Category: Recipes

Primavera Stuffed Chicken

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I am continuing on with my ‘New Recipe A Week Adventure.’ This one from delish.com was a crowd pleaser. Don’t go easy on the stuffing part, load it up, the more the better!

INGREDIENTS

  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
  • kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
  • 1 zucchini, halved and thinly sliced into half moons
  • 3 medium tomatoes, halved and thinly sliced into rounds
  • 2 yellow bell peppers, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 c. shredded mozzarella

DIRECTIONS

  1. Preheat oven to 400º. Place chicken on a cutting board and make 5 slits in each breast, being careful not to cut through completely. Drizzle oil over chicken and season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.
  2. Stuff each chicken breast with zucchini, tomato, bell pepper, and red onion.
  3. Sprinkle each chicken breast with mozzarella.
  4. Bake until chicken is cooked through and no longer pink, 25 minutes.
  5. Serve.

Chicken and Rice Casserole

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What??? No picture of the actual meal? LAME! However, this picture of an empty casserole pan should convince you that you need to make this recipe. My kids got to it before I even had a chance to take a picture. It is definitely one of their favorite meals which makes it a WIN for me.

Chicken and Rice Casserole
Ingredients
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/3 cup mayo (can use light)
2 cups chopped cooked chicken
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup frozen peas
1/4 cup chopped green or red bell peppers (I leave these out)
2 cups cooked white rice
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided

Directions
Preheat oven to 350.

Blend soup, milk, salt, pepper, and mayo. in a medium bowl. Combine cooked chicken (I boil mine), onion, peas, bell pepper, and rice in a large bowl; mix gently.

Gently fold soup mixture into chicken mixture to combine. Fold in half the cheddar.

Spray a medium casserole dish with cooking spray. Spoon in chicken mixture.

Sprinkle top of casserole with remaining Cheddar.

Bake until top is golden brown, about 25 minutes.

Slow Cooker Shredded Beef Tacos

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For the last month, I have been trying at least 1 new recipe a week. You can’t go wrong with Six Sister’s! Everything I have tried of their’s has been good. I give this one 2 thumbs up. It rates high on all my criteria: Easy, Quick, No more than 5 ingredients, No Prep, and Good. Life is too busy to be adding fresh Ginger or Rosemary to my meals.

Normally I would do a soft corn tortilla for something like this but I followed the recipe and went with the crunchy taco this time. The combination of the meat and the taco shell was so good. So go with crunchy.

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 – 2 1/2 lbs beef chuck roast
  • 1 1-oz packet of taco seasoning
  • 1 cup salsa verde
  • 15 ounces canned corn (do not drain)
  • 1/2 cup beef broth
  • 8 taco shells

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Place roast in the slow cooker, and cover with taco seasoning. Pour one cup of salsa verde over top. Add one can of corn (with the juice!) and 1/2 cup beef broth. Cook on high for 3-4 hours, or low for 6-8. When it is finished cooking, pull from the slow cooker and shred, placing it back in the slow cooker when finished. Mix the shredded beef with the corn and liquid. I served it with all my favorite taco toppings: cheese, sour cream, tomatoes, onions, and lettuce.

Be you,
-Tanya

Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies

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Back in the day I used to bake A LOT! At least once or twice a week I made SOMEthing.  Cupcakes were my fav right along with homemade brownies and THE best sugar cookies. I had also mastered the art of the Chocolate Chip Cookie (it really is a skill to get those just right.) Since starting CrossFit 5 years ago and focusing more on a fit lifestyle, I have hung up my apron and I am lucky if I even have flour in my house.  It is a very rare occasion to have a filled cookie jar which my kids really don’t appreciate. This week however I had some bananas that needed to be used. Instead of Banana Bread, my daughter wanted cookies. I was given this recipe years ago by a friend. It is easy (always a must) and the cookies turn out fluffy and soft.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 large Bananas mashed

1 cup brown sugar

2 1/4 cups flour

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 tsp baking powder

2/3 cup shortening

1 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

1 cup (or the whole bag) of chocolate chips

Nuts (optional, I never use them)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375

Mash Bananas.

Cream shortening, sugar and eggs.

Add Bananas and vanilla.

Add dry ingredients.

Mix until all combined.

Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.

Drop spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes.

Chicken Fried “Rice” – the healthy way

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While trying to eat healthy who else gets so sick of chicken and vegetables? ME! ME! ME! That is why I try to be creative. I am constantly searching for healthy recipes that actually taste good.

