2009 Healthier Recipes...post Yours!

[cactus_flower]

As I am about to post my healthier recipe for 2009, I am exposed (using a bottled dressing!!) This may be harder than I thought!! Need your help!!

Chicken Thighs Teriyaki

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Place boneless, skinless chicken thighs on large bar pan
Bake for 18 minutes
Brush with Teriyake BBQ sauce (I like Kraft's Teriyaki Sesame Ginger)
Bake an additional 10-15 minutes.

 

[babywings76]

One recipe that I like to do is to brush chicken breasts with Balsamic Basil Dipping Oil (tastefully simple product, but could probably make own concoction of something similar). Place them in a baking dish. Cover with foil and cook till almost done. Then put on a thick tomato slice (or skip that if I don't have any on hand), then sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top. Finish off cooking. Then serve with steamed broccoli and brown rice cooked in fat free chicken broth.Really yummy!

 

[babywings76]

Here's another pretty healthy skillet dinner I like to make:Measurements depend on how many you are cooking for. I just eyeball estimate. I figure it's okay to eat as many veggies as you want, so it doesn't hurt to make a lotPut some olive oil in skillet
add 2 or 3 cloves of garlic, pressed
add 1 large onion, sliced into strips or wedges
2 large bell peppers, any color
2 zucchini, sliced--not too thin Saute until the veggies are crisp-tender, then push them all around the sides (perimeter of skillet). Add 1 Tbsp of olive oil to middle of skillet. Add cut up chicken breasts (I do about 3 or 4 oz per person). Sprinkle some chili powder, paprika, lemon herb seasoning, seasoned salt (if you are okay with the sodium), or whatever other spices you want. (I haven't made this with our spices/rubs, so they may be great for this, I just haven't tried yet to know...)Saute the chicken, when they have cooked a little on each side, then stir in with the veggies. Cook till everything is just about ready, then add one can of drained diced tomatoes (you could use fresh). Cook till tomatoes are cooked through. Serve with brown rice.

 

[janezapchef]

My personal favorite healthy dinner is our fajitas. I don't drizzle with oil before I make them, and there is almost no fat -- just from the chicken. Use big pieces of lettuce as your wraps instead of tortillas and save a boatload of fat and calories.

That being said, the Powerhouse Vegetable Medley from Kraft is one of my all-time favorite dishes. It was my first experience cooking raw spinach several years ago when it first came out (the recipe, not spinach , and I've been hooked ever since. I use other dressings too - whatever I have on hand that sounds good on any given day -- always some sort of vinagrette though. Mmmmm, it is so good, and so good for you!
Powerhouse Vegetable Medley recipe at Kraftfoods.com

 

[cookin to the top]

Our white chicken chili is very healthy. It's also really spicy, but I found a way around that. If you use salsa verde from Trader Joe's, (It's flavorful, but very mild) and instead of Southwestern Seasoning, use enchilada sauce mix, it comes out DELICIOUS!!!

 

[SpiritdancerIA]

Our white chicken chili is very healthy. It's also really spicy, but I found a way around that. If you use salsa verde from Trader Joe's, (It's flavorful, but very mild) and instead of Southwestern Seasoning, use enchilada sauce mix, it comes out DELICIOUS!!!

Another way to "cool" down the White Chicken Chili is to use green bell pepper to replace part or all of the poblano pepper. You will still get some spice from the salsa verde.

 

[koima]

We do a lot of grain-and-bean combos at my house. It's easy to make a big batch of grains or dry bean and freeze them in meal-sized packages for later in the week or month. Then it takes no time at all to whip up something tasty with them - just defrost and add veggies and seasonings.

I also make great use of my pressure cooker! All day flavor in under an hour = a good thing!! Soups and stews are big hits around here and I use the pressure cooker and some excellent books by Lorna Sass to make all kinds of delicious and quick meals.

I've liked everything I've made out of Moosewood Lowfat Cookbook, too. It's vegetarian and has some really excellent flavor combinations and interesting menu suggestions for what to serve with what. Love that!

