{Taste Test Tuesday} Spicy Korean Noodles

We recently went on a cruise to Mexico and were on a tight budget the weeks leading up to it.  This meant no elaborate and/or expensive meals.  While scrolling through recipes on Pinterest, "Ramen Noodles with Spicy Korean Dressing" caught my eye.  It doesn't get much cheaper than Ramen, right? Although the recipe was cheap and simple I felt it needed a Nicky makeover so I added a little bit of this and a little bit of that. The end result was BETTER than I imagined; loaded with veggies, chicken, and perhaps a little too much spice.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 4 packets Ramen noodles
• 2 tablespoons canola or EVOO
• 2-3 scallions, finely chopped
• 1 rotisserie chicken, shredded OR 4 thinly sliced, boneless pork chops
• 1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1/2 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1/2 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1/2 orange bell pepper, thinly sliced 
• 2 portabello mushroom caps, sliced

Dressing:

• 2 to 2-1/2 tablespoons Siracha (3 tablespoons is really spicy, BEWARE)
• 2 to 2-1/2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 3 teaspoons rice vinegar
• 2 to 2-1/2 teaspoons honey
• 1-1/2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
• 1 packet of Ramen seasoning...or less, it's full of sodium

Directions

If using pork, heat half a tablespoon of oil in a large saute pan.  (It will cook fast if thinly sliced) If using a rotisserie chicken, shred it and set to the side. When pork is done cooking, take it out of the pan and set to the side.  Add the remainder of oil and cook veggies (except scallions) until slightly tender.

Whisk together all dressing ingredients and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a pot, cook the noodles according to package instructions. (Boil for about 3 minutes)  Throw them in a colander and rinse under cold water.

Toss together the noodles and dressing until fully coated.  Garnish with scallions and serve.

Adapted from Season with Spice.

I'll be the first to admit this isn't the healthiest recipe I've made, but hey, money was tight and there was NO WAY I was eating plain old Top Ramen. It's loaded with veggies, lean meat, and the sodium was significantly reduced! Not only did my hubby love it (he just asked me to make it AGAIN while proof reading my post), but my 11 year old friend did too, veggies and all.  I'd say that's a success!

My little friend 

Feeling a little camera shy

This recipe definitely deserves ☆☆☆☆

Fiesta Avocados w/ Eggs

If you like avocados you'll definitely want to read this post!  If you don't like avocados, skip this post and go to my "Healthy Recipes" tab to find something that strikes your fancy.  :-)  

I've seen similar recipes floating around on Pinterest and always wanted to try them, but for some unknown reason felt too intimidated to give them a shot...until today. I've been asking myself all morning "Why did you take so damn long to make these?!" It's a nice change from the same old breakfast sandwiches I eat almost every day. 

I'm slowly learning some of the best recipes are the simplest ones. This recipe has 4 main ingredients along with some spices and of course, hot sauce!  In my opinion you can't have eggs without hot sauce because they are two things that just go together.  It makes me think of that part in the movie Friday where Smokey gets all upset with Craig because he never has two things that match...daaaamn!  For those of you who don't know what I'm talking about you can check it out here. I digress...

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 2 avocados
• 2 tablespoons shredded Italian cheese
• 4 tablespoons salsa
• 4 egg yolks
• Salt & pepper
• Cayenne pepper
• HOT SAUCE, I always use Cholula

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Cut avocados in half and remove the pits.  If the avocados tilt to the side too much you can cut a small sliver off the bottom to keep them upright.  Using a small spoon, scoop out a little more avocado and put in a small bowl.  Mash up the extra avocado and set aside.  Sprinkle salt and cayenne pepper on to each avocado half.  Separate the egg yolk from the egg white and place yolk in the avocado.  Sprinkle each with half a tablespoon of cheese and pepper.

Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes depending on how done you want the eggs.  Top each with a tablespoon of salsa, a small scoop of the reserved avocado, and hot sauce!

