving plates or shallow bowls. Place 1/2 cup spinach in each bowl. Top with 1/4 of the pasta. Top each mound of pasta with a piece of salmon. Serve immediately.