Cranberry and goat cheese stuffed chicken breasts

Here is a recipe from a while back that I never got to post. As I have been out of cooking commission for a week now with a slipped disc in my back, I figured I would "back blog" get it??? Back blog?   ;)

I adapted this recipe from one found in Food Network Magazine, Sept. issue. I added dried cranberries to the filling and onions and garlic to the sauce.

For the chicken:
5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
10oz crimini mushrooms
1 clove chopped garlic
1 tbs. Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper (S and P)
6oz goat cheese, softened
2 tbs. EVOO
1/4 c. chopped Italian parsley
1/2 c dried cranberries

For the sauce:
11/2 c. shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, chopped
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1 tbsp. flour
1/4 c. white wine (Not cooking wine, a wine you would drink)
1/2 c. chicken stock
1/4 c. dried cranberries
1 tbs. cold unsalted butter
S and P

Directions:

1. Prepare the chicken: Lay the chicken breasts on a piece of plastic wrap, place another piece on top of chicken and pound it using a mallet, heavy pan, or rolling pin until the chicken is about 1/4in. thick.



  2. Clean and cut off any dry/tough spots on the crimini mushrooms. Chop finely or use a food processor to make the mushrooms finely chopped.
3. Saute the mushrooms and garlic in 1 tbsp. EVOO over med-high heat. Saute until the mushrooms have released their juices and the liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes. Let cool for 5 mins.

4. Combine the goat cheese, cooked mushrooms, cranberries, S and P.
 
 5. Put one fifth of the mixture on the end of each chicken breast. Roll up the chicken breasts burrito style and tie with butchers twine.Season the roll ups with S and P.

 
 6. Saute the chicken over med-high heat, turning every few minutes to ensure even cooking.Total cooking time is about 12-15 minutes. Let sit for 5 minutes before removing the twine and slicing.

7. While the chicken is cooking, make the sauce. Saute the shiitake mushrooms and onions until softened, about 7 minutes.

8. Add flour to the sauce and cook for 2 more minutes. De glaze the pan with the white wine while stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Add the chicken stock and dried cranberries and simmer for about 5 minutes at a low bubble until thickened. Add S and P to taste.

9. Slice the roll-ups into 4 to 5 pieces on an angle. Top with the mushroom cranberry sauce and enjoy! I served it with the gazpacho quinoa salad.

It was delicious and would be nice during the holidays or cool weather with mashed potatoes.

PS.-I forgot to add the parsley. I would have put half in the cheese mixture and half as a garnish.

Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

Still going strong with eating fruits and veggies, limitied dairy, and no meats or gluten. Feeling better than ever!

We have been using Quinoa as our "cheat" food when we feel like we just need something "carb like" in our diet. The best part, it's a great source of protein. I had over some friends the other night and wanted to offer them something new and diet friendly. I made these Greek Style Quinoa Stuffed Peppers. They were great! I used red peppers instead of green because that is my favorite. You could use any color of pepper you like. An assortment is always beautiful. I made four large peppers but there is enough mixture to probably make five regular sized peppers. I took a before pic but forgot to get during and after pics. Ill add them next time I make the dish! Enjoy!

Greek Quinoa Stuffed Peppers
Ingredients:
1 cup Quinoa cooked according to package directions and cooled
4 red bell peppers, similar size and shape
1tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
2 med zuchinni, diced
6-8 kalamata olives, chopped
2 tbsp. Feta cheese
salt and pepper
1tsp dried oregano

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400.
2. Cut the tops off of the bell peppers. Save the tops. Remove ribs and seeds from inside. You may need to trim a little off of the bottom to make the pepper stable.
3. Dice the tops of the bell peppers and saute in oil, with the onions and garlic for 4-5 minutes or until soft.
4. Add the oregano, zucchini, and cherry tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for 6-8 minutes or until the zucchini are slightly softened and the tomatoes are releasing their juices.
5. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked and cooled Quinoa, cooked vegetable mixture, olives, and feta in a bowl. Add salt and pepper if needed.
6. Spoon the mixture into the four peppers.
7. Place in a baking dish and add 2 tbsp. water to the pan to keep the peppers moist. Cover with foil. 
8. Bake for 35-45 mins until the peppers are tender.

We served it with a huge greek salad with feta, olives, cucumber, tomatoes, jicima, and a homemade dressing. For dessert we had a fruit salad with cantaloupe, strawberries, kiwi, some shredded coconut, and lime juice.

