Coconut Shrimp

This is one of my favorite dishes ever! I love coconut shrimp (or anything rolled in coconut, haha). The original recipe didn't have you toast the panko crumbs, but after making this many times toasting and not toasting I prefer it toasted. It makes the shrimp a little more crunchy and closer to a good fried taste!

Coconut Shrimp
Servings: 8 • Serving Size: 3 shrimp, 1 tbsp sauce • Old Points: 3 pts • Points+: 4 pts
Calories: 161.6 • Fat: 3.4 g • Protein: 10.2 g • Carb: 22.2 g • Fiber: 1.8 g • Sugar: 15.7 g Sodium: 164.3

Ingredients:
1 lb (24) large shrimp, peeled and deviened (weight after peeled)
1/2 cup + 1 tbsp shredded sweetened coconut
1/2 cup + 1 tbsp panko crumbs
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp all purpose flour (you will only use 1 tbsp)
1 large egg
pinch salt
non-stick spray (I used my misto)

For the Sweet and Spicy Dipping Sauce:

1/2 cup apricot preserves (you can use sugar free if you wish)
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
3/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (or more if you like spice!)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425°. Spray a non-stick baking sheet with cooking spray.

In a medium skillet toast panko crumbs with olive oil till brown, stirring constantly. Let cool a bit before next step.

Combine coconut flakes, panko crumbs and salt in a bowl. Place the flour on a small dish. Whisk egg in another bowl.

Lightly season shrimp with salt. Dip the shrimp in the flour, shaking off excess, then into the egg, then in the coconut crumb mixture.

Lay shrimp on the cookie sheet then spray the top of the shrimp with more cooking spray; bake in the middle rack for about 10 minutes. Turn shrimp over then cook another 6-7 minutes or until cooked though. Remove from oven and serve with dipping sauce.

For the sauce, combine all the ingredients and place in a small bowl.

Enjoy!

Microwave Chocolate Cake

So I have heard of microwave mini cakes and muffins, but hadn't thought of trying it because my microwave is on it's last breath. I have fully exhausted it and thought this wouldn't work. But I had a strong craving for chocolate cake and didn't feel like baking up a big one so I thuoght I'd give it a whirl. I also wanted to have a special treat with the hubby after the boys were sound asleep. My microwave did show it's age and took 3 times longer than the recipe called to make this, but it was still delicious. Although doesn't everything taste more indulgent when the kids are sleeping? ;-) haha. I plan on making this a lot more (I also plan on buying a new microwave).

Microwave Chocolate Cake also called: One Minute Chocolate Cake
By: Chocolate Covered Katie

1 tablespoon plus 2 tsp cocoa powder
3 tablespoons flour
1/8 tsp salt
1 tablespoon + 2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tablespoon oil
3 tablespoons milk of choice (I used almond milk)
1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

Combine dry ingredients and mix very, very well. Add liquid, stir, then transfer to a little dish, ramekin, or even a coffee mug. Microwave 30-40 seconds. If you don’t want to eat it straight out of the dish, be sure to spray your dish first (and then wait for it to cool before trying to remove it).

Cajun Chicken Pasta (Light)

I was looking for a different way to make chicken than the usual ways I've been doing. I stumbled on this recipe and adapted it to my dairy free diet and what I had on hand. It was delicious and even better the next day for lunch (when all the cajun seasoning really soaked in...mmm) Another winner from skinny taste.

Cajun Chicken Pasta
Servings: 5 • Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups • Old Points: 6 pts • Points+: 8 pts
Calories: 323.8 • Fat: 6.2 g • Protein: 25.9 g • Carb: 44.1 g • Fiber: 6.3 g • Sugar: 3.2 g
Sodium: 126.5 mg (without salt)


Ingredients:

8 ounces uncooked linguine
1 pound chicken breast strips
1-2 tsp Cajun seasoning (or to taste)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 medium yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 zuchinni, thinly sliced
1/2 red onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium tomatoes, diced (I didn't have any in mine, I just forgot)
1 cup fat free low sodium chicken broth
1/3 cup milk (I used almond milk)
1 tbsp flour
fresh cracked pepper
2 scallions, chopped
salt to taste
cooking spray

Directions:

Prep all your vegetables. In a small blender make a slurry by combining milk, flour and cream cheese. Set aside. Season chicken generously with Cajun seasoning, garlic powder and salt

Prepare pasta in salted water, per package directions.

