Two Tomato Pasta with Mozzarella, Basil & Pine Nuts

Want a healthy, light, fresh pasta for dinner? TRY THIS!

Recipe curtousy of theitaliandishblog.com
Ingredients

• 10 ounces of grape tomatoes
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced or grated
• 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
• salt & pepper
• 1/3 cup pine nuts
• 10 ounces spaghetti
• 14 ounces very small tomatoes (about 8 to 10), cut into chunks
• 8 ounces mozzarella, cubed
• about 10 basil leaves, julienned

Instructions:

For the slow roasted tomatoes: 
 Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
Line a baking sheet with foil.  Slice grape tomatoes in half and place on baking sheet with the garlic and 2 tablespoons olive oil.  Season with some salt and pepper.  Toss well. Bake for about two hours or until the tomatoes are reduced down and have lost a lot of their moisture. (WARNING: this will make your house smell like sweet tomato heaven and when they're done you're going to have to control yourself from eating them all)

Toast the pine nuts:
Place pine nuts in a small skillet.  Cook over medium high heat just for a few minutes, until lightly toasted. 

Make the Pasta:
Bring a large pot of well salted water to a boil.  Cook the pasta just until al dente. Remove with tongs and place in a large serving bowl (don't drain- you want a little pasta water still on the pasta so it doesn't stick).

Putting it together:
Add the slow roasted tomatoes, the toasted pine nuts, the fresh tomatoes, the mozzarella, 4 tablespoons olive oil and the basil leaves.  Season generously with salt and pepper and toss well. 

*p.s. you can also make this as a side dish for a dinner party and impress all your friends :)

ENJOY!!!!

Nutrition Information

339 cals * 31 carbs * 21g Fat  * 10g Protein * 3g sugar * 4g Fiber

Sweet and Sour Chicken and Fried Rice

WINNER!!!! 

Yup, it won the "husband said it was his favorite dish" Award

Success. 

Make it, Bake it, and Enjoy. 

 Recipe adapted from of life-as-a-lofthouse.blogspot.com

Ingredients for Sweet and Sour Chicken:

Coating:

• 3-4 boneless chicken breasts
• salt + pepper
• 1/4-1/2 cornstarch
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/4 cup canola oil

Sauce:

•   1 1/2 cup sugar
•   8 tbs ketchup
• 1/2 apple vinegar & 1/2 cup distilled white vinegar 

you can use 1/2 white vinegar but the apple vinegar made it have a phenomenal taste

•   2 tbs soy sauce
•   2 tsp garlic salt  
• 1 can of chunk pineapple 

 Directions: 
 
Preheat oven to 325
Wash and pat dry chicken then cut into cubes. 
Salt and Pepper as desired.
Prep one small bowl of corn starch and another small bowl of whisked eggs

Dip the cubed chicken first into the corn starch, THEN into the eggs (yes, you didn't read it wrong)

Place onto a plate (obviously mine almost over flowed)

Heat large Skillet with oil on Medium heat and then quick fry till chicken egg mixture is cooked on the outside but the chicken is not cooked through. Remember to mix it around while frying. (The smaller cubes the have the less time to fry because the chicken will cook through faster so be careful)

Place cooked chicken into a 9x13 pan

Whisk all ingredients for sweet and sour sauce in a small bowl and pour over chicken.

Bake for 15 min then flip/stir chicken. Repeat 3 more times for a total of an hour. (I turned my heat up to 350 for the last two 15 min intervals, but all ovens vary so adjust accordingly.)

Sauce with thicken and caramelize as it bakes. Trust me.

Ingredients for Fried Rice:

• 3 cups cooked  rice (day old or leftover rice works best! I used brown rice and made it the night before and refrigerated it)
• 3 tbs sesame oil (I used olive oil)
• 1 cup frozen peas and carrots (thawed)
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten
• 1/4 cup soy sauce

In a large skillet or wok heat oil over Medium-High heat. Add Peas/Carrots, Onions, and garlic and stir fry until tender.

Move Mix to one side of the skillet and add in semi-whisked eggs. Stir fry until scrambled. (its okay if some peas and carrots get in those eggs)

Turn heat to Medium-Low and  stir in Rice and soy sauce. Mix until thoroughly warmed.

Serve with chicken on top of rice or off to the side. 

ENJOY!!!!

Slow Cooker Honey-Glazed Garlic Chicken

Mouthful of a title I know, but it did make your mouth water so keep reading and maybe no one will notice the drool. 

This was my FIRST crock pot/slow cooker recipe! 
Now, since I moved out to the mid west it was almost a taboo to say that sentence since its a staple cooking machine out here. 
So I knew it was time to break it out!

Thanks to one of my new favorite websites: myfoodfridge.com I was able to find this recipe at 6 am in the morning (I had been struggling for a few days with not having an ingredient or two and didn't want to run to the store; this website solved my dilemma) and had it cooking all day, allowing the house to smell like honey glazed deliciousness.