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Whitefish Baked Scampi – serves 4
1 ½ - 2 lbs Whitefish Fillets
1 Tablespoon butter – softened
3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 Tablespoons white wine
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1-2 garlic cloves, pressed
1 ounce parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons parsley, minced

Squeeze lemon juice. In measuring cup or small bowl, combine lemon juice, wine, pressed garlic, and oil. Let sit for 10 minutes. With ½ of butter, coat bottom of freezer container or baking dish and place whitefish on top. Pour lemon mixture over top of fish. Dot remaining butter over fish, grate cheese over top, and sprinkle with parsley. If freezing, cover fish and place in freezer. May be baked from frozen. Preheat oven to 350◦, and place fish, uncovered, in oven. Bake for 30 minutes or until fish flakes when pricked with a fork. If baking immediately, bake for 10 – 15 minutes (depending on thickness of filets)


Garden Style Stuffed Potatoes – serves 4
4 Baking Potatoes
2 cups broccoli florets
½ cup onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1 cup mushrooms, diced
2 tablespoons sunflower seeds
¼ Cup fresh basil, chopped
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 tablespoons milk
Salt & Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400◦. Scrub potatoes and prick with a fork. Place in bar pan, and bake for 1 hour. Allow potatoes to cool enough to handle comfortably. Slice top ¼ off potatoes, and carefully scoop out insides into batter bowl. In large nonstick skillet, sauté onion in olive oil for 2 minutes. Add mushrooms, and sunflower seeds, and sauté for 4 minutes. Add broccoli and cover and steam for 1-2 minutes. Add vegetable mixture to potato mixture, along with milk, basil & salt & pepper, and mix. Stuff into potato skins. Place in freezer containers, cover with foil and freeze. To thaw, place in refrigerator overnight. To reheat, preheat oven to 375◦, place potatoes, covered with foil, in oven and heat for 20-30 minutes.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Teriyaki Meatloaf – serves 6
1 ½ lbs. Ground Turkey
½ Cup oats
¼ Cup milk
½ Cup finely chopped Carrot
½ Cup finely chopped Onion
½ Cup finely chopped Celery
1 egg
½ Cup Sugar
¼ Cup Soy Sauce (low sodium)

In Classic Batter Bowl, thoroughly mix all ingredients. Shape into two loaves, or place in mini-loaf stone. Preheat oven to 375◦, and bake loaves for 30-45 minutes. Allow to cool completely, wrap in aluminum foil, and place in freezer containers, or Glad Fresh Protect Freezer Bags. To reheat, thaw overnight in refrigerator. Preheat oven to 375◦ and reheat in foil for 20-30 minutes. *** May also be frozen before baking. To bake, Thaw overnight in refrigerator. Preheat oven to 375◦, and bake for 45-60 minutes.



Italian Broccoli – serves 4
1 large head broccoli
3 tablespoons Italian Dressing (Newman’s Own recommended)
1 ounce fresh Parmesan Cheese – grated


Slice broccoli into florets. If using the stalks, peel off outer layer and slice into bite size pieces. In a steamer or double boiler, steam broccoli for 3 minutes. Immediately shock broccoli in ice water and drain and pat dry. Place in freezer containers and drizzle with Italian dressing. Grate Parmesan over the top. Cover and freeze. To thaw, place in refrigerator overnight, and reheat for 1-2 minutes in microwave. To reheat in oven, preheat to 350◦, and heat, covered with foil, for 8-10 minutes.


Roasted Asparagus w/ Balsamic Browned Butter – serves 4
2 bunches Asparagus
1 teaspoon olive oil
salt & pepper to taste
1 tablespoon butter
½ teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to 400◦. Clean and snap asparagus. Toss with olive oil. Place on large stone bar pan, and salt & pepper to taste. Roast in oven for 8-10 minutes, or until vivid green. Remove from oven, and place in freezer containers to cool. On stovetop, in small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Continue to heat until butter begins to turn brown, and smells nutty. (watch carefully – butter will burn quickly) Immediately remove from heat and cool for 5 minutes. Add soy sauce and vinegar, and drizzle over asparagus. Once completely cool, cover and freeze. Reheat in oven or microwave just until heated through.

 

[cactus_flower]

Thanks for all the great recipes!! I know what I'm going to be doing next week--trying them out! Keep 'em comin'