Heat a large heavy nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; spray with cooking spray and add half of the chicken. Sauté 5 to 6 minutes or until done, set aside on a plate and repeat with the remaining chicken. Set aside

Add olive oil to the skillet and reduce to medium; add bell peppers, zuchinni, onions, and garlic to skillet, sauté 4-6 minutes till tender. Season with 1/4 tsp salt, garlic powder and fresh cracked pepper to taste

Reduce heat to medium-low; add chicken broth/milk mix and pour in slurry stirring about 2 minutes.

Return chicken to skillet; adjust salt and Cajun seasoning to taste, cook another minute or two until hot, then add linguine; toss well to coat. Top with chopped scallions and enjoy!

Chocolate Pancakes

Chocolate for breakfast! You betcha! The original recipe calls for dark cocoa but I haven't seen any where I shop. Amazon sells it but I'm not prepared for a case of it yet, but I'm sure I'll pick some up soon. Hunter asks for these most mornings, "Mommy can I have the chocolate pancake pleeeeaase?" I usually double or triple the recipe since Hunter can easily polish off an entire batch!

Brownie Batter Pancakes
From: Chocolate Covered Katie
(Makes 6-8 silver-dollar pancakes)

1/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 T cocoa
1 T plus 1 tsp sugar
1/16 tsp salt
1 T oil
1/2 T applesauce.
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
5 and 1/2 T milk of choice

Mix dry ingredients very well, then add wet. Make pancakes

Pumpkin Smoothie

I love pumpkin and when I was pregnant with James I craved the Pumpkin Smash Smoothies from Jamba Juice. Here is my at-home version, I usually throw in a handful of spinach and blend once more. See my green monster smoothie post here

Pumpkin Smoothie
1. C. Milk (I used coconut milk)
1/3 C. Pumpkin Puree
1 tsp. Vanilla
1 Frozen Banana
2 tsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice (or combo of cinnamon and nutmeg)
1 1/2 tsp agave (sugar)
ice

Blend till smooth. Enjoy!

Green Monster Smoothie (Basic)

I've been seeing tons of these green smoothies popping up on all my favorite food blogs. I am a pretty picky eater and the thought of drinking my veggies sounded repulsive, but finally I decided to cave. My first version was actually a mocha (I figured with coffee and chocolate it couldn't be that bad), and I quickly developed an addiction for these tasty, healthier smoothies. I honestly feel like I have more energy on the days I have one of these. This is the base recipe, you can add so much more to it and change the flavors. I have already made about 6 or 7 versions and plan on getting them (and many more) posted soon.

Trust me on this one, you REALLY can't taste the spinach! ;-)

Classic Green Monster
Adapted from: Oh She Glows
Yield: 1 serving/2 cups

Ingredients:
1 cup almond milk, or milk of choice
1 ripe banana, preferably peeled + frozen
2 handfuls organic spinach
1 tbsp chia seeds OR 1 tbsp ground flax (optional)
1 tbsp nut butter,
1-3 ice cubes (I skip this if I have a frozen banana, or I freeze almond milk in cubes and use that as well)



Directions: Starting with the liquid, add in 1 cup of milk of your choice. Now add in the chia or flax and nut butter. Next, add in the spinach followed by the banana on top. Blend until smooth. Add in your ice cubes and blend some more. Serves 1- about 2 cups.

Breakfast Cookies

So just about every morning Hunter asks for cookies for breakfast, and every morning I say "no cookies for breakfast silly" and we both laugh. Well this morning I really threw him for a loop when he sat down for breakfast and had a cookie on his plate! I saw this on a Food Network Clip for Ellie Kruger's Healthy Appetite Show and since I knew we had all the ingredients I tried them out. They were really good! Fluffier and more cake-like than I expected, but delicious. I couldn't taste the carrots, it tasted more pumpkin-like with the cinnamon and nutmeg. They were a big hit here!

