#854: Peach Flip

The original recipe for this drink is no longer active.  So I googled "peach flip" and realized this is a non-alcoholic version of the drink.  It's supposed to have vodka in it.  Mmmm.  But that's not healthy, so I made it with the lemonade like healthy version it is intended.  But I made mine with Crystal Light lemonade and Diet Sprite, so this is a zero ww+ point drink.  Which should now be re-named as "my weekly breakfast."

Here's what I don't like about this recipe...you have little pieces of peaches floating throughout this drink so as you drink it you start chewing peaches.  I don't like that.  So I planned on straining it to remove the peaches, but I can't stop drinking it.  So I'm leaving the peaches in.  Whatever.  Strain or don't strain, it's up to you.

1 medium sized, ripe peach, peeled, halved and pitted (forget that, use 5 frozen peach slices)
1/2 cup lemonade (I used no-calorie lemonade)
1 ounce sprite (I used about 1/2 cup Diet Sprite)

#853: Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Sludge

This sounds like a very appealing recipe doesn't it?  Who wants to eat sludge??  Not me.  But I DO want to eat chocolate and peanut butter.  I can do eat it every day in fact.  So when I came across this recipe I was a little intrigued. 

But then I saw the first ingredient was casein.  What in the world is casein.  So I googled it.  It's basically a protein powder.  I'm not spending $15 on a jar of protein powder.  But I did have a packet of Carnation Instant Breakfast in my pantry that sounded about the same.  :)  Okay maybe not, but close enough. 

Here's the hard part to this recipe.  You have to let it set up in the freezer for 15-30 minutes.  I'm inpatient so it's hard to wait.  But then I do wait and go do something else and forget about it until it's frozen solid.  So save yourself some heartache and set a timer.

Let me tell you this recipe is pretty much named correctly.  Odd, I know.  But it is kind of a sludgy consistency.  It's like a semi-frozen pudding.  It's good too.  Really good.  The chocolate chips put it totally over the edge by giving it a necessary texture.  I need to go lick the bowl finish this now. 

1 Scoop chocolate casein (I used 1/2 packet of Chocolate Carnation Instant Breakfast)
2 TB PB2 (powdered peanut butter)
2 TB unsweetened baking cocoa
Stevia to taste (I omitted)
1 TB sugar-free chocolate chips (yeah I used mini chocolate chips...with sugar)

Combine all of the ingredients (except the chocolate chips) and add 1 tablespoon of water at a time until it is a thick paste-like substance.  Then freeze for about 15-30 minutes. 

#852: Meatloaf Minis

As we were eating these meatloaf minis, Brian asked, "What's the secret ingredient in here?"  I honestly couldn't remember but I did know there was something...

Ha ha, no one ever guessed or could tell there was cereal in this.  {Enter maniacal laugh.}

The kids were not super huge fans of this recipe.  Brian and I however enjoyed them a lot.  And yes, Brian is even taking them for leftovers for lunch for the next 2 days.  We both agreed though we would have liked ours a little crispier on the edges but that is slightly my fault because I was avoiding cleaning out the muffin pan.  :)  I made these meat loaf minis on a freezer cooking day and cooked all the way thru.  Then I let cool and froze in a Ziploc bag.  I defrosted in the fridge overnight and then instead of putting them back in muffin tins to reheat I placed them on a foil lined cookie sheet instead.  They were cooked and hot, but it didn't have crispy edges like we prefer.  Oh well, they were still good.  And clean up was a breeze.  (I really, really despise cleaning out muffin tins!)

1 cup ketchup

3-4 tbsp brown sugar

1 tsp ground mustard

2 eggs beaten

4 tsp Worcestershire sauce

3 cups Crispix cereal, crushed

3 tsp onion powder

1 tsp season salt

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp pepper

3 pounds lean ground beef (I used ground turkey)

 

In a large bowl, combine ketchup, brown sugar and mustard. Remove 1/2 cup for topping; set aside. Add eggs, Worcestershire sauce, cereal, and seasonings to remaining ketchup mixture; mix well. Let stand 5 minutes. Crumble beef over cereal mixture and mix well.

 

Press meat mixture into 18 muffin cups (about 1/3 cup each). Bake at 375 for 18-20 minutes. Drizzle with reserved ketchup mixture; bake 10 minutes longer or until meat is no longer pink. Freeze for up to 3 months.