It was delicious and healthy!! Win-Win!!!

Fruits and veggies take over the world!!!

We decided to do a 4 day fruit and vegetable only meal plan. We would have done the 5 day but I was in Sedona and Jeff's birthday was Saturday, so we took the day off. We whined a bit about our carb and cheese cravings, but it really wasn't that bad. We had a combination of fresh made juices, smoothies, soups, salads, and some other meals. All home made, all made with only fruits and veggies (plus a few extras like dressing and spices). The recipes were really good. There was only one juice that I didn't like. (It smelt like dirt and tasted like grass.)

Some of our bounty!

WOW! Veggie town USA! <3

We are following the 5 day Reboot express from jointhereboot.com. Buying the fruits and veggies seemed like it would be really expensive and a lot of work but we went to Sprouts and Wal-Mart and got everything for the 4 days for like $75 total. Thanks, Jeff, for all the shopping help!

Our new juicer!

Here are some of the recipes from the first two days. It was a lot of food! I could barely finish it all.

Meal Plan: Day 1

Breakfast

Cherry Cinnamon Apple Bake
This dish is delicious warm or cool.
Double the recipe for an extra serving.
1 cup Cherries (cut and discard pit)
2 Apples cored and chopped
3 Tbsp. raisins (choose golden variety for a twist)
1 Tbsp. Cinnamon (or more to taste)
1/2 tsp. Nutmeg
Spray baking dish with expeller pressed canola oil
Place into oven safe baking dish and cover
Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes or until apples are soft
Cool and enjoy!
Calories: 249
Protein: 2 g
Fiber: 9 g

Mid-Morning Juice-Loved this juice so much. It really freaked my students out though!

Green Juice
6 leaves Kale
2 cups Spinach
1/2 Cucumber
4 stalks Celery
2 Apples
1” Ginger root
Calories: 180
Protein: 12 g
Fiber: 1 g

Lunch

Arugula Spinach Salad + Mustard Vinaigrette Dressing
2 cups Arugula
1 cup Spinach
1/3 Avocado
1/2 cup thinly sliced red Onion
1/2 cup chopped Tomato (heirloom in the summer)
1/2 cup Jicama

Mustard Vinaigrette-   I had to have this with honey or it was too acidic.
1/3 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
1 1/2 Tbsp. Grain mustard
2/3 cups Cold Pressed Olive Oil
Sea Salt & fresh ground Pepper to taste
Puree the vinegar and mustard in a blender. With the blender running, slowly pour in the olive oil. Season to taste with the salt and pepper. Keeps up to 1 week in the refrigerator.
For Honey Mustard Vinaigrette: Add 3/4 Tbsp. Raw Honey
Makes 8-9 servings
Salad and 2 Tbsp. Mustard Dressing:
Calories: 278
Protein: 3.5 g
Fiber: 9 g

Raw Carrot Ginger Soup-Sooooo good!!
Makes 2, 1 1/2 cup servings – save 1 for dinner
3 cups Carrot Juice
1 ripe Avocado
2 Tbsp. Agave Nectar
1 Tbsp. Ginger, minced
1/4 tsp. ground Cayenne Pepper
1/4 tsp. Sea Salt
1/2 cup Coconut Meat, optional
2 Tbsp. Avocado or Olive Oil, for garnish
2 Tbsp. Fresh Cilantro, chopped, for garnish
Puree the first seven ingredients in a blender until completely smooth. Taste and adjust the seasonings if necessary. Garnish the soup with a drizzle of oil and the chopped cilantro.
Per Serving:
Calories: 234 kcal
Protein: 2 g
Fiber: 7 g

Dinner

Reboot Green Salad
Make it big! Any greens you like such as romaine hearts, baby romaine, baby spinach, baby arugula, add any veggie you like: cucumber, carrot, celery, pepper, tomato, fennel, radish, sprouts (not bean sprouts), onion, fresh herbs. Avocado may also be added for more substance.
Dress with Ginger Honey Soy Dressing
Salad and 2 Tbsp. Dressing:
Calories: 278
Protein: 3.5 g
Fiber: 9 g