Note: My husband and I had no idea how to eat these and we learned by trial and error.  Take a large spoon and scoop around the edges of the skin until all of the inner deliciousness comes out.  It's much easier than trying to eat directly out of the avocado.

Simple to make and healthy. Sounds like a win-win to me.

Now that I've stepped outside my breakfast sandwich comfort zone, I want to know what YOU make for breakfast? Hook a sister up and give me some ideas!

{Taste Test Tuesday} Spicy Italian Zucchini Boats

I recently discovered Pinterest and have been testing recipes I've found on it.  I saw this recipe floating around and made the assumption there was Italian sausage in it, but that's not the case.  It's a veggie loaded with other veggies...perfect if you're a vegetarian.  Okay, so it's not the end of the world there's no meat in them, but I definitely needed some protein to go with this dish.  I grilled up some chicken and had these on the side.  They do have a kick to them, so if you don't like spicy food you'll want to cut back the red pepper flakes.

Serves 2-4

Ingredients

• 2 medium zucchini
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 medium tomato, seeded and finely chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh mushrooms, finely chopped
• 3 teaspoons fresh basil, chopped, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 3/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Cut zucchini in half lengthwise.  Scoop out pulp and seeds, leaving 1/4-inch shell (use a small spoon for this).  Reserve the pulp from two zucchini slices and chop.  Combine zucchini pulp, garlic, tomato, mushrooms, 1 teaspoon basil, oregano, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, olive oil, and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese in a medium bowl.  Divide mixture among zucchini shells.

Place stuffed zucchini in a 13x9 baking dish; cover with foil.  Bake for 25 minutes or until zucchini is tender.  Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheese. Bake uncovered for 5 minutes more or until cheese is melted. Top with fresh basil.

Adapted from The Comfort of Cooking website

I did like these very much as a side dish and they turned out so pretty. (Except for the bottoms - the skin kind of burnt)  The fresh basil and meaty mushrooms were tasty, but the real winner was the Parmesan cheese!  Mmm...cheese.  These do not make good leftovers, I REPEAT, these do not make good leftovers!  They turn into floppy, soggy...things. 

I'd give these ☆☆☆☆ out of 5 stars.  What's your favorite vegetarian recipe?

Asian Chicken Salad

I can be a pretty indecisive person.  Ask me what my favorite movie is or what my favorite song is and you won't get a solid answer from me.  There are tons of songs and movies I like, so it's too hard to pick my favorite.  The same goes for food.  There are so many tasty recipes it's hard to pick a favorite.  This salad is so dang good it deserves to be a favorite, but my favorite dish of all time???  I can't make that kind of commitment, so I'm putting it under the "Salad" category instead of the "Best Dish Ever" category.

Without further ado...this is my favorite salad recipe!  Yep, you heard me right.  FAV-OR-ITE.  It's light, healthy, colorful, and simple to make. Not to mention it's perfect on a hot summer day. It can be a main dish or a side dish, a red fish or a blue fish.  Um wait...I got carried away.  Moving on...I haven't met a single person who didn't like it, and if I did, I'm not sure we could friends anymore.  That's how good it is - hand over heart.  

 Serves 6

Ingredients

Salad: 

• 1 large carrot
• 3 cups shredded Napa cabbage, from 1 small cabbage
• 3 cups shredded romaine lettuce, from 1 small head of lettuce
• 1 small red bell pepper, seeded and deveined, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons fresh Thai basil leaves or fresh mint leaves, chopped
• 1-2 scallions, chopped
• 2 cups thinly sliced or shredded rotisserie chicken (about 2 small chicken breasts)
• 1/2 cup silvered or sliced almonds, toasted
• 1 tablespoon toasted white or black sesame seeds

Dressing: 

• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, optional

Directions

For the salad: Using a vegetable peeler, shave the carrot and add to a large salad bowl.  Stir in the cabbage, lettuce, pepper, Thai basil, chicken, scallions, almonds, and sesame seeds.

For the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar until smooth.  Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well.  

Adapted from the Food Network website.

Seriously, what are you waiting for?  Make this tonight!  I promise you won't be disappointed.

