Chipotle Chicken with Sautéed Brussel Sprouts

This recipe serves just one, so double/triple the ingredients if you need to..

iNGREDiENTS:

* 1/4 tsp. oregano, thyme, coriander, cumin, salt and pepper.

* 1/2-1 tsp. chipotle chile pepper powder

* 1/2 tsp. canola oil

* 1 4-oz. chicken breast, thawed, cut into 3-4 strips

---------------------------------------------------------------------

* 1/2 tsp. canola oil

* 1 garlic clove, minced

* 1/4 cup red onion, sliced

* 6 brussel sprouts, frozen and thawed

* 1/4 cup water

* 1 TBSP. ketchup, apple cider vinegar, and worcestershire sauce

* 1 tsp. brown sugar, dijon mustard

1. Combine the oregano, thyme, coriander, cumin, salt, pepper, and chipotle powder in a small bowl. Pat the chicken dry, then rub canola oil over each piece. Put them all in the small spice bowl and mix, covering evenly. Set aside.

2. Heat 1/2 tsp. canola oil in a large fry pan over medium heat. After a few minutes, add the garlic and onion, sautéing for about 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Add the brussel sprouts and saute for 5 minutes. Stir in the rest of the wet ingredients one by one, cooking for a few more minutes. Turn down heat to simmer.

3. Heat a separate, small-medium fry pan lightly greased with cooking spray over medium heat. In a few minutes, add the chicken pieces and thoroughly cook until edges are golden brown and chicken is mostly done (about 5-7 minutes). Throw the chicken into the large sauce pan, and turn heat to medium, stirring everything to combine. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to avoid burning. Take off heat & serve!

Easy Peanut Butter Cookies.. Christmas Style ;)

I have a work Christmas party tonight, and everyone is supposed to bring something they made, such as a treat or holiday dish, etc. I have alot of peanut butter that I rarely use and so I thought peanut butter cookies would be convenient. I also only have whole wheat flour, which I didn't want to use because I'm not too sure people at my work would care for the taste.. so I searched for a recipe that doesn't require flour. I found THIS ONE on myrecipes.com, and I also added a couple more things, such as salt, brown sugar, baking soda, and mini m&ms to make the cookie rise more, taste more chewy, and look more christmas-y.

(MAKES ABOUT 18 COOKiES)

iNGREDiENTS:

1 cup Peanut Butter, Smooth

1/2 cup Sugar

1/2 cup Brown Sugar

1 Egg

1 tsp. Baking Soda

1 tsp. Vanilla Extract

1/8 tsp. Salt

1/4 tsp. Cream of Tarter

Optional: Mini Christmas M&Ms, 1.94 oz bottle

* Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

* Beat the Peanut butter and sugars together.

* Slowly beat the egg in.

* Add in the vanilla, baking soda, and salt, and cream of tarter, mixing evenly (the dough may be a little bit crumbly, but thats okay). Add in the M&Ms.

* Shape into small 1-inch balls about 2 inches apart on a greased cookie sheet, or cookie sheet lined with aluminum foil (OR even better, parchment paper if you have some. Parchment paper helps more evenly brown the bottoms of the cookies while they bake).

* Lightly press a small fork over the tops of the cookies twice.

* Make sure the cookies are at least 2 inches apart, because they will spread while cooking and about double their size.

* Bake for 7-10 minutes, take them out and allow them to cool for at least 10 minutes before removing from cookie sheet.

Fish Tacos

Not the greatest picture, but these were pretty legit! =)

this recipe calls for just one taco, so just double or triple the ingredients for each person eating.

(about 280 calories)

iNGREDiENTS:

- 1 Tilapia Filet, thawed & patted dry (4 oz)

- 1/2 tsp. Olive Oil

- 1 tsp. Taco Seasoning

- 1/8-1/4 cup Red Onion, sliced thin

- 1/4 cup Black Beans

- 2 TBSP. Fresh Cilantro, minced (or 1 tsp. dry)

- 1/4 tsp. Cayenne (optional)

- 1-2 TBSP. Salsa

- 1 TBSP..or more.. shredded cheddar cheese (i get the kraft-free kind for half the calories)

- 1 tsp. Lime juice

- 1 Tortilla (i like the small carb-balance whole wheat kind for only 80 calories each)

- Lettuce

- Sour cream (optional)

1. In a small dish, combine the taco seasoning, 1 TBSP cilantro, and cayenne.

2. Rub the dry fish filet with the olive oil, then evenly sprinkle the spices over both sides.

3. Heat a small saute pan over medium heat for a few minutes, then grill the fish for 4 or 5 minutes on each side, or until it flakes with a fork.

