Sweet ‘n Sour Chicken Wings

Ingredients:
1 package (approximately 20) chicken wings (I use fresh, not frozen)
2 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
1 cup water
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup white sugar (I use Truvia sugar substitute to cut calories)
1/3 cup corn starch
1/2 cup soy sauce
salt and pepper

Directions: Add EVOO to a large saute pan with lid…place all of the wings in the pan (uncovered) and use tongs to turn and brown all of the chicken wings…(using salt and pepper to flavor as you brown the wings). In a separate sauce pan add the water, apple cider vinegar, sugar (or Truvia) corn starch and soy sauce and whisk it all together. Turn the sauce pan temperature up to high and keep whisking the mixture until it changes color and consistency and starts to boil. Once it changes to a dark, syrupy texture pour over the large sauce pan full of browned chicken wings. Using your tongs, toss and coat the wings in the sauce and then turn to low and simmer COVERED for approximately an hour. Add some quinoa, a salad or just use your hands and dig in. These wings will fall off the bone when you serve them!

Butternut Squash & Chorizo Pizza

Ingredients for TWO large thin-crust pizzas: If you don’t need two, save half of the ingredients below and make another one later in the week (trust me, you’ll want to). 
1 can Organic or Regular Butternut Squash Soup (or roast your own!) I like Wolfgang Puck or Campbell’s new one
1/4 small yellow onion (chopped) or 3 shallots (cut up)
3 Fresh Chorizo Sausages from service meat case (or your favorite fresh sausage)
1 twin-pack of Mama Mary’s thin crust pizzas from dairy case (or your favorite brand, or make your own!)
Blueberry Goat Cheese (I use La Bonne Vie brand from our local HARPS cheese case).
Pine Nuts (I got mine from our local HARPS bulk produce area)
Italian Seasoning
Fresh Grated Parmesan
Sage

Preparation: Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a sauce pan, squeeze Chorizo out of it’s casing and brown it thoroughly then drain it on a paper towel and set aside. Place each pizza crust on a pizza sheet. (You can reserve 1/2 the ingredients for a few days and make the second one later if you don’t need two). Spread 1/2 a can of the butternut squash soup on each pizza crust like you would a marinara. Sprinkle sage and italian seasoning over the pizza. Then use 1/2 the browned Chorizo on each pizza (spreading out like pictured). Toss on pine nuts (you can also use pistachios out of the shell as well and those are also great). Sprinkle onion or shallots and top with fresh Parmesan cheese to your liking. Open your blueberry goat cheese and take a fork and “scrape” the cheese and let it fall over the top of the pizza until you have the amount of cheese you like. Cook for around 15-20 minutes (depending up on how done you like yours, I did mine almost 20 minutes). Take out of oven and serve! Delicious! Add an arugula, goat cheese balsamic salad and it’s perfection.

Hot Side Dish: Roasted Cauliflower Two Ways (Angry & Italian!)

You can make this dish any way you like it! I made two variations, Angry Cauliflower (spicy!) and Italian Cauliflower

ANGRY CAULIFLOWER
Ingredients:
1 pkg. Birds Eye Frozen Cauliflower Florets (still frozen)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil Pan Spray
Garlic Salt
Montreal Steak Seasoning
Chili Powder

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. On a cookie sheet, spread out the florets of cauliflower. Spray generously with the EVOO Pan Spray coating all pieces. Sprinkle on garlic salt, Montreal Steak seasoning and chili powder. Cook for approximately 15-20 minutes until roasted well and a fork can easily pierce each floret. Then serve! This one is spicy!!

ITALIAN CAULIFLOWER
Ingredients:
1 pkg. Birds Eye Frozen Caulflower Florets (still frozen)
Italian seasoning
Garlic Salt
Rosemary
Grated Parmesan Cheese
Tomato Sauce or Marinara (for dipping sauce on the side – optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. On a cookie sheet, spread out florets of cauliflower. Spray generously with the EVOO Pan Spray coating all the pieces. Sprinkle on garlic salt, italian seasoning, rosemary and then generously shake on Parmesan cheese. Cook for approximately 20 minutes until well roasted. Serve with a side of tomato sauce or marinara warmed! Excellent as a side dish in place of pasta!