To Prepare:Completely thaw. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes, or until thoroughly heated.

#851: Cucumber Salad

In order to like this recipe you have to like dill.  A lot.  I don't.  Can you see how this post is going?? 

Maybe it was the light sour cream that changed the flavor of this but I really was not a fan.  Now with that said, I'm also not a cucumber lover.  I LIKE cucumbers but can only stand to eat so many of them (unless it's mixed with a little red wine vinegar and sugar, in that case I can eat a lot).  So this was not a favorite dish of mine, nor will I make this again.  If you love dill and cucumbers though this might be the recipe for you.

1 large cucumber

2 tsp coarse sea salt

1 Tbsp light sour cream

1 tsp finely chopped onion

1 tsp fresh dill, chopped

1 tsp vinegar

1 tsp sugar

Slice cucumber into fairly thin slices. Place into a colander and sprinkle with coarse sea salt. Set on something to catch the water that drains off, and set aside.

Mix together sour cream, onion, dill, vinegar, and sugar. Cover and place in fridge.  Let cucumbers drain and dressing chill for at least an hour, up to 2 hours.

Before serving, rinse cucumbers under running water briefly. Pat dry with paper towel. Toss dressing with cucumbers and serve.

#850: Crockpot Fried Rice

I have been dying to try this recipe.  The last few times we've had brown rice for dinner and had leftovers I saved it and stuck it in the freezer just for this recipe.  I never had any sort of protein to eat with it.  Then I made the Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps and knew this would be the perfect recipe to use up the filling with. 

Doesn't it look good?  It's super healthy too because I added ground chicken, and tons of veggies to it.  I love that the recipe is so versatile and you can pretty much throw anything you have in your fridge into this dish. 

I used an 1/8 cup of egg substitute instead of the egg.  I cannot tell it is in this recipe at all so I don't know if it adds much too it.  Maybe gives it a little moisture??

2 cups leftover rice/quinoa (I used 2 cups of brown rice)

3 T butter (I used 2 tbsp ICBINB)

2 T soy sauce

2 t Worcestershire sauce

1/2 t black pepper

1/4 t kosher salt

1/2 diced yellow onion

1 cup of whatever frozen or fresh vegetables you have on hand. (I used asparagus, carrots, orange peppers, zucchini, 1/4 c edamame and 1/8 c frozen peas)

leftover meat (I used 1/2 of the meat/filling from the Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps)

1 egg (I used 1/8 c of egg substitute)

sesame seeds for garnish (optional)

Plop everything on in there together. Mix it around, and cook on high for 2-3 hours, or on low for 3-4. You are only heating everything up and cooking the egg.

My version made 4 servings at 5 ww+ pts each.  That was a lot of fried rice too!

#849: Healthy Chicken Salad

We have Market Day coming in a few days so we will finally have more chicken in the house.  Market Day chicken is definitely my favorite and worth the extra cost of having each piece individually wrapped.  So I had 1 chicken breast in my freezer and decided to use it up in this recipe for my lunch this week. 

I enjoyed this but next time I'll use a fresh blender salsa instead of the pico de gallo.  I've never been a huge fan of pico de gallo and I think this is a little dry.  I blender salsa would give it a little spice, a little tomato, and a lot of flavor and moisture.  I might have to go make some blender salsa right now.  I hope I have tomatoes in my pantry!  Ooh, and diced avocado would be great too!

Update: I made a blender salsa and added it to this dish...it is perfect now! 

2 chicken breasts, boiled and shredded

2 limes, freshly squeezed

1/2 tbsp. cumin

salt to taste

1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro

1 red bell pepper, diced (I used an orange pepper)

1 green bell pepper, diced

1/2 onion, diced

1 can black beans, drained

1 tub pre made pico de gallo

Jalapenos, to taste (optional)

 

In a bowl combine all of the ingredients and mix well.  Serve as is, over rice or in a tortilla. 

 

An entire bowl of this chicken salad is 13 ww+ pts. 

#848: Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps

This recipe has been sitting on one of my pinterest boards for quite some time now.  I don't know why I kept skipping over it when looking for ideas for lunch. 

It was ridiculously easy to make.  I bought pre-ground chicken (I was not going to waste time doing it myself and I think that's quite gross!) and just put the mushrooms and water chestnuts in the food processor to ground up.  Then I mixed everything else together and let it marinate for about 15 minutes before cooking it.  How simple is that?! 