I'd love to know what your favorite salad recipe is! 

{Taste Test Tuesday} Curried Chicken Salad

I've tried several Curried Chicken Salad recipes that pack a lot of calories.  I was skeptical to try this recipe because of how healthy it was.  I also worried about how the chicken would taste after poaching it.  I'm not a fan of poaching chicken and prefer to roast it when possible. 

There are some odd food parings in this dish, but they seemed to work very well together.  You get the sweetness from the grapes, the crunch from the almonds, the spice from the curry powder, and the creaminess from the Greek yogurt. 

It was surprisingly good, but make sure you don't over cook the chicken or it will be tough.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup water
• 1-1/4 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts, no more than 3/4" thick
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds
• 1/2 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
• 2 tablespoons  mayo with olive oil
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1 cup halved red grapes
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 6 ounces mixed greens (about 6 cups lightly packed)
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice

Directions

Bring the broth and water to a boil in a medium saucepan.  Add chicken to broth and simmer, covered, for 8 minutes.  Turn the heat off and let the chicken stand in the cooking liquid, covered, until cooked through, about 20 minutes.  Remove the chicken from the broth and cool completely in the refrigerator.  Cut into 1/4" dice.  Toast the almonds in a small dry skillet over medium-high heat until fragrant and beginning to turn golden, 2 to 3 minutes.

In a large bowl, stir together the yogurt, mayo, and curry powder.  Fold in the chicken, grapes, and cilantro.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

In a large bowl, toss the greens with the extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice.  Arrange the greens on 4 individual plates, top with a scoop of the chicken salad and sprinkle with almonds. 

Adapted from the Food Network website

This dish gets ☆☆☆ 

{Taste Test Tuesday} Fish Tacos w/ Chipotle Cream

It's been challenging to find new, healthy, and more importantly, tasty recipes.  I know they exist because I've found a few, but it seems like for every good one I do find, I've had to choke down four bad ones.  In my experience, they usually lack flavor and are boring.  I realize food is fuel for my body, but I want my "fuel" to taste good.  I tend to fall back on old favorites, so I've decided to try at least one new recipe a week...and it has to be healthy.  I will share these recipes with you and rate them so you'll know if they are keepers or not. 

Serves 4

Ingredients

For Fish:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 lb. white flaky fish (Tilapia or Halibut)

For Chipotle Cream:

• 1/2 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
• 2 tablespoons mayo (I use mayo with olive oil because it has less calories and tastes just as good to me)
• 1 tablespoon chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped
• 8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
• 1-1/2 cups shredded green cabbage
• 1/2 cup frozen corn, thawed
• 1/4 cup cilantro leaves
• Diced tomato
• Sliced avocado
• Lime wedges
• Cholula hot sauce, to taste

Directions

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, salt and pepper.  Pour the mixture over fish and let it marinate for 20 minutes.

Remove the fish from the marinade and cook over medium-high heat until cooked through, about 3 minutes per side.  Set the fish aside on a plate for 5 minutes.

In a small bowl combine the Greek yogurt, mayo, and chipotle peppers.

Heat the tortillas on the pan for 30 seconds on each side.

Flake the fish with a fork.  Top each tortilla with 1 tablespoon of the chipotle cream.  Top with fish, cabbage, corn, tomato, avocado, cilantro, Cholula, and serve with lime wedges.  I also served refried black beans with these.

Adapted from the Food Network website.

Sometimes when I see a long list of ingredients I automatically think "This will be expensive," but these weren't.  I bought a pound of tilapia for $7.13 and as I'm sure you know, produce costs next to nothing.  These were simple to make, easy on the wallet, and packed a lot of flavor.  When I asked my husband how he'd rate them he immediately said "5 stars!"  ☆☆☆☆☆ 

 

Chicken & Spinach Salad w/ Raspberry-Balsamic Dressing

I tend to have a hard time getting in my fruit servings each day.  I've realized the only two ways to get them in are when I drink Shakeology or eat salads.  There's something about sweet and savory together that makes my mouth water.  It's no surprise this recipe caught my attention when I saw it on Semi-Homemade Cooking with Sandra Lee. 