Easy Curry Salsa Crock Pot Chicken

INGREDIENTS:
1 16-oz. jar of Chunky Homestyle Salsa (I used Taco Bell’s and we like spicy)
1 pkg. of Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs (I used Smart Chicken with 6 thighs/pkg)
2 large tablespoons of your favorite curry spice (skip this if you don’t like curry)
1 small yellow onion chopped
1/2 small container of Lite Sour Cream (I used Daisy)

 Add raw chicken to the bottom of your crock pot, in a bowl mix salsa, onion and curry, then pour it over chicken. Cook on high for 4 hours or on low for around 8 hours. Just before serving, remove thighs, mix sour cream into sauce and then return the chicken to the crock pot to coat. Next serve a super easy, delicious dinner with whatever sides you like! (Add cous cous or rice or quinoa!)

Ahhhhhh Sesame Ahi Tuna

This is a delicious and CHEAP alternative to dining healthy in a high-end restaurant! I purchase the frozen bag of Ahi Tuna, thaw and just barely sear it for a delicious main course!

INGREDIENTS:
Bag of frozen Ahi Tuna Steaks (two large steaks per bag, in frozen seafood case)
Chili powder
Spray Olive Oil
Sesame seeds (1/4 small jar)
McCormick Montreal Steak Seasoning (tsp)
Salt & Pepper

DIRECTIONS: Thaw two Ahi Tuna steaks (sink or refrigerator depending upon your time). Cut into three rectangular lengths (see photo above right). On plate, coat all sides of tuna with sesame seeds, chili powder, Montreal Steak seasoning, salt and pepper to taste. Spray skillet and coat bottom with Olive Oil (I use the can spray for no calories). Sear each side for just a minute or so on medium high and remove to plate. Cut into bite-size pieces. Serve with a side of wasabi sauce (jar) or other sauce you enjoy. I added a jalapeno-carrot slaw salad and arugula salad with goat cheese, pine nuts and walnuts. (Serves 2-4).

Thai Green Curry with Chicken over Couscous

Super easy – almost everything is done for you in advance but it’ll give any Thai restaurant a run for their money! Spicy, delicious and healthy!

INGREDIENTS: (for a large skillet, feeds at least 4)
2 pkgs. of Campbell’s Thai Green Curry Sauce (packets are on shelf by soup)
1/2 yellow onion, diced
2 tbsp. of curry powder (base it on your taste)
2 pkgs. of Tyson cubed chicken breast (fully cooked)
1/2 large pkg. of frozen shelled edamame beans
1 box of Near East (or your favorite) couscous

DIRECTIONS: Prepare couscous as directed on package and set aside covered, spray or drizzle olive oil in a large skillet. Cook onions and add chicken on medium heat. Lower heat and add the Campbell’s Thai Green Curry Sauce packets and stir. Defrost frozen edamame in microwave and add to mixture and stir. Season with curry powder and salt and pepper to taste. Keep mixture on low simmering for approximately five minutes. Serve in large bowls, adding couscous first and layering on the bottom and then covering with the Thai Green Curry sauce mixture and enjoy! 

Chicken Thighs in Pear & Leek Sauce

THIS ONE IS AWESOME! And so good for you! Great way to get more produce in your main dish. Only took me 20-25 minutes start to finish and it was hot on the table.

INGREDIENTS:
2 large leeks, white & light green parts only, thinly sliced
6 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO), divided
6-8 small boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed (no fat, skin)
1 large firm ripe pear, peeled and diced (I used an Asian pear)
3/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth, divided
2 teaspoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons of fig preserves
1/4 cup (approx) chopped walnuts, toasted if you want, or natural
Salt and Pepper

DIRECTIONS: 
1) Place sliced leek in a colander;rinse and drain well
2) Heat half of the EVOO in a large nonstick skilled over medium high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper and cook until golden brown and no longer pink in the center, 4-5 minutes or so per side. Transfer to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.
3) Reduce heat to mediu and add the remaining EVOO to pan. Add leeks and cook, stirring until they start to brown and soften, about 1-2 minutes. Add pear and 1/4 cup broth; simmer until the pear is soft and broth is evaporated, about 2 minutes.
4) Meanwhile, whisk the remaining 1/2 cup broth and cornstarch in small bowl. Add fig preserves to pan and cook, stirring until melted. Stir in the cornstarch mixture, more salt and pepper (to your taste) and bring it to a boil, stirring and cooking until thickened, about 1 minute. Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to pan and turn to coat in sauce. Add half of the walnuts and turn to heat to low for a few more minutes. Serve sprinkled with remaining walnuts. YUM! Approximately 333 calories per serving.