Breakfast Cookies
Source: Ellie Kruger of Food Network
Nutritional Information
Serves:12, serving size: 1 cookie
Calories 190, Total fat 9g, Protein 3g, Carbohydrates 23g, Fiber 2g, Cholesterol 25mg, Sodium 120mg


Ingredients
3/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup (1 small jar) strained carrot baby food
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup bran cereal flakes
1/3 cup raisins
1/3 cup walnut pieces, lightly toasted in a dry skillet for 2 minutes, until fragrant and chopped

Directions
Place rack in center of oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Whisk together flours, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a medium-sized bowl.

Combine butter, oil and sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix on high speed, scraping down sides if necessary, until sugars have dissolved and mixture is light in color, about 1 minute. Add egg, carrot puree and vanilla and beat an additional 30 seconds. Add flour mixture and beat an additional 30 seconds. Add oats, flakes, raisins and walnuts and mix over low speed just until incorporated. Dough will be slightly sticky and less cohesive than traditional cookie dough.

Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper. Using between 3 to 4 tablespoons of batter, form a ball and place on cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining batter, leaving about 3 inches between cookies. Wet hands and use palm of hand to flatten cookies until about 1/4-inch thick.

Bake for 12 minutes, until cookies are fragrant but still soft. Let cookies cool slightly, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Baked Oatmeal

I have seen lots of baked oatmeal recipes floating around the web lately. This one was adapted from another blog Chocolate Covered Katie - who has lots of delicious healthier recipes. Her recipes are all vegan which is helpful for me looking for dairy-free recipes. This was a hearty little bowl of oatmeal! It would be neat to make for guests. You could multiply the recipe and bake in a muffin tin to serve more. This would also freeze well.

There are 2 versions Pumpkin and Applesauce, I'm jointly posting the recipe, but the picture above is of the pumpkin version. Mmm.....

Baked Oatmeal
Adapted from CCK's Pumpkin Boatmeal
Serves: 2, Serving Size 1 ramekin
Nutritional Info: (coming soon)

1/2 cup oats (50g)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 tsp cinnamon (or 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice for pumpkin version)
3 Tbsp brown sugar
1/4 cup canned pumpkin or applesauce
1/4 cup milk or creamer or water ( I used almond milk)
1/8 tsp salt
pinch of raw sugar (turbinado)

Optional: 1 to 2T oil or favorite nut butter (if oil, scale the milk back a tiny bit)
Optional: raisins, walnuts, brown sugar for the top (I didn’t use any optional ingredients, but maybe next time I’ll add some nuts.)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Combine all ingredients except for raw sugar.

Pour into a small baking pan, 1-cup ramekin, or mini-loaf pan. Sprinkle with raw sugar

Cook for 20 minutes, or more until it gets firm. Finally, set your oven to “high broil” for 3 more minutes, or until it reaches desired crispy-ness (or simply just bake longer, but broiling gives it a nice crust).

Crockpot Turkey Meatballs

Whenever I think of meatballs I think of how when I worked for the ambulance company we always had meatball sandwiches on an employee's last day(obviously when they left on good terms/good reasons). I'm not much of a meatball fan because I don't like the meaty taste but these I like. Because they are turkey the flavor of the meat does not dominate the seasonings. I typically serve over pasta the first night and make meatball sandwiches for lunch the next day. I'm still dairy-free so I omitted the parmesean when I made it last, and just doubled the breadcrumbs. It was still just as good!