I was a little nervous about this recipe because I like mushrooms but I don't love mushrooms.  As this was cooking it was all I could smell...and not in a good way unfortunately.  I'm happy to report though that this is actually pretty good.  I didn't love it in a lettuce wrap and wouldn't eat it that way again though.  So I tried it inside a corn tortilla instead and enjoyed it that way a lot more!

8 oz skinless, boneless chicken thighs, ground (I used ground chicken)
1/4 cup water chestnuts, chopped fine
1/4 cup dried shiitake mushrooms (I used fresh baby portobellos)
1 tbsp soy sauce
1/4 tsp dark soy sauce
1/2 tsp oyster sauce (I omitted)
1 1/2 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp rice wine or dry sherry
1⁄2 tsp sugar
freshly ground white pepper, to taste
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
6 iceberg lettuce leaves, rinsed
2 tbsp diced scallions

Place mushrooms in hot water to soften a few minutes. Remove stems and chop fine.
Combine soy sauces, oyster sauce, 1/2 tsp sesame oil, rice wine, sugar, and pepper in a bowl.

Combine ground chicken (I put the chicken in the food processor), softened mushrooms and water chestnuts into a bowl. Pour over chicken; toss. Let marinate for 15 minutes.

Heat remaining sesame oil in a wok or skillet over high heat. Add garlic; cook until golden, about 10 seconds. Add chicken mixture; stir fry until browned, breaking the chicken up as it cooks, about 4-5 minutes.

To serve, spoon 1/4 cup of the chicken into each lettuce leaf. Garnish with scallions.

According to the original website, this recipe makes 6 lettuce wraps at 3 ww+ pts each.

#847: Sugar Free Cookie Dough Dip

 
There are very few recipes I come across that I don't like.  I might not love a recipe but I usually enjoy it enough to eat it, but not make again.  I was super, super excited to try this healthy "cookie dough" dip when I found it.  But YUCK!  This tastes NOTHING, NOTHING like cookie dough.  All you can taste is the beans.  And I like beans...but not in this recipe.  Shudder....yes it was that bad. 

The best/worst part of this recipe is the almond butter.  If you don't normally buy this stuff, it's about $5.50 a jar.  It's wonderfully delicious though.  It's so good I'm probably going to have to throw out the rest of the jar so I stop eating it by the spoonful. 
 
1 1/2 cups chickpeas or white beans (1 can, drained) (250g after draining)
heaping 1/8 tsp salt
tiny bit over 1/8 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp plus 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup nut butter of choice
1 and 1/4 cups pitted dates
1/3 cup chocolate chips
2 tbsp oats (You can omit if desired.)
milk of choice as needed (depending on the consistency you want. I used a few tbsp.)

In a bowl, cover the dates with 1/2 cup water. Let this sit for at least 8 hours. Then add all ingredients (including the dates’ soaking liquid), except chocolate chips, to a food processor (for best results, not a blender) and blend until very smooth.

#846: Avocado Hummus

I originally intended to make this recipe for book club, but I wasn't able to go this month so I made it for a snack instead.  It was super, super simple to put together.  And let me tell you, it is really, really good.  Oh my goodness I loved it.  I like hummus but I don't love hummus and I loved this!  This would be a great appetizer, snack or lunch!  It would even make a great spread on a sandwich.  Mmmmm!

Now when my friend Erin tried this she wasn't a big fan of it because she expected it to taste like guacamole.  It doesn't! 

1 avocado
1/2 lime
1 can of white beans drained and rinsed
pinch of sea salt
pinch of cayenne pepper
1 tbsp olive oil (I omitted)

Combine all of the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until smooth.  Serve with pretzel chips.

This is 16 ww+ pts for the entire batch of hummus. 

#845: Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

This was a "I-don't-know-if-my-family-will-eat-this" recipe that I figured I'd take my chances at when serving. 

I made this the night before and just had the taquitos rolled up in the fridge so we could pop it in the oven when we got home from work.  It was actually quite easy to assemble.  My family isn't a fan of chunky vegetables or cream sauce, so I cut down on the amount of cream cheese and put everything except the chicken and the shredded cheese in a blender and pureed the salsa/cream cheese so it wasn't chunky at all. 
 