Steamed Snow Peas, Broccoli and Green Beans with Ginger Honey Soy Dressing
1/3 lb. Snow Peas, ends trimmed
1/3 lb. Green Beans, ends trimmed
1 head Broccoli, cut into florets
Heat a pot with boiling salted water and cover with a steamer basket. Add the vegetables and steam about 5 minutes, until the vegetables are cooked but still green and crisp. Drizzle with the Ginger Honey Soy Dressing.
Steamed Veggies and Dressing:
Calories: 203
Protein: 3 g
Fiber: 4 g

Ginger Honey Soy Dressing-Freaking amazing!
2 Tbsp. Minced Fresh Ginger
2 Tbsp. Minced Fresh Garlic
2 Tbsp. Raw Honey
4 Tbsp. Nama Shoyu or Tamari
4 Tbsp. Olive Oil
Puree the first four ingredients in a blender. With the blender running, slowly add the oil until the dressing is emulsified. Keep up to 1 week in the refrigerator.

Meal Plan: Day 2

First thing in the morning

Herbal tea or hot water with lemon

Breakfast

Blackberry Kiwi Blend
1/4 large Pineapple, core removed and roughly cubed
1 cup Blackberries
1 Kiwi Fruit
1 Banana
1/2 Comice Pear
1/2 cup Coconut Water
30 Mint leaves

We pre chopped most fruits and added banana and berries in the am.

1 Tbsp. Flax seed oil, optional
Add all ingredients to blender and liquify.
Calories: 458
Protein: 6 g
Fiber: 18 g

SOOOOOO yummy!

Mid-Morning Juice-This is the one juice that I couldn't drink. Maybe too many beets and radishes for me.

V28
3 large Red Beets
2 medium Carrots
2 stalks Celery
4 Plum Tomatoes
4 cups Parsley, leaves and stems, roughly chopped and packed into the measuring cup
1 Jalapeno, ribs and seeds removed
12 Red Radishes
Calories: 340
Protein: 17 g
Fiber: 2 g

Lunch

Carrot-Dill Salad
3 cups Greens (spinach, arugula, romaine, red leaf, etc.)
Shredded Carrot, Fennel, Radish, Cabbage, Celery Salad with Fresh Dill, Lemon
1/2 of an Avocado
Add Ginger honey soy dressing
Salad and 2 Tbsp. Dressing:
Calories: 278
Protein: 3.5 g
Fiber: 9 g

Dinner

Roasted Acorn Squash Stuffed with Mushroom and Sage
1 medium Acorn Squash
3/4 tsp. plus 1/4 tsp. Sea Salt
1/2 tsp. fresh ground Black Pepper
6 Tbsp. Olive Oil, plus extra for brushing
2 Garlic cloves, minced
1 large Portobello Mushroom, chopped
1 small Onion, chopped
2 tsp. Fresh Sage, finely chopped
Pinch Red Pepper Flakes, optional
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Trim off each end of the squash. Stand the squash upright and halve lengthwise. Scoop out the pulp and the seeds and discard. Brush each squash half with olive oil, and then sprinkle with 3/4 tsp. salt and the black pepper. Arrange cut sides down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Roast the squash until the flesh is tender and the edges are golden brown, approximately 25-35 minutes. Remove from the oven, flip the squash halves over and set aside.
While the squash roasts, heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium high heat. Add the onions and garlic and saute 2 minutes, or until the onions begin to turn translucent. Add the mushrooms, sage, 1/4 tsp. salt and the red pepper flakes if using, and saute until the mushrooms begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Fill the roasted squash halves with the mushroom mixture and bake again for another 10 minutes.
Makes 4 servings
Per serving:
Calories: 254
Protein: 2 g
Fiber: 2.5 g
Green Vegetable Soup (save a serving for snack Day 3)
2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
2 Leeks, white and light green parts, thinly sliced
3 cloves Garlic, minced
1 head Broccoli, trimmed to small florets
2 medium Zucchini, cut into half moons
1 head Spinach, roughly chopped
4 leaves Basil
1 tsp. Sea Salt
1/2 tsp. fresh ground Pepper
6 cups water
3 Tbsp. fresh Basil, chopped
In a large stock pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the leeks and garlic and saute for 3 minutes. Add the broccoli, zucchini, spinach, basil, salt and pepper. Stir and cook for 5 minutes. Add the water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the chopped basil.

Both dishes were good. I added fresh thyme to both and some nutmeg to the squash.

We are going to do it again this week but maybe add in a little protein like fish and beans. I felt better last week than I have in a while. Jeff and I both felt like our heads were more clear, we had a ton more energy, and just felt overall "good".