Crock Pot Italian Turkey Meatballs
Adapted from: Skinny Italian Turkey Meatball recipe at Skinnytaste.com
Servings: 6 • Size: 4 meatballs with sauce • Old Points: 5 pt • Points+: 5 pts
Calories: 200.4 • Fat: 8.1 g • Carbs: 12.6 • Fiber: 0.6 • Protein: 17.3 g • Sugar: 4.4
Sodium: 427.5 mg

Ingredients:

20 oz (1.3 lb) ground turkey breast 93% lean
1/4 cup whole wheat seasoned breadcrumbs
1/4 cup Reggiano Parmigiano cheese, grated
1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped
1 egg
2 large cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp kosher salt + fresh pepper

For the sauce:
1 tsp olive oil
4 cloves garlic, smashed
28 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 bay leaf
salt and fresh pepper to taste
1/4 cup fresh chopped basil or parsley

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine ground turkey, breadcrumbs, egg, parsley, garlic and cheese. Using clean hands, mix all the ingredients and form small meatballs, about 1/8th cup each.

In a small saute pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and saute until golden, being careful not to burn.

Pour crushed tomatoes into the crock pot with bay leaf. Add garlic and oil.

Drop meatballs into the sauce, cover and set crock pot to low, 4 to 6 hours.

When meatballs are ready, adjust salt and pepper to taste and add fresh chopped basil or parsley.

Spaghetti with Kale and Bacon

I've been getting a lot of Kale in my CSA box lately. Other than my Zuppa Toscana Soup, I hadn't tried cooking with it much. I found a recipe similar to this and have now made it several times. The original recipe calls for Brie cheese which is probably delicious, but I'm on a dairy-free diet right now (for Baby James), so I made several adjustments. The first time I made it (prior to going dairy-free) I made it with parmesean, so that is how I will post it. But if you want a dairy-free version, leave the cheese out and melt some vegan butter (I use Earth Balance), and pour over top when finished (to prevent a dry spaghetti).

Spaghetti with Kale and Bacon
Adapted from PBS Food


Ingredients
8 oz spaghetti pasta
3 slices bacon (you can use turkey bacon too)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 large onion, diced
1/2 cup shredded parmesean
1 large bunch curly green kale, washed and roughly chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Cook the pasta in boiling salted water. Drain and set aside.
In a large pan, fry the bacon until crisp. Remove the bacon and crumble. To the hot bacon grease, add the diced onion and minced garlic and sauté briefly over medium heat until fragrant. Then, add the kale and sauté until it begins to wilt, about five minutes.
Add the hot, cooked pasta to the kale along with the cheese and bacon crumbles.
Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve with additional bacon crumbles on top!

Yield: 4 servings

Turkey Lettuce Wraps

So one day I decided I wanted to do something beyond chili with my Turkey because it seemed like thst was all I was doing. In my research I found lots of Turkey Lettuce Wrap recipes, one that especially caught my eye and now after 3 attempts with adjustments it's exactly what I was looking for.

Turkey Lettuce Wraps
Adapted from Steamy Kitchen

The Sauce:
3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons Sriracha hot sauce

Filling:
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 teaspoons finely minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
2-4 stalks, scallions
1 pound ground turkey or chicken
2 cups mixed vegetables (frozen pea/carrots, finely diced bell peppers, etc.)
1 green apple, finely diced

Toppings/Wrap:
1 head boston bibb or other lettuce, leaves washed and separated
2 skeins, Mung Bean Noodles
2 medium carrots, Use vegetable peeler to peel cut carrot into paper thin strips.

1. To fry the mung bean noodles, heat a wok or small sauce pan (something not too wide at its base. the smaller the base width, the less oil you will need to use) with about 2 inches of cooking oil. While oil is heating to 375F, use your hands to separate the strands of the mung bean noodle into small clumps. When oil hot, fry one batch at a time. It should only take 10 seconds to fry. Remove, drain on paper towels.

2. Combine the sauce ingredients in a small bowl.

3. To make the filling, heat wok on high heat with cooking oil. When oil is hot, add scallions, ginger and garlic and fry a few seconds until fragrant. Add turkey or chicken and fry until almost cooked through. Add the vegetables and cook 1 minute. Add sauce ingredients. Let simmer for 1 minute to thicken slightly.

4. Add the apples. Toss to coat. Immediately remove from heat. You don’t want to “cook” the apples – keep them nice and crunchy. Serve with lettuce cups, carrot shavings and fried mung bean noodles.