I only had 1 1/2 cups of shredded chicken so I made 8 taquitos out of this dish. I also used red salsa instead of green.  I would have really been pushing my luck with green salsa!

My family loved this.  Chloe was probably the least happy with this meal but she still ate it.  Brian only questioned "what that green thing was" (cilantro) after dinner was done.  I told him I pureed it into the salsa JUST for THAT reason.  :)  Allison even ate some of what Brian was going to take for leftovers the next day for lunch.  Success!

1/3 C (3 oz) cream cheese (I used 1 oz of reduced fat)
1/4 C green salsa (I used about 1/2 cup red salsa)
1T fresh lime juice
1/2 t cumin
1 t chili powder
1/2 t onion powder
1/4 t granulated garlic, or garlic powder
3 T chopped cilantro
2 T sliced green onions
2 C shredded cooked chicken
1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese (I used 1/3 cup)
6-inch corn or flour tortillas (I used 8 tortillas)
nonstick cooking spray
kosher salt

Heat oven to 425F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray it lightly with cooking spray.

Heat cream cheese in the microwave for 20-30 seconds so it’s soft and easy to stir. Add green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and granulated garlic. Stir to combine and then add cilantro, green onions, chicken and pepper jack cheese.

Wrap 3-4 tortillas at a time in damp paper towels and microwave for 20-30 seconds so they are soft and pliable. If you find your tortillas are cracking when rolled, use damper paper towels and increase the microwave time.

Place 2-3 tablespoons of the chicken mixture (I used 1/8 cup for each) on the lower third of each tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges, and then roll up.

Place seam-side down on the baking sheet in a single layer. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray. Sprinkle with a pinch of kosher salt on top. Place the pan in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown.

#844: Baked Egg Boats

Did you ever want to make a recipe so badly but you knew you shouldn't because it probably isn't the best thing for you to eat?  This is that recipe for me.  And let me just say, I'm so glad I made it because it is freaking amazing!!  I think I'm in love.  It was that good. 

Now here's the downfall to this recipe...I ate the entire thing by myself.  So I ate a small loaf of french bread for breakfast.  Not the smartest food choices I've ever made that's for sure.  Fortunately the bread serving size was for 3 so I don't feel that awful about it...but I probably should.  :)

4 demi sourdough baguettes (I could not find these!)
5 eggs (I used 1/4 cup of egg substitute)
1/3 cup heavy cream (I used about 2 tbsp skim milk instead)
4 ounces pancetta, finely chopped and fried until crisp (I used 3 pieces of Canadian bacon)
3 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated (I used 1/8 cup of cheddar)
2 green onions, thinly sliced
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Cut a deep “V” through the tops of each baguette until about a 1/2 inch to the bottom. Partially unstuff the baguettes. Set aside. 

Place the eggs and cream into a mixing bowl and lightly beat together. Whisk in the remaining ingredients and lightly season with salt and pepper. Divide and pour the mixture into each baguette boat and place onto a baking sheet. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown, puffed and set in the center. Season with salt and pepper. Allow to cool for about 5 minutes, cut and serve.

#843: Baked Eggs in Turkey Cups

Supposedly this is a Biggest Loser recipe.  I don't know if that is true or not.  I just liked how simple and healthy it sounded. 

I made these for breakfast over the weekend and then put the extra ones in the fridge so I can take it with me to school tomorrow.  Although these are definitely best eaten right away when they are pipping hot, they were still good cold or reheated.

I know that this has such little cheese so that you don't eat the extra calories, but man is it worth it to add a little more.  2 tablespoons for 6 eggs is NOT enough!  At least not for me.

I did not like the squishiness of the salsa in this recipe so next time I'll either omit it completely or put some grilled veggies in the cup instead.

6 ounces very thinly sliced deli turkey (I used Canadian bacon)

3/4 cup salsa (click here for recipe) or grilled vegetables

18 large egg whites or 2 1/4 cups liquid egg white or egg substitute (see note below)

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

2 tablespoons grated low-fat Cheddar cheese

 

If Using fresh eggs: Separate 18 whites into a medium mixing bowl Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and whisk lightly. Transfer to a liquid measuring cup. Let stand while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

 

Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Lightly coat each cup of a standard-sized nonstick muffin pan with olive oil cooking spray.