4. In a separate small bowl, mix in the black beans, salsa, other TBSP. cilantro, and red onion. Microwave mixture for about 20-30 seconds.

5. Take fish off grill and put on the tortilla... immediately top the filet with cheddar cheese, then the bean/salsa mixture, and squeeze the lime juice over it all. Top it with lettuce and/or sour cream.

** Optional: Just before serving, you can heat the oven to broil and put the tortilla on a baking sheet to warm/toast it for no more than 1-2 minutes. This makes it taste more authentic I think!

Shrimp Alfredo!

A much lighter, 300-calorie-per-serving version. Still just as creamy and tasty!

(Makes about 4 servings)

iNGREDiENTS:

- 1 TBSP. extra virgin olive oil

- 4 cloves garlic, minced

- 2 cans mushrooms, or 1 cup freshly sliced

- 2 cups broccoli, chopped

- 1 cup white cooking wine, or chicken broth

- 5 ounces fat-free cream cheese

- 4 TBSP. parmesan cheese

- 2 TBSP. whole wheat flour

- about 1 tsp. each of: oregano, parsley, salt, pepper

- about 40 large shrimp, thawed with tails peeled off (i like the frozen, pre-cooked kind for $5 at walmart.)

- 4-6 ounces whole wheat fettucini noodles

*******************************************************************

Heat a large saucepan over medium heat and add the olive oil. Wait a few minutes, then add the garlic to saute. As soon as garlic changes to a golden yellow color, add the broccoli and mushrooms. One by one, add the cooking wine, cheeses, and whole wheat flour gradually. After everything is uniformly mixed, add the spices. Toss in the shrimp and turn heat down to medium-low heat and simmer, stirring occasionally. Cook fettucini noodles on the side. Drain noodles and serve immediately (the alfredo mixture cools off pretty fast). A side salad or caesar salad go great alongside the meal.

Moroccan Chicken with Quinoa

Not sure if I've ever posted anything with quinoa in the past, but I love it. Quinoa is a good substitute for noodles or rice, but cooks way faster. It's considered a COMPLETE protein, a very good source of fiber, and it contains nutrients like manganese, magnesium, iron, copper and phosphorus. Anyways, I wanted to make something with quinoa and after looking in my fridge, I noticed that I always seem to have extra onion and bell peppers I don't want going bad. I also have tons of spices in my pantry that I haven't touched very often because I'm no expert with figuring out how to use them correctly. After reading on a website somewhere about which spices to use for different kinds of cuisines, I decided to put together this recipe, classified as Moroccan (not sure where the country is). But it sounded cool... and it ended up okay!

(Serves 4)

iNGREDiENTS:

4 Chicken Breasts/Thighs, thawed

1 tsp. Olive Oil

1 cup Red Onion, chopped (I used white, but I think red would've been a better fit for this recipe)

1-2 Garlic cloves, minced

2 TBSP Soy Sauce

1 cup Celery, chopped

1 cup Red or Green Bell Pepper, chopped

1 cup Carrots, chopped

1 TBSP Lemon Juice

2 tsp. Parsley, or 1/4 cup freshly chopped

1/2 tsp. Cumin

1/4 tsp. Nutmeg, Cloves, Cardamom, Coriander, Mace

(if you don't happen to have the last 2 or 3 spices listed, substitute one with ground ginger.)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1 cup Uncooked Quinoa

1 Chicken Bouillon cube

* 1. Cut the chicken breasts into bite-size pieces. (If you are using thighs with bones and you don't really know how to cut them into neat tiny pieces, CLiCK HERE FOR A WEBSiTE that has pictures showing how to trim and de-bone them effectively without losing any excess meat). After cutting them, set them aside.

* 2. Add the olive oil into a large sauté pan on medium heat. Wait a minute or two, and then scrape the minced garlic and chopped onion into the pan.

* 3. Meanwhile, place a medium saucepan with 2 cups of water on the stove over high heat. After it starts a rolling boil, add the quinoa and chicken bouillon cube, then turn down the heat to medium-low and cover for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

* 4. Going back to the sauté pan, add the soy sauce and chicken, then cook until the pieces look almost totally white and golden brown. Add the rest of the veggies (celery, bell pepper, carrots). After the veggies have cooked for a few minutes, pour in the lemon juice, mixing evenly. Lastly, stir in the spices and take off the heat.

