Sake Glazed Chicken & Edmame with Crunchy Purple Potatoes

First, I must admit that this isn't the greatest picture, sorry I am not a photographer! But I assure you that this dish is amazing! I LOVE sake! One night when it was time to start dinner I decided I wanted to make something with my delicious sake. To start I browned some chicken in a little veg & sesame oil. Once it is browned I took it out & put it onto a plate. To the skillet I added sliced onions, cooked them until they were tender & then added some sake & agave nectar(or you could you a little honey or sugar). I let that simmer for a few minutes, & then added a little soy sauce, veg broth, ginger, & threw in the edamame. After that cooked for a couple minutes I put the chicken back in, put a lid on it & let it simmer while I made my purple potatoes! Purple potatoes were something I had happened to buy the day I first created this dish bc I thought they would be fun to make something with. So I decided to slice them up really thin & fry them in a little veg oil..yes I made purple potato chips!! I salted them as soon as they were cooked & crispy. To serve this I made brown rice & mixed in some black sesame(I love they way it looks) I put the chicken & some of the sake glaze on top & sprinkled a couple purple chips on top! This dish will drive your taste buds crazy! Its sweet, salty, soft, crunchy……. & of course FABULOUS

Spectacular Stuffed Shells

For most people when they think of stuffed shells, they think of meat & lots of cheese….YUM!  Well, this stuffed shells recipe is not only healthy,  but hearty, & DELICIOUS. My mom made these all the time when my sisters & I were little to get us to eat spinach. Well it worked & we LOVED them!
    To start I made my marinara sauce(or you can use whichever kind you want), Next, I boiled my large shells & drained them. Put oil in the water while they cook so they don't stick together. I then cooked some frozen spinach in the microwave, & once its done & squeezed the spinach out to get rid of all the water & moisture. In a bowl I put the spinach, some fat free cottage cheese, oregano, a little grated parmesan, & s some salt & pepper.
  To get them ready to bake  I took a dish & spread a little sauce all over the bottom. I then started stuffing my shells one by one & set them in the dish. I drizzled a tiny bit more sauce on top  & then I baked them for about 20 minutes, or unitl they're bubbly.
   Not only will your family love this dish, but they"ll feel satisfied & you won't have to feel guilty!
Bon Appetit!!!

Chicken & Green Bean Stir Fry

You ever have one of those nights where its dinner time, you never went to the store, & you have no clue what you're going to make & what you're going to use??? I actually like those nights! I feel like I'm Food Network's Chopped & I don't know which ingredients I'm going to have to make a dish with. I usually start these night by looking in the fridge to see if theres anything I NEED to use before it just gets wasted & thrown out. Next, I scavange through my pantry to see what kind of fabulous dish I can create. Let me just say, some of the best dishes I ever created were products of these "Chopped" nights.

 Tonight I had chicken(always have that). I also had some green bean that were about to be thrown out. So those 2 ingredients were my inspiration. When I open my pantry I saw jasmine rice & hoisin sauce so I immediately knew an Asian dish would be served tonight! First I chopped up the chicken & sprinkled a little soy sauce & ground ginger on it, mixed it together in a bowl & set it in the fridge to marinate. About 30 minutes later I tossed the chicken in a little corn starch & browned it in a skillet with a little veg oil. Once it was browned I took the chicken out & threw in the green beans, some chopped onion, & chopped carrots. Once those had cooked a few minutes I put some soy sauce, hoisin sauce, & a little rice wine vinegar in the skillet & then put a few red pepper flake in & put the chicken back in. I put a lid on it & let it simmer. I cooked my rice & voila! I topped it with some chopped scallions & sesame seeds! Its was sweet, salty, & DELICIOUS! 

Pupusas with Curtido!!