Lemon Blueberry Pancakes

Hands down the BEST pancakes I've ever made or ever had...you must try this. And if you're still not convinced go to the Pioneer Woman's site where I got this recipe because if her pictures don't make you want this than I give up! Ha Ha....seriously though - try this!

Lemon-Blueberry Pancakes

Ingredients
■1-1/2 cup Cake Flour
■1 Tablespoon (additional) Cake Flour
■1/4 teaspoon Salt
■1 Tablespoon (heaping) Baking Powder
■3 Tablespoons Sugar
■1-1/2 cup Evaporated Milk (more If Needed)
■1 whole Lemon (more If Needed)
■1 whole Large Egg
■1-1/2 teaspoon Vanilla
■2 Tablespoons Butter, Melted
■ Zest From 1 Lemon
■1 cup Heaping Blueberries
■ Extra Butter
■ Maple Or Pancake Syrup

Preparation Instructions


Heat heavy skillet or grill over medium low heat.

In a medium bowl, mix flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, mix evaporated milk, juice of 1 lemon (more if lemon isn't very juicy), and lemon zest. Allow to sit for five minutes, then add egg, vanilla, and melted butter. Mix to combine.

Pour wet mixture into dry ingredients. Stir gently to combine. Splash in more evaporated milk if mixture is overly thick. Stir in blueberries. Again, check to make sure mixture isn't overly thick.

Melt butter in heated skillet. Drop batter by 1/4 cup measures and fry pancakes on both sides until golden.

Serve with softened butter and warm syrup.

Skinny Chocolate Chip Scones

1

I know I already have a chocolate chip scone recipe but this is different. It uses whole wheat. full size chips and makes regular size scones (versus mini). It is reduced calorie and still so good!

Chocolate Chip Buttermilk Scones
Skinnytaste.com
Servings: 12 • Serving Size: 1 scone • Old Points: 4 pts • Points+: 5 pts
Calories: 199.6 • Fat: 8.1 g • Protein: 3.7 g • Carb: 29.8 g • Fiber: 2.3 g • Sugar: 12.8 g
Sodium: 257.4 mg



Ingredients:

3/4 cup cold buttermilk
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 cup all purpose flour (Bob's Red Mill)
1 cup white whole wheat flour (Bob's Red Mill)
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 tbsp chilled butter (must be cold) cut into small pieces
3/4 cup chocolate chips
cooking spray
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
1 1/2 tbsp sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375°. Combine the first four ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Spray baking sheet with cooking spray.

Combine flour, baking powder, salt, in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Cut in chilled butter with a pastry blender, or you could use 2 knives, until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Gently fold in chocolate chips. Add milk mixture, stirring just until moist.

Place dough onto a floured surface and knead lightly four times with floured hands. Form dough into an 9-inch circle onto baking sheet, about 3/4" thick. Using a knife, cut dough into 12 wedges all the way through.

Eggplant Parmesan (Light)

As a big fan of Italian food it is suprising I haven't made this sooner. I had no excuses not to when I discovered a bunch of eggplant in my CSA box. This lightened up version has afew extra steps than most recipes but trust me it is worth it! This was so good I think it will definitely be a regular in the rotation of dinner meals.

Eggplant Parmesan (Light)
Serves: 6, Serving Size 1/6th of pan
Nutritional Info (per serving *note: w/tomato sauce in recipe): Calories 330, Fat 9g, Sat Fat 4g, Cholesterol 15mg, Carbohydrates 40g, Protein 22g, Fiber 6g, Sodium 1520mg.