* 5. Take the quinoa and drain any excess liquid from the saucepan. Spoon into a serving bowl (the quinoa should be much larger when cooked, with a light, fluffy texture). Serve the chicken/veggie mixture over the quinoa.

I ended up stirring and mixing mine together and I also added more salt and some pepper. It was very satisfying and filling! This recipe serves 4 at about 350 calories per person.

- CAMiLLE

Greek Yogurt

This stuff is awesome... It has a thick, custard-like texture, and sortof tastes like a mixture of plain yogurt and sour cream. Dannon's brand is the cheapest, about a $1.00 per container. It is now the ONLY yogurt I will buy from now on, and this is why: it contains ONLY 80 calories total, 0 grams of fat, 6g sugar, and a whopping 15g of PROTEiN! That's like mixing the protein from tuna and the calcium of dairy all-in-one. It's a good low-calorie snack if you're almost-hungry and have to run out the door. I get the plain kind (because of the low sugar content) and I'm a big fan of Splenda, so I sweeten it and it tastes just as good to me. There are other yummy flavors you can buy too, such as blueberry, strawberry, and honey.

** CLICK HERE FOR 14 THINGS YOU CAN DO WITH THIS ABOVE ITEM =)

Tonight I plan on making a recipe using alfredo sauce (not too sure yet what I'll do) but I DO need to use some of my yogurt! I will definitely write the recipe down/take a picture and post about it in the near future.. until then, go getcha some greek yogurt to fulfill your protein/dairy needs!

P.S.: Here are a few of my favorite snacks I have eaten in the past using Greek Yogurt:

* CINNAMON YOGURT: 1 pckt. Splenda + 1/2 tsp. Vanilla extract + 1/2 tsp. cinnamon.

* CHOCOLATE FRO-YO: 1 pckt. Splenda + 1/2 tsp. Vanilla extract + 1 tsp. cocoa powder, then freeze for 2 hours. Instant dessert!

* REGULAR FRUIT YOGURT: 1 pckt. Splenda + 1 tsp. Vanilla extract + 2 TBPS. chopped fruit, such as strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, bananas, oranges, or clementines

Spicy Cilantro Burgers

I had extra jalapenos in my fridge and huge bag of fresh cilantro,

as well as a freezer full of ground beef, so i thought I would mix them all into burgers.

^^ The picture doesn't look too appetizing, but these burgers are tasty (and hot)!

iNGREDiENTS:

- 1 lb. 93/7 Lean ground beef

- 2 Jalepeno peppers, minced

- 3-4 Garlic cloves, minced

- 2 TBSP Tomato paste

- 2 TBSP Fresh cilantro, chopped

- 1/2 tsp. Cumin

-------------------------------------------------------

- Cajun seasoning, to taste... + Lime Juice

-------------------------------------------------------

onions, tomato slices, pickles, lettuce,

mushrooms, cheese, ketchup, mustard, ranch

In a medium-large sized bowl, combine first set of ingredients.

Form into 4-5 patties, depending on how big you want the burgers.

Lightly shake cajun seasoning + some lime juice over both sides of each patty.

Grill or pan-fry the patties for 5 minutes on each side.

(About 200 calories per patty)

- Camille

Fresh, Flavorful Flounder!

This is actually one of my favorite fish dishes I've had so far.

I had extra cilantro that I've been meaning to use, so I figured some lemon and spices would go well with a fish-dish, and it did! Also, I'm sure you can use any other white fish if you don't have flounder..... tilapia, orange roughy, halibut, or cod would probably work great as well. It's not that big of a meal, but if you eat it over brown rice along with a salad or vegetable, you will feel satisfied and happy =)

(Serves 1.. Double/triple the recipe if needed).

iNGREDiENTS:

- 1/4 tsp. Salt

- 1/2 tsp. Cumin

- 1/2 tsp. Cayenne pepper powder

------------------------------------------

- 1 Flounder filet (4-6 oz.)

- Olive oil cooking spray

- Lemon Juice

-------------------------------------------

- 1/2 tsp. Olive oil

- 2 TBSP. Cilantro, minced

- 1/2 tsp. Paprika

- 1/8 tsp. salt

Combine the first 3 ingredients and sprinkle over the fish.

Combine the last 4 ingredients in a small bowl & set aside.

Coat pan and fish with cooking spray.

Cook over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes on each side.