Pupusas....strange name? maybe. Delicious? YES! Pupusas are a traditional Salvadoran dish. They are homeade tortillas usually stuffed with a meat, bean, or cheese combo. They are also usually served with curtido with is a spicey/vinegar based slaw(no mayo!). For my pupusas I started with a boneless pork roast,(cut into large chunks) sprinkled it with adobo seasoning & seared it in a little oil. Then to the pan I added some chopped onion. orange bell pepper, green bell pepper, & fresh garlic. Once a little browned I added some beer, a little more adobo seasoning, & put the lid on it & let it simmer all day.
   While that simmered I made my curtido. Into a bowl I dumped a bag of shredded cabbage, a bag of shredded carrots, some chopped scallions, oregano, salt, pepper, & white vinegar...thats it! I then covered it & out it in the fridge to marinate.
  Now, back to the pupusas... I drained the pork/pepper mixture, put it into the food processor, & added a little queso blanco(tastes like mozzarella), & sharp cheddar. I pulsed it until it looked like baby food. Then it was time to make the tortillas which are made of just corn flour,salt, & water(follow the directions on the flour bag). Grab small handful of dough at a time & roll it into a ball. Then, press your thumbs into the ball of dough & spoon some of the pork mixture into & mold the dough back over the mixture & then flaten. I then heated the pupusa in a little oil in a skillet. brown  on both sides & serve with curtido on top! Let me just say....YUM!!!! Very simple dish...very delicious dish!!

Chickpea Piccata!!!!!!!

If I were asked what my "last meal" would be, I'd tell you in a heartbeat it'd be chicken piccata. Its my favorite! Its lemony, buttery, capers......LOVE it! Well, the other week I came across a recipe for chickpea piccata in a vegan cookbook I knew I had to make it. I'm not gonna lie, I was worried how piccata could be piccata without butter. Well my worrying was for NOTHING! So simple...... I browned some sliced shallot, & garlic in a little evoo & then added panko breadcrumbs(if you don't know about panko..find out!) Once the breadcrumbs were nice & toasty I added veggie broth, dry white wine, salt, pepper & dry thyme. Once it reduced I added chickpeas, capers, & fresh squeezed lemon juice. I also made some quinoa(find out about that too, if you don't know) To serve this I topped the quinoa with some baby arugula & then spooned some of the piccata on top. This meal was beyond FABULOUS! I can't wait to make it again!!

Enjoy Life Chewy Bars!

Another FABULOUS food find!!! I'm always on the hunt for great new snacks/foods that my son can eat. He's allergic to dairy, eggs, & peanuts...which is in EVERYTHING! This weekend I came across these chewy bars at the grocery store & read the box(always doing that now) & This Brand "Enjoy Life" makes only allergy friendly foods! All their stuff is dairy, egg, nut, soy, wheat, & gluten free...How perfect is that?!?! I bought the caramel apple flavor & the very berry & they are AWESOME! The caramel apple is my favorite, but more importantly my son LOVED them & my daughter likes them also! Its so much easier in my house when we can all enjoy the same foods/snacks. I highly recommend  these chewy bars & I can't wait to try some of this brand's other goodies!

Blood Orange & Black Pepper Sorbet

I know, I know the name of this may not sound so inviting, but I promise you it is WONDERFUL & refreshing, & delicious!! First I made a simple syrup(sugar & water) & threw in several slightly crushed peppercorns. I brought it to a boil & then let it simmer until all the sugar was dissolved. I then added some freshly squeezed blood orange juice, & a little bit of freshly squeezed lemon juice & let it cool off in the fridge for a couple hours. Once it was chilled I strained it to get out all the pieces of pepper & poured it into my ice cream maker & let it freeze. This sorbet was so good & refreshing my son loved it & my daughter asked for seconds! The pepper taste is so subtle, but GOOD! I will definitely be making this again soon!