 

Line each muffin cup with 1/2 ounce of the turkey. There will probably be a little excess extending from the top of each cup. Spoon 1 tablespoon of the salsa or grilled vegetables into each cup.

 

Measure 3 tablespoons of the egg whites or egg substitute into each muffin cup. (I used about 1 tbsp in mine.)

 

Place the muffin pan in the oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the eggs are puffed and the center is set. Carefully remove the baked eggs from the pan and place 2 egg cups on each serving plate. Garnish with the cilantro and cheese.

#842: Parmesan Garlic Roasted Potatoes

I love potatoes.  I know I probably shouldn't because they aren't the greatest, healthiest vegetable out there but it's the only "vegetable" Brian will eat, so yes we eat some form of potato quite regularly.  Wait, maybe I should rephrase this...Brian and the girls eat some form of potato quite regularly.  I let myself enjoy it every once in a while. 

I made the potatoes for this recipe the night before and then just cut the potatoes the day we ate this and baked it in a cast iron skillet in the oven to crisp it up. These were delicious!  So crispy...we will definitely eat these again.

 

4 pounds Russet Potatoes (I used 1 lb of baby Yukon gold potatoes)

2 tablespoons of olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
Fresh grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 450°F.  Cut potatoes into cubes or wedges.

Bring a pot of water to a boil.
Add the potatoes and cook for 3 to 6 minutes depending on size.
While potatoes are cooking put oil in cast iron skillet or other heavy pan and heat in oven.
Drain the potatoes and place them back in the pot.
Put the pot back on the burner and shake to dry the potatoes and to rough up their surface.

This is what gives roasted potatoes that perfect crust.  Add the potatoes to the hot oil, toss to coat and roast turning once or twice. When potatoes are almost tender sprinkle with fresh garlic and Parmesan, salt and pepper and continue roasting until potatoes are tender.

Turn at least one more time for even browning.  Just before serving, toss with fresh chopped parsley.

#841: Corn BLT Lettuce Wraps

 

Do you notice something missing from this recipe?  How about the lettuce for the lettuce wraps?  Yes, that's it!  This is supposed to be served in a lettuce cup but I enjoyed this with a spoon instead.  :)

I actually enjoyed this so much I made it for lunch two days in a row.  Fantastic!

4 slices bacon (I used 1/8 cup of real bacon bits)

2 ears of corn, cut off the cob (I used 2/3 c frozen corn)

1/4 cup cilantro

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

1/4 cup sliced green onions

1 jalapeno, minced

1 tbsp reduced fat mayo

juice of 1 lime

Salt and pepper to taste

Romaine lettuce leaves (I omitted)

In a medium skillet, cook the bacon until crispy. Discard all of the bacon grease except for 1 tbsp. Set bacon aside.

Add the corn and cook for about 3 minutes until just tender. You could also grill the corn or leave it raw.

 

Toss together the remaining ingredients, including stirring in the mayo and lime juice.  Season with salt and pepper. Serve in lettuce cups.

 

The entire bowl of this corn "salad" was 5 ww+ pts.

#840: Bikini Rolls

 

 

 

Look at this super healthy lunch.  I loved the freshness of the veggies.  This would be a great lunch in the summer too when everything is super, super fresh.  The only thing about this recipe that I don't like is the wrapper it's wrapped up in.  The recipe says to use an egg roll wrapper which is nice and sturdy but is too thick/gummy.  So after the first day I ate it, I decided to make it the next time (or two or three!) as a sandwich in some whole grain bread.  It was still just as good, just different. 

Egg Roll Wraps

Lettuce

Avocado

Carrots

Cucumber
Cabbage
Wrap all 5 ingredient together and serve with Peanut Sauce!

#839: Marinated Grilled Pork Chops

I'm having a hate-hate relationship with my grill.  I planned all of these wonderful, easy dinners that can be made ahead of time and then grilled (yes even in January and February in the mid-west), however my grill (which is less than a year old) has decided not to work if it's too cold out.  We are hoping something is frozen and will work once it thaws but I'm really getting tired of using my George Foreman grill...it is NOT the same. 

If you are a regular follower of this blog you will already know I am not a fan or pork chops unless it's grilled or the pork is made in the crockpot.  So when we went to put this on the non-working grill and had to cook this inside I was extremely disappointed.  Brian enjoyed this dinner but the girls and I did not.  Not that it was bad, it just lacked the grilled/charred flavor that would have made this 1000 times better. 