I'll Post more soon. Still also planning on posting many other recipes of my own making. :)

Gazpacho Quinoa Salad

I have been experimenting with Quinoa this week. My first time I made it with stock and really didn't like it. It tasted kind of dirty or muddy. It was weird. i tried again with just water and liked it much more. After I got plain Quinoa down, I wanted to make some sort of salad. 


Here is an easy one that I have already made twice in two weeks. As Jeff says, "I want to have this constantly in the fridge all summer." He was happy when we ran out because he said, "Well, now you just get to make more." Silly. :) He also came up with the name for it. He said it reminded him of the soup with all of the cucumbers, tomatoes, and basil. You could add any veggies that you want to this dish. I want to 
 add some protein next time with some Chick Peas or Kidney beans. Enjoy!

 

Gazpacho Quinoa Salad  

Ingredients:

• 1 C uncooked Quinoa 
• 1 Cucumber (diced) 
• 1 C quartered cherry tomatoes 
• 2 T fresh basil, chopped
• 2 T fresh parsley, chopped
• 3 T Light Creamy Balsamic Vinaigrette
• 3 T Reduced Fat Feta Cheese

 Directions:
 1. Cook the Quinoa according to package directions. Most have you rinse the quinoa first. I did this by pouring the cup of Quinoa in the sauce pan and running cold water over it 3-4 times until the water runs clear.
2. Put the cooked Quinoa in the fridge so it can cool before you mix it with the veggies. You dont want to cook the veggies at all.
3. Chop the cucumber. I had half of a store bought cucumber and a small home grown one :). I like to peel some of the skin off of the store bought one as it is too thick and waxy. Quarter it and chop into bite size pieces.

 4. Put the chopped cucumbers, tomatoes, basil, and parsley in a bowl.
5. Add the cooled quinoa to the veggies.
6. Pour the balsamic dressing on the top. I use a combination of a creamy balsamic and a regular light balsamic and love it. Really, just use any salad dressing that you like! Mix to combine well.
7. Add the feta to the salad and toss once more. Chill and enjoy!!!

Roasted Butternut Squash with Apple and Sausage

FYI-This post was from 8/28. The website was down so I couldnt post.
I saw Rachel Ray make a pumpkin and sausage dish today and I decided to make my version. I used butternut squash as it is available and almost interchangeable with fresh pumpkin. It has a short ingredient list and is just a chop, drop, and throw in the oven meal.

Ingredients

 
1 med to large butternut squash
2 firm red apples (Gala, Braeburn, etc.)
1 med sweet onion'
1/2 lemon or 1 tbls lemon juice
1 lb Sausage or Wurst (I used Sweet Turkey Sausage)
1 tbls Agave Nectar (I would have preferred honey or real maple syrup)
1 tbls Olive Oil
4 sprigs of fresh thyme
Salt and Pepper

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 450.
2. Get out a large baking dish/casserole dish to place the chopped veggies in.
3. Peel the butternut squash and cut in half length wise. Scoop out the seeds. Chop the squash into 1 inch pieces. Place in baking dish.
4. Slice apples into wedges. An easy way to slice apples are to sut them in quarters. Then, slice the core out on an angle. Cut in half to make 8 wedges. Add apples to pan.
5. Squeeze lemon juice over the apples and toss with squash to keep from browning.
6. Slice the onions into wedges and add them to the pan.
7. Add agave nectar, nutmeg, oil, thyme, and salt and pepper to taste, to the pan.
8. Toss everything to combine.
9. Add sausages and toss again.
10. Bake uncovered for 40 mins. Toss all ingredients once during cooking.

*I broiled it at the end because I like extra crispy sausages! I also squeezed a little lemon juice at the end. It needed something to brighten the flavors and it really helped!
I liked it but I would change a few things next time: I over coked it. Ooops! I cooked it for about 53 mins and I think 45 would be perfect. (I wrote the recipe to reflect that.) I would also use a larger pan as the ingredients were crowded.

Jeff loved it and said he wouldn’t change a thing. I felt like I wanted it to be sweeter but I LOVE the combo of sweet and savory. I’ll make it again but please let me know if you make it and what changes you made to make it even BETTER! :)

One of our favorite meals!!!!