Take fish off heat and sprinkle/squeeze lemon juice on top.

Spread the cilantro mixture over the top of the fish and serve while it's hot!

Easy Green Curry Chicken & Vegetables

This recipe is good if you don't have coconut milk, bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, fish sauce, or any of those other weird Thai ingredients that no one thinks to buy... It might not be as good as the original stuff at Thai restaurants, but it's a good substitute =)

iNGREDiENTS:

Cooking spray

2 Tbsp. Soy sauce

4-6 Chicken breast tenderloins, cut bite-size

2 Garlic cloves, minced

1/2 Onion, thinly sliced

1 1/2 Tbsp. Green curry paste

1/2 Green bell pepper, thinly sliced

1 c. Frozen mixed vegetables

1 tsp. White pepper (or black)

1 Tbsp Hot Madras Curry Powder (or regular curry powder)

1/2 tsp. Dried mint (optional)

1 c. Chicken broth

1 tsp. Corn starch

Lime Juice (optional)

Spray skillet with cooking spray and soy sauce. Turn stove on medium-high heat. Once hot, add chicken chunks and cook almost all the way through. Add the garlic and onions and sauté for 3-4 minutes until they reach a golden brown color. Add curry paste, mix with chicken and onions until evenly coated. Add bell pepper and vegetables, and after 3-4 more minutes of cooking, add the rest of the ingredients in the order listed. Serve mixture over brown rice in a bowl, pouring the leftover liquid from the saucepan over the rice for more flavor.

Who likes pizza?

If you don't, then disregard this recipe. I was looking through my fridge for a quick snack before dinner, and noticed I had too many tomatoes that were about to go bad... 2, in particular. Hmmm, eating them plain is too boring... so here's what happened.

Almost Pizza

iNGREDiENTS:

* 2 Roma Tomatoes, sliced thin

* Pinch of Kosher salt

* Ground black pepper

* 1 tsp. Parmesan cheese

* Basil

Lay out those little babies and sprinkle all the above spices/cheese. A yummy, quick snack that ALMOST tastes like little pizzas for a total of only 80 calories WOOHOOO! You can add more cheese, like mozzarella, or even drizzle some olive oil, but that would also UP the calorie content, which is dumb and you should go ahead and eat pizza instead because it probably tastes better.

A few things to keep in mind...

* PEARS (yum!) have anti-aging properties. They are full of fiber, which “slows the release of sugar into your blood, a good thing because repeated sugar spikes can damage collagen, a protein that keeps your complexion plump and smooth,” Alan C. Logan, ND, says. “Pears also have vitamin C, which fights free radicals.”

* Next time you want to make fish for dinner, but you're not sure because you are scared for that fishy-frozen taste, just thaw fish in a broad shallow bowl of milk in the fridge for 24 hours to minimize that fishy flavor. (source: Real Simple Food magazine)

* Also, check out this article which lets you know about 10 "healthy" foods that really aren't too healthy....

Food Fight!

Strawberries V. blueberries? Chicken V. Turkey? This article will give you the low-down on the generally more nutritious foods for your health.

- Camille

Southwestern Chicken Chilli Soup

This recipe is extremely fast and easy to cook - ideal for one of those nights when you are so hungry you could eat bugs in your apartment for protein but too lazy to even try. Just watch out - it's spicay! (And those are black things in the picture are beans, not bugs).

* INGREDiENTS

1/2 Onion, chopped

1 can Chicken breast chunks

1 can Low-sodium chicken broth

1 can 98% fat-free cream of chicken soup

1 can Ro-Tel tomatoes ( with green chiles )

1 can Whole kernel corn

1 can Black beans ( washed and drained )

2 tsp. Cumin

1 tsp. Garlic powder

1 tsp. Kosher salt

1 TBSP. Ground black pepper

2 TBSP. Cilantro ( or fresh if you have some )

1--2 TBSP. Chilli powder

1--4 TBSP. Cayenne pepper ( if you feel sexy and/or spicy )

Juice of 2 Limes

In a large pot, lightly spray the bottom with olive-oil cooking spray and turn heat to medium-high. Add onion and saute for 2-3 minutes. Add all 6 cans of ingredients (try adding them in order listed). Add spices and lime juice. Reduce heat to low, let simmer for 30-45 minutes covered, making sure to stir occasionally. Serve while it's hot!

Serves 4-6

Each serving from 150-200 calories

First One

Just a tester to see how this first post looks.

- Camille