This was also a recipe I put together on my freezer cooking day.  It was so simple to bag up and freeze.  I look forward to trying this again once my grill thaws!! 

PS...this is a picture of Brian's plate.  I ate mine with a spinach salad not french fries.  Not that anyone cares. :)

4 to 6 pork chops on the bone

1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce

3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

1 tablespoon brown mustard or gourmet mustard blend

2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed

1 clove garlic finely minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

 

Put pork chops in a large food storage bag. Combine the remaining ingredients and pour over the chops. Seal the bag and turn to coat the pork chops. Refrigerate for 3 to 6 hours, turning occasionally.

Grill the chops over high heat for 5 to 7 minutes on each side, or until the chops register about 160° on an instant read thermometer.

#838: Whole Chicken in a Slow Cooker

This was a recipe I put together on a freezer cooking day.  Then I had Brian help me get it into a large Ziploc bag and froze until we were ready to eat it.  I put it in the crockpot still frozen and let it cook all day while we were at work.  When we came home the house smelled wonderfully and the chicken was falling off the bones.  Not only did we enjoy this moist chicken, but we saved the leftovers for another meal later in the week.

By the way, sorry for the bad photo...I always forget to have Brian take a picture of the intact chicken!

Rub Ingredients
4 tsp salt
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp white pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp black pepper

3 1/2 to 4 1/2 lbs roasting or fryer chicken
1 cup chopped onion, approx 1 medium to large onion
4-5 carrots, scrubbed, no need to peel, chopped in halves or thirds
4 celery stalks, cut in thirds
2 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
1 lemon quartered
 

Combine rub ingredients in a small bowl.  Remove chicken from packaging and remove neck and pouch with organs. Discard or reserve for later use in another recipe. Rinse chicken and pat dry with paper towels.  (We actually removed a lot of the skin since we don't eat it and it would still give the chicken more flavor).

Rub garlic all over outside of the chicken. Put garlic inside the chicken. Rub the rub all over the outside and inside the chicken. Add quartered lemon to the inside of the chicken.

Place onions, carrots and celery inside the slow cooker. Place chicken on top of the vegetables. Cover slow cooker and cook chicken on low for 4-8 hours. Cook until the internal temperature of the leg is at 160 degrees F or use a pop-up thermometer as the original recipe calls for.

I didn't do this step: Remove chicken and place in a 9x13 glass baking dish. Place baking dish in the oven under the broiler for about 4-5 minutes. Allow chicken to rest after removing it from the broiler for 5-10 minutes.

#837: Crockpot Mexican Fajita Steak

This was a very simple recipe to throw together in the crockpot that uses minimal ingredients and hardly any effort. 

I wasn't sure my family was going to like this, but everyone really did.  I would make this again, not on a regular basis by any means, but I would make it again.  The picture above is the filling that we made.  I figured it would be a better picture so you can see the meat rather than seeing it all wrapped up in a tortilla or on a bed or rice.

2 lbs. Inexpensive thin cuts of steak. We used the steak already cut into strips in the meat department.
1 Packet of Fajita seasoning (I used half of a packet)
1 Cup Red, Yellow and Orange peppers
1 Onion chopped into large pieces
1 Jar of Chunky Salsa
Serve with cooked rice or wrapped in a tortilla

Place the fajita seasoning into a gallon freezer bag with the jar of chunky salsa and squish around until mixed well.

Place the remaining ingredients into the freezer bag. Freeze and remove the night before serving to thaw in the fridge. Cook in crockpot on high for 4 hours and serve over rice.

Product Review Glade Expressions Fragrance Mist

I was able to get a bottle of the Glade Expressions Cotton and Italian Mandarin Fragrance Mist for free when I was recently invited to join a BzzCampaign through BzzAgent.  You can purchase these at Walmart, but I happened to be shopping at Meijer at the time so I picked up a bottle there instead.  The starter kit (shown above) cost $3.99. 

Isn't that little blue bottle pretty? (The picture above doesn't do the bottle justice though...it's much nicer in person). It looks great in my downstairs bathroom too.  According to the Glade website there are many other cuter colors and styles too.  Some even come with a silver container instead of the white like mine does.  AND there's a limited edition spring collection that includes the scents Vibrant Bloom and Garden Sunshine (but those are available exclusively at Walmart).