Jeff was so excited when I told him what was for dinner tonight. It includes two of his favorite dishes. The first one I have been making for years and every person that I make it for wants the recipe. Because of that, it is one of two recipes that I already have pre-typed up. (The other one is my Green Chilie Chicken Enchiladas) 

Chipotle Spinach Mini Meatloaves are super healthy. They are low fat, low cholesterol, and high in lean protein and fiber. I use old fashioned oats instead of bread crumbs and they melt away and make a great binder. That being said, they are my favorite meatloaf, and yes, I do have many meatloaf recipes. We had it with a favorite side dish. Mashed Cauliflower (really its pureed cauliflower.) A great substitute for mashed potatoes that if made of veggies! This meal is super healthy and comforting at the same time. Served with a side salad, it will please all!

Chipotle Spinach Meatloaves

Ingredients:

Chipotle Peppers

1/4 cup egg substitute

1/2 cup old fashioned oats

1tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dried thyme or basil

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

2 tsp Worscherstire Sauce (Plus more for later)

3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped

2 tsp adobo sauce (Omit if you don't like it too spicy!)

1-12oz box frozen chopped spinach

1-lb lean ground turkey

2 tsp chopped garlic

1/4 small yellow onion

1 tbls Parmesan Cheese (optional)

4 tsp Ketchup

Directions:

Preheat oven to 365.

1. In a large bowl, mix the first 9 ingredients (eggs through adobo sauce) in a bowl and set aside.

2. Defrost the spinach on defrost mode until it is warm or nuke it for 2-3 minutes on high. Drain by placing in a clean kitchen towel and squeezing out all of the excess water.

3. Combine the turkey with the oats mixture and drained spinach. Add the garlic.

4. Over the bowl, use a microplane or cheese grater, and grate 1/4 of a small onion directly in to the mixture. This keeps it moist. Add the cheese if using. did not use cheese this time and I didnt miss it! I think I will leave it out in the future.

5. Mix the mixture until everything is well combined. Do not over mix it.

6. Place meat mixture in 4 individual meatloaf pans (This is what I always do but you could do it just as easily in a large pan, muffin tins,or with no pan at all! Adjust times accordingly.)
7. Top each meatloaf with 1 tsp of Worscherstire sauce followed by 1 tsp of ketchup on each. Evenly distribute over meatloaf.

8. Bake mini meatloaves for 25 minutes at 365 degrees.

Here is a play by play:

1. In a large bowl, mix the first 9 ingredients (eggs through adobo sauce) and set aside. I added the peppers at the next step this time. Oops! :)

2. Defrost the spinach on defrost mode until it is warm or nuke it for 2-3 minutes on high. Drain by placing in a clean kitchen towel and squeezing out all of the excess water.

Place defrosted spinach in towel and squeeze!

 3. Combine the turkey with the oats mixture and drained spinach. Add the garlic. 

4. Over the bowl, use a microplane or cheese grater, and grate 1/4 of a small onion directly in to the mixture. This keeps it moist.

5. Mix the mixture until everything is well combined. Do not over mix it.

6. Place meat mixture in pans of choice. My mother in law got me these awesome JUMBO muffin tins so I used them today! Love them!

 

7. Top each meatloaf with 1 tsp of Worscherstire sauce followed by 1 tsp of ketchup on each. Evenly distribute over meatloaf.

8. Bake mini meatloaves for 25 minutes at 365 degrees.

Caramelized and Crunchy on the top.

"Mashed Cauliflower"

Ingredients:

1 head cauliflower, chopped into florets

1 cup chicken stock/water

Salt and pepper

1 tbls. Sharp Cheddar Cheese

1/2 tsp. Dried Oregano

1 tbls. Butter

 1. Place the Cauliflower and stock or water in a sauce pan and cover. Bring to a boil over med high heat. 
2. Simmer until very tender. Watch this! You may need to add more liquid as it cooks.

 3. Once tender, place cooked cauliflower and 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid in a blender. Add butter, cheese, salt, pepper, and oregano.
4. Blend until mixture is completely pureed. Try to not add too much liquid as you don't want it to be runny. Use a spatula to scrape the sides and make sure everything is combined. 


I will often change this recipe up. I like it best with Parmesean. You can use to milk or cream to make it more creamy. I made everything as low fat as possible tonight. It was still delicious and guilt free!

 

So for desert-I had some over ripe bananas and whipped up a batch of my favorite Banana Chocolate Chip Oatmeal cookies! I used all Agave nectar (no sugar) this time and we both really loved them. 

Now to finish Jericho! Been hooked!