Lemon Herb Baked Chicken

This is a great, lite, easy baked chicken recipe.  I served with rice and veggies for a quick healthy meal.

• 10 chicken thighs (I used skin on, could also substitute breasts or your favorite cut)
• 3/4 cup olive oil
• 4 tbls fresh rosemary, coarsely chopped
• 4 tbls fresh thyme, coarsely chopped
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• zest of 2 lemons, and juice

Preheat oven to 400.  On large greased baking pan spread out all chicken skin side up, sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Mix all other ingredients in small bowl and whisk together.  Brush onto chicken evenly, making sure to get the herbs on each piece.  Cover with foil and bake for 45 mins.  Uncover and broil until skin is brown and crispy about 8-10 minutes. Let rest 10 mins.  Serve with the pan drippings spooned over top.

Inside Out Egg Rolls

This is a great easy dinner for a small crowd - healthy too

2 lbs ground beef
2 bags coleslaw mix
3 or 4 sliced green onions
4 cloves minced garlic
2 tbsp sesame oil
4 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp red pepper flakes
salt to taste.

In a large skillet brown ground beef, drain.  While the meat is draining saute onions and garlic in the soy sauce and sesame oil, add in slaw mix one handful at a time.  Stir frequently until most of the cabbage is soft, the last couple of handfuls will still be crunchy.  Remove from heat and stir ground beef back in.  Mix thoroughly and serve.

Avacado Ranch Pasta Salad

16 oz package tri-color rotini (or any other pasta you have on hand)
1 white onion diced
2 large tomatoes diced
1 seedless cucumber sliced
1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles
1 avocado
3 cloves garlic
3 lemons
1 tbls olive oil
1 handful fresh cilantro
1 packet ranch dressing mix

Cook pasta according to package, drain and chill.  Combine next 4 ingredients into pasta and stir.  In food processor mix avocado, ranch packet, garlic, oil, cilantro and lemon juice. process until creamy.  stir into pasta mixture and enjoy!

Lightened Up Green Bean Casserole

2 cups of frozen green beans

1 can pieces and stems mushrooms

¾ cup chicken broth

1 tbls corn starch

1 tsp ground mustard

1 cup French  onion rings

1 tbls butter.

In a small casserole dish combine all ingredients except onion rings.  Stir, bake at 375 for 25 minutes.  Sprinkle French onions on top and continue to bake until brown about 5 more minutes.

Crab Stuffed Salmon

4 Salmon Filets
2 cups crab meat (flaked)
1/2 package softened cream cheese
olive oil
garlic powder
lemon pepper seasoning
breadcrumbs

In a mixer combine crab meat and cream cheese, pulse until it is well mixed but not liquid. Split each salmon filet open on the side and stuff the mixture in, about 3/4 of a cup in each one.  Place salmon filets on side with crab stuffing up in a baking dish.  Coat the salmon with a thin layer of olive oil and the seasonings.  Top with breadcrumbs.  Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 30 mins. 

Sopranos Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts.  Beaten with a meat mallet to ¼ inch thickness

2/3 cup wheat flour

2 tsp salt

2 tsp pepper

1 tbsp olive oil

2 cups chicken broth

2/3 cup red wine

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp cornstarch

1 large jar mushrooms sliced

1 tbsp butter

1 tbsp fresh thyme

Salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste

In a large Ziploc bag combine flour, salt and pepper.  Add chicken and shake until chicken is coated completely.    Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in large non stick skillet on medium, add chicken and brown on each side 4 to 5 minutes until cooked through.  Remove from skillet.  In a sauce pan combine the chicken broth and next 7 ingredients.  Bring to boil and reduce hit until thickened.  About 10 to 15 minutes.  Serve chicken over whole wheat spaghetti noodles with about a ½ cup of the sauce mix. 

Low Carb Cabbage Rolls

Cabbage Rolls:

• 1 head cabbage, Peeled into single leaves.  Try to not tear them, removing the core with a knife first helps. 
• 1 lb lean ground beef, I like ground sirloin
• 1 white onion diced
• 1 small can tomato paste
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 egg, beaten
• Salt, Pepper, and Chopped Parsley to taste

Tomato Sauce:

• 1 large or 2 regular size cans diced tomatoes
• 2 tbls white wine vinegar
• 1 tbls splenda, or other sugar substitute
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• Salt and Pepper

Fill a large pot halfway full of water and bring to a boil, add cabbage leaves a few at a time and boil for 3 minutes, Drain and Set Aside.  In a mixing bowl combine ground beef and remainder of ingredients for rolls.  Mix well.  In a medium skillet combine all the ingredients for the sauce and simmer on low until it thickens, about 5 to 10 minutes.  Spray a 9 x 13 inch pan with Pam, layer cabbage pieces that are too small to roll up on the bottom.  Use the large leaves and roll a handful of beef mixture in each one.  To roll them.  Place the meat about an inch from the largest edge, fold the sides over the meat and then roll forward.  Place the rolls in the pan, then cover with the tomato sauce.  Cover with foil and bake on 450 for 1 hour. 

Mushroom Turkey Burgers

• ½ lb ground lean turkey meat
• 2 large Portabella mushroom caps
• 2 slices reduced fat Colby Jack Cheese
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ¼ white onion diced
• ¼ white onion sliced in strips
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• Salt and Pepper
• Olive oil

Burgers:  Combine the Turkey, garlic, diced onion, Worcestershire, salt and pepper.  Mix well in large bowl, I just used my hands, then form into 2 equal size patties.  In a small skillet simmer the patties and the strips of onion on low for 15 mins on each side, covered.  Cook them until they are white all the way through.

