Enjoy!
The Meal Plan:
Sat: (L) Out (S) Stuffed sweet potatoes
Sun (L) Leftovers (S) Chicken and Chili hash
Mon (Yoga/Bkgrp) leftovers
Tues Honey Dijon Fish with zucchini
Wed (Field day) Stacked Chicken Enchiladas (grill a chicken ahead of time)
Thurs (Yoga) leftovers
Fri - I forgot what I made...
Lunches - Apple, Kale and Chicken salad wraps
Sausage and Broccoli Stuffed Sweet Potatoes (Ckng Lght, Sept 2016) gluten free; vegetarian option**
Okay! I had a few changes to this dish! I subbed ground breakfast sausage for the beef (I had a package of sausage in my freezer and I don't eat beef); I baked the sweet potatoes because I don't have a microwave; I used fresh broccoli instead of frozen. Some tweaking to cooking directions was necessary, and I noted those below. My tweaks require a bit more pre-planning (like starting the potatoes an hour ahead).
For my vegetarian readers - this would be great with black beans.
Overall, this was very tasty (full disclosure - not the Husbands favorite, he doesn't care for sweet potatoes). The creamy sweetness of the sweet potatoes contrasted nicely with the bell peppers and tangy sausage.
For my vegetarian readers - this would be great with black beans.
Overall, this was very tasty (full disclosure - not the Husbands favorite, he doesn't care for sweet potatoes). The creamy sweetness of the sweet potatoes contrasted nicely with the bell peppers and tangy sausage.
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| Photo from CookingLight.com |
1 cup
chopped red onion
3/4 cup
drained and chopped bottled roasted red bell peppers
4
garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons
chili powder
1/2 teaspoon
kosher salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon
ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon
ground red pepper
10 ounce
90% lean ground sirloin (I used ground sausage)
** Vegetarian option - use two cans of rinsed and drained black beans.
** Vegetarian option - use two cans of rinsed and drained black beans.
2 cups
frozen steam-in-bag broccoli florets (I used fresh broccoli)
2 ounces
pre-shredded 2% reduced-fat Mexican-blend cheese (about 1/2 cup)
1/4 cup
chopped green onions
1.
Rub sweet potatoes with 1 1/2 teaspoons oil; pierce several times with a
fork. Microwave at HIGH 12 to 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. I don't have a microwave; I baked in a 350* oven for just over an hour or until easily pierced by a fork.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high. Add remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil; swirl to coat. Add onion and red bell peppers; cook 5 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Add garlic, and cook 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in chili powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, cumin, and ground red pepper. Addbeef (or pork); cook 6 minutes or until browned,
stirring to crumble.
3.Preheat broiler to high. Because I had the oven on, I just used the oven.
4. Heat broccoli according to package directions; stir into beef mixture. Arrange potatoes on a baking sheet. Partially split potatoes lengthwise; fluff the flesh with a fork. Top potatoes evenly with beef mixture, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and cheese.Broil [Baked] 30 seconds or
until cheese melts. Sprinkle with green onions.
Chicken and Chili Hash (Ckng Lght, Sept 2016) gluten free, vegetarian option**
Another dish were I greatly modified because I don't have a microwave - which really isn't an issue, but does require a tich more planning ahead. While I was grilling chicken for the Kale, Apple and Almond Chicken salad (below) and the Stacked Enchiladas (below) I cooked the potatoes and set aside to dry. The potatoes were then ready for final assembly when I went to make supper.
The other significant substitution was I used the leftover breakfast sausage from the Stuffed Sweet Potatoes instead of chicken. And dried thyme for fresh. I'm NOT paying those prices for fresh herbs at the store, and I didn't think to plant some this spring.
Overall, a very tasty "brinner" (breakfast for dinner, as my friend calls it). Fairly easy to assemble, hearty, and tastes great.
1 tablespoon
chopped fresh thyme, divided (I used 1/2 tsp dried thyme)
2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high. Add remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil; swirl to coat. Add onion and red bell peppers; cook 5 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Add garlic, and cook 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in chili powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, cumin, and ground red pepper. Add
3.
4. Heat broccoli according to package directions; stir into beef mixture. Arrange potatoes on a baking sheet. Partially split potatoes lengthwise; fluff the flesh with a fork. Top potatoes evenly with beef mixture, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and cheese.
Chicken and Chili Hash (Ckng Lght, Sept 2016) gluten free, vegetarian option**
Another dish were I greatly modified because I don't have a microwave - which really isn't an issue, but does require a tich more planning ahead. While I was grilling chicken for the Kale, Apple and Almond Chicken salad (below) and the Stacked Enchiladas (below) I cooked the potatoes and set aside to dry. The potatoes were then ready for final assembly when I went to make supper.