EZ (Health-ier) Poppy Seed Chicken!

 

 

Sometimes we forget the classics — Poppy Seed Chicken has always been one of my family’s favorites. Well now I do it easy style and I use fat-free and whole wheat items to make it a little better for us calorie wise! Since I’m in and out of town, thought I’d get to posting this for you in case you need something easy this week!

INGREDIENTS:
1 Rotisserie Chicken from your local deli (Mine was only $6.49! And it was family size too and it’s already cooked, just remove the skin and take it off the bone!! Super easy, saves $$ and time and tastes fabulous!)

2 extra large cans of Campbell’s Cream of Chicken Soup (choose the healthy ones!)
1 small tub of fat-free sour cream
2 tbsp. poppy seeds
1 sleeve of Ritz Whole Wheat Crackers
Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.Grease a 13 x 9 baking dish (I like to use glass). Take the skin off of the rotisserie chicken and cut it off the bone and chop or tear into small pieces toss into pan. Once you have all the chicken off the bone, add the cream of chicken soup and sour cream and mix really well. Stir in poppy seeds and add salt and pepper to your liking. Smash up the Ritz crackers and sprinkle all across the top — put in oven for approximately one hour!

 

BBQ Bacon-Wrapped Meatballs!

 

Normally I’m totally healthy, bending the rules a bit this week because these meatballs”rock” are super easy and are wonderful when reheated as well! It’s back-to-school dinnertime at it’s best.

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb. ground hamburger (95% lean)
1 to 2 cups of BBQ Sauce (I use Head Country)
1/2 to 3/4 pkg. of Stove Top Sage Dressing (dry – do not prepare)
1 pkg. Farmland Maple Glazed Bacon (MUST use maple flavored!)
Salt and Pepper
Pam cooking spray

DIRECTIONS:
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat bottom of 13 x 9″ glass pan with Pam cooking spray. In a large mixing bowl, add raw ground beef, BBQ Sauce (as much as you like to really coat it) and the Stove Top stuffing (I usually smash it up a bit before I open the bag). Mix well (I use my hands and really “knead” it around). Make 1 1/2″ balls of mixture and then wrap a whole raw piece of bacon around both ways and set in pan (no need to use toothpicks if you place the bacon with the end down underneath the meatball). Give a squirt on the top of each meatball of additional BBQ sauce. Then cook at 350 degrees for approximately one hour. Use tongs and move meatballs to a serving dish (to remove grease from bottom of dish.)  

BBQ Swai on a Bun! YUM!

INGREDIENTS:
Thawed Swai* Fillets (approx. 1 1/2 per person)
Seasoned Salt
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
Wickles Relish (found by the regular pickle relish on shelf near condiments)
80-Calorie Whole Wheat Hamburger Buns (1 per person)
BBQ Sauce (I use Stubbs Sweet Heat or Head Country)
Pam cooking spray

DIRECTIONS: (prep time approximately 20 minutes total)
Thaw Swai fillets in sink for approximately 4 hours prior to cooking. In a large saute pan or electric frying pan, coat bottom with EVOO. Lay fillets on top of EVOO and sprinkle on seasoned salt. Cook on medium heat until almost completely cooked through (8 to 10 minutes or so). “Chop” or cut up Swai fillets with tongs or spatula in pan and coat completely with your favorite BBQ Sauce. Mix well. Turn heat to low. In a separate small pan, spray on PAM cooking spray and then toast or “brown” insides of each bun. Once buns are toasted, lay on plate open-faced. Top open-faced buns with some BBQ sauce directly from bottle. Then top with BBQ Swai mixture (dividing cooked Swai among servings) and add a tablespoon or two of Wickles relish on top (see above picture). I usually add a side dish of Alexia Chipotle Sweet Potato Fries we use our forks to eat the sandwiches and enjoy!

*Swai is found in the frozen seafood area of your grocer’s meat department, at my store (HARPS) it’s in the end next to the Tilapia.