Ingredients
2 Medium globe eggplants (1 lb each) ends trimmed, cut crosswise into 1/3 inch thick rounds
Kosher salt
1 ½ cups panko (Japanese style bread crumbs)
1 tb olive oil
1 oz parmesan cheese, grated
½ cup unbleached all purpose flour
1 ½ tsp garlic powder
Ground black pepper
3 large egg whites
1 tb water
Vegetable oil spray
5 cups quick tomato sauce
8 oz reduced fat mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)
2 tb minced fresh basil leaves

1. Toss half the eggplant with 1 ts of kosher salt, place in large colander to set over a bowl. Repeat with remaining eggplant and 1 more ts salt and transfer into colander with the first batch. Let sit until the eggplant releases about 2 tb liquid, 30 to 40 minutes. Spread eggplant slices on a triple thickness of paper towels and cover with another layer of paper towels. Press firmly on each slice to remove as much liquid as possible, and wipe off the excess salt.

2. Adjust the oven racks to the lower-middle and upper middle positions and heat the oven to 475 degrees. Combine the bread crumbs and oil in a 12 in nonstick skillet and toast over medium heat, stirring often, until golden, about 10 min. Spread the breadcrumbs into a shallow dish and let cool slightly; when cool, stir in the ½ cup parmesan. Combine the flour, garlic powder and ½ ts pepper together into a second shallow dish. In a third shallow dish, whisk the egg whites and water together.

3. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with foil and coat with vegetable oil spray. Season the eggplant with pepper. Lightly dredge one side of each eggplant slice in the seasoned flour, shaking off the excess. Dip the floured side of the eggplant into the egg whites, and then coat the same side with the bread crumbs. Press on the crumbs to make sure they adhere. Lay the eggplants, breaded side up, on the baking sheets in a single layer.

4. Lightly spray the top of the eggplant slices with vegetable oil spray. Bake until the top of the eggplant slices are crisp and golden, about 30 minutes, rotating and switching the baking sheets half way through baking.

5. Spread 1 cup of the tomato sauce in the bottom of a 13x9 inch baking dish. Layer in half of the eggplant slices, breaded side up, overlapping the slices to fit. Distribute the ½ cup of the sauce over the eggplant; sprinkle with half of the mozzarella. Layer in the remaining eggplant, breaded side up, and dot with 1 cup of the sauce, leaving the majority of the eggplant exposed so it will remain crisp. Sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella. Bake untill bubbling and the cheese is browned. About 10 minutes. Cool for 5 min, then sprinkle with the basil and serve, passing the remaining sauce and extra parmesan separately.

Source: Cooks Illustrated Best Light Recipe

Chicken Kale Pies

I found a large bunch of kale in this week's CSA box. I have only used kale in soups in the past and wanted to do something different this time. I discovered this Martha Stewart recipe and thought it sounded delicious!

Chicken and Kale Pies
Serves: 6, Serving Size: 1 pie
Nutritional Info (per serving):Calories 305.1, Total Fat 17.6g, Saturated Fat 6.2g, Cholesterol 54.3 mg, Sodium 462.3 mg, Potassium 186.9mg, Total Carbohydrate 26.0g, Dietary Fiber 1.1, Sugars 5g, Protein 10.2 g


Ingredients
•Flaky Pie Dough (double crust), homemade or store-bought
•2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
•1 tablespoon unsalted butter
•1 leek (white and light-green parts only), halved lengthwise, cut crosswise 1/4 inch thick, and rinsed well
•1 small bunch black (Tuscan) kale, tough stems removed, coarsely chopped
•1 teaspoon fresh thyme, leaves
•Coarse salt and ground pepper
•1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
•1 cup cooked chicken, torn into bite-size pieces (about 5 ounces)
•1 large egg, lightly beaten

Directions
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Divide dough in half. On a floured sheet of parchment paper, roll out one half to a 14-inch round. With a knife or biscuit cutter, cut out six 4 1/4-inch circles (rerolling dough once if necessary) and transfer, on parchment, to a baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough, cutting out six (larger) 4 1/2-inch rounds. Chill rounds on sheet until ready to use.
2.In a large skillet, melt butter over medium-high. Add leek and cook, stirring, until soft, 3 minutes. Add kale and thyme, season with salt and pepper, and cook until kale wilts, 3 minutes. Sprinkle flour over mixture and stir to combine. Add broth and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring often, until mixture thickens, 2 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl, season with salt and pepper, and stir in chicken. Let cool slightly.
3.Place a heaping 1/4 cup chicken mixture on each of the smaller dough rounds, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Brush edges with egg and top with larger dough rounds; using fingers, press edges firmly to seal. Cut a small vent in each pie. Bake until browned and crisp, 30 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through. Let cool slightly on sheets on a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Source: Martha Stewart Living