The other significant substitution was I used the leftover breakfast sausage from the Stuffed Sweet Potatoes instead of chicken. And dried thyme for fresh. I'm NOT paying those prices for fresh herbs at the store, and I didn't think to plant some this spring.
Overall, a very tasty "brinner" (breakfast for dinner, as my friend calls it). Fairly easy to assemble, hearty, and tastes great.
2 tablespoons
water
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| Photo from CookingLight.com |
12 ounces
Yukon Gold potatoes, cubed
2 tablespoons
olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon
kosher salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon
ground red pepper
12 ounces
ground chicken I used breakfast sausage
1 cup
thinly vertically sliced red onion
1
poblano chile, seeded and chopped
2 cups
cremini mushrooms, quartered (about 6 oz.)
5
garlic cloves, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons
red wine vinegar, divided
4
large eggs
1.
Place 2 tablespoons water and potatoes in a microwave-safe dish; cover
with plastic wrap. Microwave at HIGH 5 minutes or until tender. Place
potatoes on a paper towel-lined plate. I don't have a microwave. I placed cubed potatoes into a pot of cold water, brought to a boil, and cooked for about 15 minutes or until fork tender.
2. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over high. Add 1 tablespoon oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, red pepper, and chicken; cook 5 minutes, stirring to crumble. Remove chicken mixture to a bowl with a slotted spoon. Add onion and poblano chile to drippings in pan; cook 4 minutes. Add the mushrooms, 2 teaspoons thyme, and garlic; cook 5 minutes. Add mushroom mixture to chicken mixture.
3. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add potatoes; cook 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, chicken mixture, and 1 tablespoon vinegar to pan; cook 2 minutes.
4. Add water to a saucepan, filling two-thirds full; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; add remaining 2 tablespoons vinegar. Break each egg into a custard cup, and pour each gently into pan; cook 3 minutes. Carefully remove eggs from pan using a slotted spoon.
5. Divide hash evenly among 4 plates; top with eggs and remaining 1 teaspoon thyme.
Honey-dijon Glazed Salmon with Zucchini Chips (Ckng Lght, Sept 2016)
As usual, a few modifications - I turned this into a one meal dish; I used Lake Trout instead of salmon, and I grilled instead of broiling (broiling never works for me). The downside of grilling was I didn't quite get the glaze effect of broiling.
The glaze worked really well with Lake Trout, which can be a oily fish. Grilling helps with that oily taste/flavor. While I halved the amount of fish, I didn't halve the glaze/sauce.
For the zucchini mix, I did substitute regular onion for the shallot because I forgot to add to the grocery list. I lightly browned/caramelized the onion, then cooked up the zucchini. Nothing special there. I served everything over brown rice.
Overall, a fast and tasty mid-week dish.
Apple, Kale, and Chicken Salad (Ckng Lght, Sept 2016)
Yup, I had an substitution/alteration here too. I just can't leave a recipe as is! Same as above, I used pre-cooked shredded chicken that I had prepped over the weekend (those two grilled birds went a long way!).
This was for lunches during the week. For the husband, I initially put in a large wrap, but he reported back it all just kinda fell out. Mine went into a lunch container with the dressing in a separate tub.
This is a very tasty salad - I love the celery and apple combo with the mustard dressing. What I didn't like was being hungry two hours later. I either needed to make a BIGGER salad to bring to work, or have this as a side to a small sandwich. Either way, I recommend this one!
2. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over high. Add 1 tablespoon oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, red pepper, and chicken; cook 5 minutes, stirring to crumble. Remove chicken mixture to a bowl with a slotted spoon. Add onion and poblano chile to drippings in pan; cook 4 minutes. Add the mushrooms, 2 teaspoons thyme, and garlic; cook 5 minutes. Add mushroom mixture to chicken mixture.
3. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add potatoes; cook 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, chicken mixture, and 1 tablespoon vinegar to pan; cook 2 minutes.
4. Add water to a saucepan, filling two-thirds full; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; add remaining 2 tablespoons vinegar. Break each egg into a custard cup, and pour each gently into pan; cook 3 minutes. Carefully remove eggs from pan using a slotted spoon.
5. Divide hash evenly among 4 plates; top with eggs and remaining 1 teaspoon thyme.
Honey-dijon Glazed Salmon with Zucchini Chips (Ckng Lght, Sept 2016)
As usual, a few modifications - I turned this into a one meal dish; I used Lake Trout instead of salmon, and I grilled instead of broiling (broiling never works for me). The downside of grilling was I didn't quite get the glaze effect of broiling.