It was enjoyed on top of brown rice with side of mixed veggies. 

It's SUPER EASY so have no fear...

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts (they can be frozen)
1/2 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
1/2 cup natural ketchup
1/2 cup honey 
3 minced garlic cloves


Directions:

Place chicken at bottom of slow cooker/crock pot. Mix soy sauce, ketchup, honey, and garlic in a small bowl. Pour over chicken and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high 3-4. I found it was done at or before 6 hours ( I mean when I pushed on the chicken with a fork it just fell apart:See picture below). So I turned it to warm until dinner time!

 Serve over rice and spoon extra sauce from pot onto chicken. 

ENJOY!!!!

Sweet Potato Chili

I loved this so much. Seriously ate 2 bowls every sitting..and well with the nutrition info like this it was not a problem.  

Recipe Credit: ChocolateCoveredKatie.com

Ingredient: 

• 2 cups sliced onion (1 large)
• 20 oz peeled and cubed sweet potato
• 2/3 cup diced zucchini
• 1-2 cans black beans (or another bean)
• 1 28-oz can diced tomatoes
• 1 1/2 tbs chili powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp orange zest
•  1 cup corn
• 1 cup water (or broth)

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a big pot, and bring to a boil. Then lower and cook until the sweet potatoes are soft. The chili tastes even better the next day, after the flavors have had a chance to combine.

 ENJOY!!!! 

Nutrition Info:

1 Serving (about 1 cup): 136 cal * 1 g Fat *6g protein; 26 carbs* 7 g fiber*

Healthy Chicken Parmesan

I'm all about the "nothing is off limits" rule for dieting because for me that is deprivation and my body just wants it more if I deny it.... 

So I found a healthier way to eat this normally FAT and CARB loaded dinner

for easy cost of only 255 cal a piece of chicken: smothered in bread, sauce, and cheese...I know, just trust me and read on...

Healthy Chicken Parmesan

adapted from Feedingmytemple.com

Ingredients:

• (4) 4oz chicken breasts thawed

• 3/4 cup seasoned breadcrumbs  (I just used plain and seasoned myself with Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and paprika)

• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (if you did what I did above add if you like the extra taste!)

• 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasonings (same....add if you want extra)

• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (make sure if using fresh they are grated small...I had to break mine into small pieces)

• 1 1/2-2 tbsp butter, melted  (I used Parkay...you can use 2 egg whites to sub)

• 3/4 cup reduced fat mozzarella cheese (OR just more Parmesan. that's what I did)

• 1 cup marinara or your favorite spaghetti sauce (Again I made my own with tomato paste, Italian seasoning, minced garlic, oregano, salt and pepper.)

• cooking spray ( used our MISTO!)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450°.
 Line large baking sheet with foil (easy clean up) and spray lightly with cooking spray.

Combine breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, and Italian seasonings in a bowl. Melt the butter in the microwave in another bowl (this is usually melted after about 20 seconds, so watch it closely.) If using egg whites just place in bowl. Lightly brush the butter or egg whites onto the chicken, then dip into breadcrumb/cheese mixture. 

Place on baking sheet and repeat with the remaining 3 pieces of chicken.

Lightly spray a little more cooking spray on top (this makes it nice and crispy) and bake in the oven for 20 minutes. 
 Remove chicken from oven and spoon sauce over each piece and top with mozzarella or Extra Parmesan cheese and bake another 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

ENJOY!!!!

Healthy Cream Sauce Chicken

Well I was in search of  healthy wine cream sauce chicken recipe...wine+cream=healthy? yeah right.

SO I made my own!

Ingredients:

• 4 boneless chicken breasts
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 1 tbs butter (I used parkay)
• 2/3 cup reduced sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup Plain Greek Yogurt
• 2 tbs lemon juice
• 1 tbs brown sugar
• Sea salt (Rub)
• Table salt and Pepper to taste (sauce)

Directions:

Swirl olive oil and butter in a large skillet on Medium-High heat. Let melt till the butter has little to no bubbles left (not brown!).
Meanwhile, Cut any fat off chicken breasts, then pat dry with a paper towel (helps them brown) and rub sea salt on breasts.

When ready, place chicken breasts (pretty side down first) in skillet and leave for 5 min. Then flip and leave for 4 min.
Check chicken is done with temp reader (165 deg) or slice the middle and look to make sure not pink.
Take out chicken, place on a plate, and  keep warm.

Add chicken broth and lemon juice to skillet (leave left behind chicken bits and juices) and and let boil to a little more 1/4 cup of liquid. (so the sauce is not thin in the end) stir every once in awhile.

Reduce heat to low and stir in 1/2 cup of Greek yogurt.
Slowly add brown sugar and salt and pepper taste.
Stir every once in awhile.

Cook any other things may want and then spoon sauce over chicken and serve!
(I chose red potatoes and broccoli) :)
ENJOY!!!!