There are six different scents to choose from: Pineapple & Mangosteen, Cotton & Italian Mandarin, Lavender & Juniper Berry, Fuji Apple & Cardamom Spice, Garden Sunshine or Vibrant Bloom.  Meijer didn't have all of these great choices so I went with the Cotton & Italian Mandarin.

I'm loving this scent.  It's a clean and just a tad sweet scent.  I figured it would be one my husband wouldn't mind the girls spraying.  I'm leaving it in our bathroom so it is definitely going to get used as the girls will touch anything in their reach!

This fragrance mist does an excellent job of freshening up any area you spray it in, yet the scent stays in the air long enough to actually enjoy it outside of the room you sprayed it in.  Even as I type this I can still smell it coming down the hallway into the room I am sitting in.  My house smells fabulously!

What I like about these bottles is that they are refillable.  So I can reuse the outside container again and again.  Less waste for the environment!  And the containers are definitely much prettier than a standard old air freshener container.  They can pretty much match just about any room decor!
 
Want to know more about the Glade products, check out their website, join them on Facebook or follow them on Twitter.

#836: Crockpot Teriyaki Chicken

This is a meal that was delicious when we were eating it, but I ended up getting a mild form of the flu that night, so we will probably never eat this again.  :(  (Sorry TMI.) 

This was a great meal to let cook in the crockpot all day though and was ready to eat when we got home.  All I needed to do was to heat up some rice and mix it together.  Personally it had a lot of teriyaki sauce and I ended up adding some water to it to help dilute the salt/flavor of it.  Next time I would suggest adding 3/4 c + 1/4 c water. 

It was actually really, really good.  We all enjoyed it...at the time.

Medium bag of baby carrots
1 red onion cut into chunks
2 large cans of pineapple (undrained)
4 cloves garlic
4 chicken breasts
1 c teriyaki sauce

Combine all ingredients in a crockpot and cook on low for 6-7 hours.  Serve over hot rice.

#835: Bubble Up Pizza

One of Brian's favorite things to eat is Bubble Up Casserole. This recipe is basically the same as what I usually make except it has pepperoni in it.  Needless-to-say, he really enjoyed it.  I say "HE" enjoyed it because I made it on a weekend when most of us were recovering from a mild version of the flu (so we weren't in the mood to eat it).  I ended up halving this recipe and got 4 nice size servings out of it (from an 8x8 pan). 

1 pound 96% lean ground beef
2 teaspoons onion powder, or 1 onion, chopped
16 ounces tomato sauce
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
15 ounces refrigerated buttermilk biscuits, buttermilk
Add whatever typical pizza toppings you like, green pepper, turkey pepperoni, mushrooms, etc.
1 1/4 cups part skim milk mozzarella cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 350 F. In skillet, brown meat over medium high heat until browned, stirring to crumble. Stir in onion powder, tomato sauce, basil, garlic and Italian seasoning.

Add quartered biscuits; stir gently until biscuits are covered with sauce. Mix in toppings of your choosing. Spoon mixture into a 9×13 inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake for 25 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese; bake an additional 10 minutes or until biscuits are done. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Apparently this recipe was found on a weight watchers board and is 10 ww+ pts per serving.  I cannot stand 96% lean ground beef or turkey so I used 93% lean instead. 

#834: Broccoli-Quinoa Casserole

I found this recipe on my sister-in-laws Pinterest board and was so excited to make this since I love Quinoa!!  (By the way, Leslie, I don't ever see you making this!)  :)  The most time consuming part of this recipe is making the quinoa ahead of time and letting it cool. 

Then I realized I was completely out of any sort of "cream of..." soup.  So I googled it and made my own.  This is the recipe I used, and I halved the recipe.  It was actually quite simple to make, even if it was a tad bland (but that's because I didn't add anything like chicken or celery into it).  I also cut down on the cheese (I omitted a lot of it) and didn't use the Parmesan cheese that's called for on top to help make this lighter/healthier. 

Anyhow, I got 6 nice size servings out of this.  The edges are really nice and crispy so next time I think I'll try making this in muffin tins instead.  This is going to make for a nice, healthy lunch this week. 