The glaze worked really well with Lake Trout, which can be a oily fish. Grilling helps with that oily taste/flavor. While I halved the amount of fish, I didn't halve the glaze/sauce.
For the zucchini mix, I did substitute regular onion for the shallot because I forgot to add to the grocery list. I lightly browned/caramelized the onion, then cooked up the zucchini. Nothing special there. I served everything over brown rice.
Overall, a fast and tasty mid-week dish.
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| Photo from CookingLight.com |
2 tablespoons
honey
1 1/2 tablespoons
Dijon mustard
1 1/2 tablespoons
red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon
freshly ground black pepper, divided
1/2 teaspoon
kosher salt, divided
Cooking spray
4
(6-oz.) salmon fillets
2 tablespoons
olive oil, divided
1
shallot, thinly sliced and divided
2
medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/4-in. slices (about 3 cups), divided
2 tablespoons
chopped fresh cilantro
1. Place a rimmed baking sheet in oven. Preheat broiler to high (keep pan in oven as it preheats).
2. Combine honey, mustard, vinegar, 3/4 teaspoon pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at HIGH for 2 minutes, stirring after 1 minute. Reserve 2 tablespoons honey mixture.
3. Carefully remove pan from oven. Coat pan with cooking spray. Arrange fillets, skin side down, on pan; broil 6 minutes. Brush remaining 2 1/2 tablespoons honey mixture over fillets; broil 2 minutes. Remove pan from oven; brush fillets with reserved 2 tablespoons honey mixture. Keep warm.
4. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over high. Add half of shallots; cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Add half of zucchini; cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Place zucchini mixture in a bowl. Repeat procedure with remaining 1 tablespoon oil, remaining shallots, and remaining zucchini. Add remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and cilantro to zucchini mixture; toss. Serve zucchini with salmon fillets.
Stacked Chicken Enchiladas (Ckng Lght, Sept 2016) gluten free
MORE modifications! But not too many, mostly just some simplification. Instead of cooking up a bunch of chicken thighs, I had cooked a chicken earlier and shredded it ahead of time. So I skipped right to the "combine yogurt, chicken and green onions".
After I cooked the onions, jalepeno and garlic, I skipped the whole "put in a blender bit". I layered tortillas, sauce, chicken, onion mixture and cheese. Blending seemed like an unnecessary extra step that just created more dishes to wash.
Because the chicken was not warm, I did change the baking time and temperature: I cooked for 30 minutes at 350*. This gave me time to wash dishes and help with an outside chore. I let stand for 10 minutes, then served.
This would be great with some fresh cornbread.
2. Heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high. Add chicken to pan; cook 4 minutes on each side. Remove from pan; cool slightly. Shred chicken; sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon salt. Combine chicken, yogurt, and 2 tablespoons green onions in a bowl.
3. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over high. Add red onion and jalapeño; cook 4 minutes, turning occasionally. Add garlic to pan; cook 4 minutes or until vegetables are charred on all sides. Place remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, jalapeño mixture, tomatoes, stock, and cumin in a blender; blend until smooth.
4. Place 2 tortillas in the bottom of an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray, tearing tortillas as needed to fit in a single layer. Spread 1/2 cup tomato mixture over tortillas in dish; top with half of chicken mixture and 1/4 cup shredded cheese. Repeat layers once with 2 tortillas, 1/2 cup tomato mixture, remaining chicken mixture, and 1/4 cup cheese. Top with the remaining 2 tortillas, remaining 3/4 cup tomato mixture, and remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Bake at 425°F for 15 minutes. Top with remaining 2 tablespoons green onions
2. Combine honey, mustard, vinegar, 3/4 teaspoon pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at HIGH for 2 minutes, stirring after 1 minute. Reserve 2 tablespoons honey mixture.
3. Carefully remove pan from oven. Coat pan with cooking spray. Arrange fillets, skin side down, on pan; broil 6 minutes. Brush remaining 2 1/2 tablespoons honey mixture over fillets; broil 2 minutes. Remove pan from oven; brush fillets with reserved 2 tablespoons honey mixture. Keep warm.
4. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over high. Add half of shallots; cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Add half of zucchini; cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Place zucchini mixture in a bowl. Repeat procedure with remaining 1 tablespoon oil, remaining shallots, and remaining zucchini. Add remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and cilantro to zucchini mixture; toss. Serve zucchini with salmon fillets.
Stacked Chicken Enchiladas (Ckng Lght, Sept 2016) gluten free
MORE modifications! But not too many, mostly just some simplification. Instead of cooking up a bunch of chicken thighs, I had cooked a chicken earlier and shredded it ahead of time. So I skipped right to the "combine yogurt, chicken and green onions".