Banana Nut Bread or Muffins (Light)

This recipe is originally a bread recipe but if you are in the mood for muffins simply grease or line a muffin tray to make 12 delicious muffins! This is a lightened up version of the classic that I think tastes no different than the full-fat versions, maybe even better.

Banana Nut Bread/Muffins
Makes: 1 loaf or 12 muffins, Serving Size: 1/12th loaf, or 1 muffin
Nurtional Info (per serving): Calories 200, Fat 3.75g, Saturated Fat 2.5g, Cholesterol 41.6mg, Carbohydrates 38g, Protein 3g, Fiber 1.5g, Sodium 158mg

Ingredients
Nonstick baking spray w/flour
1 1/2 cups (7 1/2oz) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (2oz) cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (5 1/4oz) sugar
3 very ripe large bananas (about 1 1/4lbs), mashed well (1 1/2cups)
1/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)

Directions
1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat oven to 350. Spray the bottom and sides of a 9x5 inch loaf pan or 12 muffin cups with nonstick spray. Mix the all-purpose flour, cake flour, baking powser, baking soda, salt, and 1/2 cup of the sugar together in a medium bowl; set aside. In a separate bowl, mix the mashed bananas, yogurt and vanilla together; set aside.
2. Beat the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and butter together with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3-5 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
3. Reduce the mixer speed to low. Beat in half of the flour mixture until just incorporated, followed by one-third of the banana mixture, scraping down the bowl as needed. Add half the remaining flour, followed by another one-third of the banana mixture. Repeat this process once more, being careful not to overmix the batter, which should look thick and chunky.
4. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle top(s) evenly with walnuts (if using). Bake until loaf/muffins are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few crumbs attached, about 55 minutes for loaf 15-18 minutes for muffins, rotating the pan halfway through baking. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then transfer ta wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Source: Cooks Illustrated Best Light Recipe

Chicken Carbonara

A very filling Italian meal, this chicken dish is by no means light but is well worth the splurge. This is a great meal to make for guests as this recipe easily serves 6-8 people. Serve it with a salad and some garlic bread for a wonderful Italian feast. You could also leave out the chicken and maybe add some broccoli for a filling vegetarian meal.

Chicken Carbonara
Serves: 6-8
Nutritional Info (per 1/8 serving): Calories 769.2, Total Fat 47.9g, Saturated Fat 23.6g, Cholesterol 375.2mg, Sodium 533.3mg, Potassium 291.5 mg, Total Carbohydrate 42.1g, Dietary Fiber 4.6g, Sugars 1.4g, Protein 41.4 g

Ingredients
2 teaspoons olive oil
4 ounces thinly sliced pancetta, chopped
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 1/2 cups whipping cream
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
8 large egg yolks
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
Salt
1 pound spaghetti
4 cups coarsely shredded chicken (from 1 roasted chicken)
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon peel

Directions
Heat the oil in a heavy large frying pan over medium heat. Add the pancetta and garlic and saute until it is brown and crisp, about 8 minutes. Cool slightly.

In a large bowl, whisk together the cream, cheese, yolks, basil, and parsley to blend.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the spaghetti and cook until it is just tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Drain.

Add the chicken to the pan with the pancetta and stir to combine. Next, add the spaghetti and the cream mixture and toss over medium-low heat until the chicken is heated through and the sauce coats the spaghetti thickly, about 4 minutes (do not boil or you might end up scrambling the eggs). Season the pasta, to taste, with pepper and salt if needed (the pancetta will likely add all the salt you need). Transfer the pasta to a large wide serving bowl. Sprinkle the walnuts and lemon zest over, and serve.