In order for me to stay on track with food, I HAVE to meal prep. If I don’t, a vicious cycle ensues. Here’s how it goes down: I start to feel hungry so I search my refrigerator.  I don’t have any healthy options already prepared. I feel a bit frustrated and don’t want to eat food that I shouldn’t so I try to eat something small but it definitely does not satisfy me. The hunger takes over and I succumb to a binge fest (I am a self diagnosed Binge Eater!) When I have food prepared, it is just easier. I don’t have to think about what I’m going to eat. It is already made and portioned out. All I have to do is warm it up. I don’t get to the point of starvation where chicken, 1/4 cup brown rice, and zucchini just won’t do and all I want is a loaf of warm French Bread from Albertson’s (yes I will eat the whole loaf) or Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal.  Do you see my dilemma? I HAVE to meal prep!

I don’t enjoy eating the same things week after week so I have a few easy meal prep recipes that I rotate through.

Chicken Fried Cauli-Rice is super easy and tastes good. Heaven knows that’s probably the only way I will eat cauliflower so there’s that too.

This is all you need!

Ingredients:

Chopped onions

Chopped  celery

Chopped Carrots

  • I buy those in a container already chopped up from Trader Joe’s. Other stores have variations of onions and celery. It all works!

2 bags Cauliflower Rice : Trader Joe’s frozen brand is good and super fast to cook.

2-4 eggs

Cooked Shredded Chicken – I buy a rotisserie cooked chicken from the store. Shreds a lot quicker if it is still warm.

Teriyaki Sauce or Liquid Amino’s or Soy Sauce: based on preference

Olive Oil

Directions:

Heat Olive Oil in large pan. Just enough to cover the bottom

Add onions, celery, and carrots to Olive Oil and saute until onions are translucent.

Whisk 2-4 eggs (I use 4) and add to onion mixture.

Cook until eggs are cooked through.

While onions are sauteing, cook cauliflower rice according to instructions on the bag, takes about 3-5 minutes in a separate pan.

Once the eggs are cooked, add the cauliflower rice and shredded chicken into the egg mixture. Mix it all together and add Teriyaki Sauce to taste (it doesn’t take much and to keep it healthy you want to go easy on the sauce).

That’s it! Super simple. I portion it out into containers so I have the correct serving size. Still tastes good by the end of the week.

Loaded Chicken Enchilada Zucchini Boats

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I have been in a food SLUMP! I am so OVER the same boring stuff. I don’t know if it’s because it is blazing hot everyday but all I want is chocolate Froyo packed with Oreos and dark chocolate chips (so healthy!). Last week I decided I needed to take ACTION so I spent some time with my good friend Pinterest  looking for new recipes. I was adamant that I would actually TRY the recipes I pinned rather than just magically hope they make themselves. Do you ever pin things and then never try them or even look at them again??? I have recipes I pinned from 5 years ago that I have never even looked at.  ANYWAY, not this time!

I found this recipe from Averie Cooks. It was seriously SO easy, SO quick and SO good! You have to try it.

Loaded Chicken Enchilada Zucchini Boats - Skip enchilada wraps and use zucchini instead!! Easy, healthier and there's so much FLAVOR between juicy chicken drenched in enchilada sauce, corn, peppers, and CHEESE!!

INGREDIENTS:

  • 4 medium/large zucchini
  • 2 cups cooked shredded chicken (use storebought rotisserie chicken to save time)
  • 3/4 cup red enchilada sauce
  • 1/2 cup bell peppers, diced small (I used red and yellow)
  • 1/2 cup corn (I used frozen straight from the freezer)
  • 1 cup Mexican shredded cheese blend
  • 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, finely minced
  • optionally add or garnish with black beans, pico de gallo, guacamole, sour cream, etc.

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Preheat oven to 400F. Spray a large baking dish or 9×13-inch pan with cooking spray; set aside.
  2. Trim ends from zucchini, halve lengthwise, and use a spoon to hollow out centers to create boats, leaving a 1/8-inch margin intact. Discard hollowed out flesh (or add it to homemade hummus, soup, or soup).
  3. Arrange zucchini in prepared dish and bake for about 20 minutes, or until softened.
  4. While zucchini bakes, to a medium bowl add the shredded chicken, enchilada sauce, and stir to combine.
  5. Remove zucchini from oven and evenly distribute the chicken down the hollowed out portion of the zucchini.
  6. Evenly sprinkle with bell peppers, corn, and cheese.
  7. Bake for about 8 minutes or until cheese has melted to your liking.
  8. Evenly sprinkle with cilantro and optionally garnish with the toppings of your choice and serve immediately. Zucchini are best warm and fresh but will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 3 days.

NUTRITION INFORMATION

Nutrition analysis per serving (4 servings)
Calories 309, Total Fat 14g, Saturated Fat 6g, Trans Fat 0g, Total Carbohydrates 18g, Fiber 5g, Sugar 10g, Protein 30g, Sodium 548mg