After I cooked the onions, jalepeno and garlic, I skipped the whole "put in a blender bit". I layered tortillas, sauce, chicken, onion mixture and cheese. Blending seemed like an unnecessary extra step that just created more dishes to wash.
Because the chicken was not warm, I did change the baking time and temperature: I cooked for 30 minutes at 350*. This gave me time to wash dishes and help with an outside chore. I let stand for 10 minutes, then served.
This would be great with some fresh cornbread.
1 1/2 teaspoons
olive oil
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| Photo from CookingLight.com |
12 ounces
skinless, boneless chicken thighs (I used shredded chicken I had cooked earlier)
5/8 teaspoon
kosher salt, divided
1/2 cup
plain 2% reduced-fat Greek yogurt
1/4 cup
chopped green onions, divided
1
medium-size red onion, cut into 1/2-in. slices
1
medium jalapeño
4
garlic cloves
1 1/2 cups
canned unsalted crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup
unsalted chicken stock (such as Swanson)
1 teaspoon
ground cumin
6
(6-in.) corn tortillas, divided
Cooking spray
4 ounces
preshredded 2% reduced-fat Mexican-blend cheese (about 1 cup), divided
1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
2. Heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high. Add chicken to pan; cook 4 minutes on each side. Remove from pan; cool slightly. Shred chicken; sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon salt. Combine chicken, yogurt, and 2 tablespoons green onions in a bowl.
3. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over high. Add red onion and jalapeño; cook 4 minutes, turning occasionally. Add garlic to pan; cook 4 minutes or until vegetables are charred on all sides. Place remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, jalapeño mixture, tomatoes, stock, and cumin in a blender; blend until smooth.
4. Place 2 tortillas in the bottom of an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray, tearing tortillas as needed to fit in a single layer. Spread 1/2 cup tomato mixture over tortillas in dish; top with half of chicken mixture and 1/4 cup shredded cheese. Repeat layers once with 2 tortillas, 1/2 cup tomato mixture, remaining chicken mixture, and 1/4 cup cheese. Top with the remaining 2 tortillas, remaining 3/4 cup tomato mixture, and remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Bake at 425°F for 15 minutes. Top with remaining 2 tablespoons green onions
Apple, Kale, and Chicken Salad (Ckng Lght, Sept 2016)
Yup, I had an substitution/alteration here too. I just can't leave a recipe as is! Same as above, I used pre-cooked shredded chicken that I had prepped over the weekend (those two grilled birds went a long way!).
This was for lunches during the week. For the husband, I initially put in a large wrap, but he reported back it all just kinda fell out. Mine went into a lunch container with the dressing in a separate tub.
This is a very tasty salad - I love the celery and apple combo with the mustard dressing. What I didn't like was being hungry two hours later. I either needed to make a BIGGER salad to bring to work, or have this as a side to a small sandwich. Either way, I recommend this one!
1/4 cup
olive oil
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| Photo from CookingLight.com |
1 teaspoon
grated lemon rind
3 tablespoons
fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons
chopped fresh thyme
1 teaspoon
Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon
kosher salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon
freshly ground black pepper, divided
12 ounces
skinless, boneless chicken thighs
Cooking spray
6 cups
baby kale
2
medium carrots, peeled and thinly sliced diagonally
2
celery stalks, thinly sliced
1
apple, halved and cut into 1/4-in.-thick slices
1/4 cup
sliced almonds, toasted
1.
Combine oil, rind, juice, thyme, mustard, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4
teaspoon pepper in a bowl, stirring with a whisk. Place 2 tablespoons
juice mixture in a large ziplock plastic bag; reserve remaining juice
mixture. Add chicken to bag; seal bag. Let stand at room temperature 10
minutes, turning bag occasionally.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Remove chicken from marinade; discard marinade. Pat chicken dry. Sprinkle chicken with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add chicken to pan; cook 5 minutes on each side or until done. Place chicken on a cutting board; let stand 5 minutes. Cut across the grain into thin slices.
3. Combine kale, carrots, celery, and apple in large bowl. Add remaining juice mixture; toss to coat. Divide kale mixture evenly among 4 plates; top evenly with chicken. Sprinkle with almonds and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Remove chicken from marinade; discard marinade. Pat chicken dry. Sprinkle chicken with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add chicken to pan; cook 5 minutes on each side or until done. Place chicken on a cutting board; let stand 5 minutes. Cut across the grain into thin slices.
3. Combine kale, carrots, celery, and apple in large bowl. Add remaining juice mixture; toss to coat. Divide kale mixture evenly among 4 plates; top evenly with chicken. Sprinkle with almonds and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
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