One 10 oz can condensed Cream of Broccoli soup (I made my own at 1.5 ww+ pts)

1/3 cup reduced fat mayonnaise

2 tablespoons milk

1 1/4 cups reduced fat shredded cheese (I used 1/2 c of Mexican blend cheese)

1/2 teaspoon Splenda/sugar (I omitted)

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Dash freshly grated nutmeg

.
2 cups cooked broccoli

1 1/2 cups COOKED quinoa (see note)

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese (I omitted)

.
To cook quinoa:

3/4 cup quinoa

1 1/2 cups water

1/4 teaspoon salt

.
Rinse quinoa in a fine sieve until water runs clear. In a small saucepan combine the quinoa, water, and salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and cover. Cook for 18-20 minutes, or until fluffy and the white ring/tail is visible. Fluff with a fork.

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and coat a shallow (8×8 in or 5-6 cups) casserole dish – or individual ramekins – with vegetable cooking spray.

 

In a large bowl combine the soup, mayonnaise, milk, shredded cheese, Splenda, pepper, and nutmeg until well mixed. Stir in the quinoa and broccoli.  Spoon mixture into prepared casserole. Sprinkle on a couple tablespoons of Parmesan and bake for 35-40 minutes (20-25 minutes for ramekins) or until bubbly on the edges and golden. 

 

I got 6 servings out of this at 3.5 ww+ pts each (my version without the Parmesan cheese and less of the shredded cheese).

#833: Cherry Mocha Latte Smoothie

Chocolate covered cherries are one of my most guilty pleasures.  I love them!  So when I came across this recipe I couldn't wait to try it and immediately put "cherries" on my grocery list. 

I don't know if it was the coffee I used or what, but oh my goodness this was awful!  I hated it.  I could not drink this at all. I might try this again but leave out the coffee.  Blech!! 

1 frozen banana
1/3 cup pitted cherries (frozen or fresh)
1 cup brewed coffee, chilled
1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
2 Tablespoons vanilla brown rice protein powder (I omitted)
2 teaspoons cocoa powder (I
1-2 drops of liquid stevia for added sweetness (optional)

Place all ingredients in a high powered blender and blend until smooth.

#832: Chocolate Peanut Butter Shake

This is supposed to be a protein shake, but I didn't have any protein powder so I just omitted it.  (So I also omitted it from the title of this recipe too).  The recipe claims it tastes like a Reece's milkshake...it does not.  (At least not to me anyways).  It tastes like a Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana smoothie.  I'm okay with that though because that's how I intend to drink this...as a smoothie.  I think it would need at least some ice cubes to help make this a thicker "shake"-like consistency.

Even though it doesn't taste like a milkshake, I still thoroughly enjoyed this!  I will be drinking it for breakfast a lot I'm sure and will be giving it to the girls with their lunch today too.  As you can see from the photo above, someone snatched this from me!

1 cup Skim Milk (I used unsweetened chocolate almond milk)
1 frozen banana
2 Tsp. PB2 (I used 1 tbsp)
2 Tsp. Sugar Free Fat Free Instant Chocolate Pudding Powder
1 scoop Vanilla Protein Powder (I omitted)

Put milk, protein powder, chocolate pudding powder and PB2 in your blender/food processor. Blend until smooth and fully incorporated. Break up your frozen banana into smaller chunks and add it to the mix (banana must be frozen for a thicker consistency) and continue to blend with blender/food processor until it is all combined well. 

My version (with the almond milk and 1 tbsp of PB2) was 1.5 ww+ pts for the glass. 

#831: Spinach Smoothie with Pineapple and Banana

I have been drinking so many smoothies for breakfast lately.  It's a great way to get in some of my dairy, fruits and veggies AND I can make it quickly in the morning and take it with me on the go. 

I found this recipe in a recent issue of Real Simple.  I loved it!  You can't taste the spinach in it at all (you can smell it though, so just drink it in a cup with a lid and a straw), and it's got a nice, thick (but smooth) consistency.  This will definitely be in my morning smoothie rotation.

1/2 c coconut milk (I used sugar free, dairy free coconut milk)
2 c spinach (washed and stems removed)
1 1/2 c chopped pineapple
1 ripe banana (I froze mine)
1/2 c water (I omitted)
Combine all ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth adding water to reach your desired consistency. 
 
The only thing you have to account for with weight watchers is the coconut milk.  My coconut milk was .5 ww+ pts (for the 1/2 cup).  A very low point breakfast!