Mushrooms:  Place on cookie sheet gill side up, sprinkle with salt, pepper and garlic powder.  Drizzle with Olive oil  and bake at 350 for 15 to 20 mins until they are soft and darker brown around the edges.

Stack the mushroom, patty, cheese, and onions.  Eat with a fork and knife, I dipped mine in mustard and it tasted just like a great burger off the grill.  I didn’t even miss the bun. 

Holiday Standing Rib Roast

• 4 to 6 pound standing rib roast, boneless
• ¼ cup Dijon mustard
• ½ cup green onions
• 3 cloves garlic
• Splash of olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme
• Pepper

Au Jus

• 1 cup beef broth
• 1 cup red wine
• ½ a stick of butter

In a roasting pan place the roast fat side up on a elevated rack.  Rub the entire roast down with the mustard and sprinkle with pepper.  In a food processor combine green onion, garlic, olive oil, rosemary and thyme.  Pulse until finely chopped and mixed.  Spread this mixture over the entire roast.  Insert meat thermometer into the thickest part of the roast, try to get the end of the thermometer into the center of the roast.  Place in oven preheated to 450 for 20 to  25 mins.  Then reduce heat on oven to 350 and bake until the internal temp is about 140 for rare, 160 for medium.  Usually about 1 to 1 and half hours.  Let meat stand for 20 mins before carving.  Also, it is important not to open the oven until the meat is close to done.

When the meat is about 30 mins from done combine all the ingredients for the Au Jus sauce in a shallow skillet.  Simmer for 20 to 30 mins until sauce has thicken and reduced by half. 

Southwestern Coleslaw

• 1 bag of finely shredded cabbage
• 4 carrots shredded
• 2 green apples shredded
• 1 medium red onion finely diced
• 1 1/2 cups walnuts, toasted and chopped

Dressing:

• 
  
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon chipotle or chili sauce
• 3/4 cup of mayo
• 2 lemons juiced
• salt and pepper to taste

Combine the cabbage, carrots, apples, onion, and walnuts in a large bowl and mix well.  In a small bowl stir together all the ingredients for the dressing, and mix until well blended.  pour over slaw and toss well to coat.  Refrigerate for 4 hours and then serve.

Flatbread Pizza for One

1 low carb flour wrap

1/3 cup marinara

1/3 cup reduced fat cheese

1/3 cup browned turkey meat

Onion

Bell pepper

Mushrooms

I put a very thin coat of olive oil on one side of the wrap then sprinkled garlic powder, basil, and Italian seasoning on it and broiled it for about 5 mins until it was brown and crispy, then I flipped it over and put all the toppings on it and put it back in the oven until the cheese has melted.  It was super good, especially if you like a thin crispy crust.

Jamaking Me Crazy Kabobs

4 boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into bite size pieces
1 lg can pineapple chunks
4 bell peppers cut into medium size squares
1 package cherry tomatoes
1 bottle of terriyaki marinade
8 skewers

Marinate chicken, tomatoes, and bell peppers in the marinade for at least 30 mins.  Soak skewers over night in water to prevent burning.  Layer the ingredients on the skewers:  tomato, chicken, pineapple, bell pepper, until all ingredients are used.  Grill over medium heat until chicken is done brushing with marinade a couple of times.  I served with yellow rice and a side salad.

Grilled Bacon Wrapped Lime Shrimp

1lb Jumbo peeled Shrimp, Tail On

9 oz bacon slices

1 bottle of Lawry’s Lime and Herb Marinade

Pepper

Rosemary

Garlic

Skewers

Wash shrimp and marinate 1 hour in the bottle of Lawry’s marinade.  Cut bacon in half and wrap each shrimp in a piece of bacon and place on skewer, Sprinkle with other seasonings to taste.  If you wrap the bacon around the shrimp going from head to tail the skewer will hold it on while grilling.  Grill over medium heat until bacon is done, about 10 minutes turning often.  Enjoy!!

Summer Salad

3 Tomatoes (home grown if you have them)
1 Cucumber
1 white onion
1/2 cup italian dressing
1/4 cup white vinegar
salt
pepper

Chop up the vegetables into bite size pieces, mix with dressing vinegar and salt and pepper.  Refridgerate

Makes a great side dish in the summer, also if you use fat free italian it is very low cal, low fat.

Shrimp Scampi with a Vegetable Twist

2 tbls butter
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 a jar sliced mushrooms
1/4 white onion diced
2 cloves garlic
1 head of broccoli florets (about a cup)
1 cup small brussel sprouts
about 12 medium shrimp, more or less depending on the size of the shrimp you have, peeled, deveined, with tails removed
1/8 cup romano cheese
salt, pepper, and lemon pepper seasoning

In a skilet melt butter, mix in lemon juice, wine, garlic, onion, mushrooms, brussel sprouts, and broccoli.  Let simmer on low to medium heat until the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes.  Stir in shrimp and cook about 3 minutes more until shrimp are white, remove from heat sprinkle with romano cheese, salt, pepper, and a little bit of lemon pepper seasoning.

This is an extremely easy to make dish, you can substitute any of the vegetables you don't like with something else such as artichoke hearts or zucchinni.

Tuna Salad in Cabbage Wraps

1 Can Tuna in Water
1 tbls mayo
diced onion
squirt of pickle relish
squirt of mustard
salt and pepper
2 large cabbage leaves

Drain the Tuna, mix well with all other ingredients. Put 1/2 of the salad in the middle of a large cabbage leaf and roll up.

Makes a great lunch if you are trying to keep it light!! Can be made the night before, and refrigerated.