Serves 4

Ingredients

For dressing:

• 1/2 cup lite balsamic vinaigrette
• 1/2 cup fresh raspberries
• 3/4 teaspoon sugar

For salad:

• 8 cups spinach
• 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 cup fresh raspberries
• 1 cup diced tomatoes
• 4 chicken breasts, cooked & diced
• 4 oz. crumbled goat cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted
• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Combine vinaigrette, raspberries, and sugar in a blender.  Blend until smooth and pour through a strainer to get rid of excess seeds.  Set aside.

In a large bowl toss together the spinach, onions, raspberries, and tomatoes.  Divide mixture among 4 plates.  Add the diced chicken and garnish with goat cheese, pecans, and black pepper.

Adapted from the Food Network website. 

Taco Soup

There's nothing better than a hearty soup on a cold, snowy day.  I decided to make a recipe a former co-worker gave me, but made some minor adjustments to make it healthier.

 












Serves 4-6

Ingredients

•   1/2 lb. ground chicken or turkey
•      1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
•      1/2 onion, chopped
•      1 clove garlic, minced
•      1 – 15 oz. can diced fire roasted tomatoes
•      1 – 8 oz. can tomato sauce
•      1 – 15 oz. can black beans with juice
•      1/2 package taco seasoning 
•      1 cup frozen corn plus 1 cup low sodium chicken broth

OR

·         1 – 15 oz. can whole kernel corn with juice

Optional Toppings

•   Shredded Mexican cheese
•      Non-fat plain Greek yogurt
•      Diced avocado
•      Chopped cilantro
•      Sliced olives

Directions

Heat oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.  Add the meat, onions, and garlic.  Once the meat is cooked through, add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, black beans, taco seasoning, and corn.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for at least 15 minutes.

Serve and garnish with optional toppings.

*For large parties:  Double the recipe, put in a crock pot, and simmer on low until done.

What Is Clean Eating?

When I started my fitness journey one of the things that continually came up was "Clean Eating."  I figured it just meant eating some more fruits and veggies, but there's a little more to it than that.

What is clean eating?

The core of eating clean is consuming food in its most natural state, or as close to it as possible.  Most clean foods usually contain just one or two ingredients.  Eating clean is not a fad diet that promotes short-term weight loss.

1. Eat 5-6 times a day (3 meals and 2-3 small snacks) to keep your blood sugar stable and avoid overeating.

2. Drink your WATER!  A good rule thumb is to take your body weight and divide it by 2.  Drink that many ounces of water a day to stay properly hydrated.  (Example: 150 lbs. ÷ 2 = 75 oz. water)

3. Eat fresh fruits and veggies, whole grains, and lean proteins instead of pre-packaged, processed, or fast food.  Choose organic or grass fed meats when possible and pick fruit over fruit juice.  If you have to buy processed vegetables, frozen is always better than canned.

4. Replace saturated fats with healthy fats.  You can reduce saturated fats by choosing lean meats and avoiding fast food.  Saturated fats: Butter, ice cream, and bacon.  Healthy fats: Olive oil, avocados, nuts, and fatty fish.

Chicken, Mandarin, & Spinach Salad



I made this for my husband recently and he gave it 2 thumbs up.  Hopefully you'll enjoy this light, citrusy salad too.

 

Serves 2

 

Ingredients

• 6 cups fresh spinach, slightly chopped
• ¼ medium red onion, thinly sliced
• 6 ounces cooked chicken, chopped
• ½ cup mandarin oranges, canned in light syrup (or fresh Clementine oranges)
• ½ teaspoon sesame seeds, toasted
• 2 tablespoons toasted almonds, sliced or slivered
• 4 tablespoons Newman’s Own Low Fat Sesame Ginger dressing

Toss all ingredients in a bowl and enjoy!

Adapted from the TeamBeachbody website.