Source: Giada De Laurentiis of Food Network

Blueberry Scones

I can't believe I haven't posted this sooner! This is one of my favorite treats! It was my Starbucks guilty pleasure several times a week when I was working. These are easy to make and even easier to eat!

Blueberry Scones
Makes: 8 scones, Serving Size: 1 scone
Nutritional Info: Calories 296.6, Total Fat 18.2g, Saturated Fat 11.3g, Cholesterol 60.2mg, Sodium 341.0mg, Potassium 73.2mg, Total Carbohydrate 30.9g, Dietary Fiber 1.2g, Sugars 7.3g, Protein 3.7 g

Ingredients:
2 cups (10 oz) all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
3 tablespoons sugar (plus more for dusting)
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut in 1/4" cubes
1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (if frozen do not thaw)
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 cup heavy cream

Ingredients:
1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 425.
2. Place the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in a large bowl or the workbowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Whisk together, or process with six 1-second pulses.
3. If making by hand, use two knives, a pastry blender, or your fingertips and quickly cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal with a few slightly larger butter lumps. If using a food processor, remove the cover and distribute the butter evenly over the dry ingredients. Cover and process with twelve 1-second pulses. Transfer the dough to a large bowl.
4. Stir in blueberry and zest gently. Stir in heavy cream with a rubber spatula gently, continue mixing with hands to keep blueberries intact.
5. Transfer the dough and all dry flour bits to a countertop and knead the dough by hand till it comes together into a rough sticky ball, about 5-10 seconds. Press the dough into an 8" circle and with a sharp knife or bench scraper cut the dough into 8 wedges. Place the wedges on an ungreased baking sheet. (The baking sheet can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated for up to 2 hours)
6. Just before baking sprinkle a small pinch of sugar over each wedge. Bake until the scone tops are light brown, 12-15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Adapted from: Cook's Illustrated New Best Recipe

Shrimp Fajita Salad

This is my all-time favorite salad. I made this to replicate the Chevy's Shrimp Fajita Salad. My mom and I would occasionally order take-out from Chevy's when we worked together and we would often get this dish when we did. I love serving this to company because it's so different than your usual salad and it looks so colorful and beautiful.

Shrimp Fajita Salad
Serves: 4
Nutritional Info: (Coming Soon)

2 teaspoons olive oil
20-25 medium shrimp, shelled and deveined
2 tablespoons Fuego Spice Mix
4 cups salad greens (any combo: iceberg, romaine, loose-leaf, etc)
20-30 fried tortilla strips (cut tortillas in strips, fry till golden)
1 red bell pepper sliced
1 yellow bell pepper sliced
2 avacados, diced
1/2 cup pepitas
1/2 cup Sweet Chipotle Dressing
1/2 cup shredded cheese (colby-jack or mexican blend)

Directions:

1. In a medium skillet heat 2 teaspoons oil over medium heat. Season shrimp with Fuego Spice Mix, add to skillet. Cook shrimp till opaque and fully cooked through.
2. Wash greens and peppers.
3. Divide greens, peppers, tortilla strips, avacado, and pepitas evenly among 4 dishes. Drizzle 1-2 tablespoons on each salad. Divide shrimp evenly among the 4 dishes. Spinkle each dish with 1-2 tablespoons cheese.
3. Serve

Sweet Chipotle Dressing

This sweet and spicy dressing is so good! I use it on green salads but it's original purpose is for a Spicy Slaw - which I plan on making soon. You could also toss it with diced mango or pineapple and red onion to make a great fresh salsa.

Sweet Chipotle Dressing
Makes 2 cups

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon diced yellow onion
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 cup diced fresh tomatoes
2/3 cup rice wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons pureed chipotle peppers in adobo
1/2 cup olive oil

Directions:
* Place all ingredients except oil in a blender or food processor, and blend till very smooth. Slowly add the oil in a thin stream while the blender or processor is still running and blend until all of the oil is incorporated and the vinaigrette is completely emulsified.
* The vinaigrette will keep for 3-5 days in an airtight container.

Adapted from: Chevy's Fresh Mex Recipes