Coq Au Vin

I'm sure many of you have heard of Coq Au Vin, but you were maybe to intimidated to try it....Well DON'T be! Its easier than you think & this dish has evolved so much & people tend to put their own spin on it anyways. Coq Au Vin is a traditional French dish that literally means "rooster with wine". It basically is a chicken & red wine stew that is normally served over egg noodles or potatoes.....or whatever tickles your fancy! To start this AMAZING meal I chopped up some thick cut bacon & cooked them in my pan until slightly browned. You really just want the fat that the bacon renders. I scooped out the bacon pieces & set them aside. I then added several pearl onions & lightly browned them in the bacon drippings. I then scooped them out & placed those to the side. I them cut up some boneless skinless chicken breast into large chunks & tossed them into to pan & browned them up. I added some salt, pepper, a few crushed cloves of garlic, some dried thyme, red wine, & chicken broth. I also threw back in the onions & some of the bacon pieces. Now, normally this dish calls for mushrooms...however I'm not a fan of fungus so I threw in some chopped carrots, put a lid on it & let it simmer for several hours. OOO LA LA! When you take the lid off & taste this dish you'll be kicking yourself wondering why you didn't make it sooner!

Apple Pie, Oh My!!

So this FABULOUS pie was part of my all vegan meal the other night. Thats right, a vegan apple pie! For the most part its not much different from a traditional pie, just a couple substitutes & I promise you this will be one of the best pies you ever tasted. Its flaky & refreshing & super easy to make. First for the crust its just AP flour, water, & vegetable shortening(much better for you than crisco). The filling is granny smith apples, sugar, cinnamon, & nutmeg. Once you get your bottom layer of crust in the pan you pour in the apple filling & put a couple dots of vegetable margarine & place the top crust on top. Cut a few slits in the top so steam can get out, bake, & voila!!

Vegan Lasagna!!!

I know the though of fake lasagna may make you cringe & stop reading this immediately, but I urge you to read on! Lasagna is basically 3 ingredients, noodles, sauce, & cheese mixture. This lasagna has it all...except he cheese mixture of course! I got this recipe from a great vegan cook book called "Appetite for Success"(thanks Jenn) This lasagna is is made with whole wheat lasagna noodles, fresh spinach leaves,  a basic sauce made with a can of crushed tomatoes, fresh garlic & thyme, & salt & pepper(yes, thats it!) & the "cheese" mixture is made of  extra firm firm tofu(stop gagging!), roasted cauliflower, nutritional yeast flakes(I'll explain later), freshly squeezed lemon juice, & salt & pepper.
     To start my "cheese" mixture I chopped up a head of cauliflower & drizzled it with a little olive oil & salt & pepper & bake for about 30 minutes. Take the tofu & crumble it up into  a bowl & add the roasted cauliflower, lemon juice, yeast flakes, salt & pepper. Use a potato masher to mash all together! It even looks like ricotta cheese!!
  SIDE NOTE: Nutritional yeast flakes are used in vegan/vegetarians dishes. Its a source of vitamins & protein. It has a nutty, cheesy flavor & is used as a condiment or as a substitute in dishes that traditionally call for cheese.
   Once your "cheese" mixture is all mashed up, you can start assembling for lasagna. A little sauce on the bottom, noodles, "cheese" mixture, & some fresh spinach leaves. Keep building & layering & then bake. I was PLEASANTLY surprised by this dish! It was delicious & it really tasted like it was made with real cheese. Everyone here LOVED it! I didn't tell my husband what it was made of(he's one of those people who gag at the thought of tofu) & He loved it too!! Once he finished I told him what was in it! His face was priceless!

Cream of Celery Chicken

Simple, healthy, & delicious! Cream of Celery Chicken is one of the those dishes you can whip up quickly for dinner & its budget & figure friendly! First, I chopped up some boneless skinless chicken breasts & browned them in a skillet with a little olive oil. Once chicken is cooked I added some fresh squeezed lemon juice & dry white wine. Let it all simmer for a few minutes & stir a couple cans of fat free cream of celery soup. While all that fabulousness simmers together I cooked up some brown rice. Plating as you can see is just a little brown rice topped with the cream of celery mixture. If you don't run home & make this dish now then try to burn it in your brain because next time your pressed for time & your family is hungry........you'll thank me! : )

Turkey Taco Bowls

Who doesn't love tacos??? I thought I'd try a different, healthy version tonight. I browned some turkey & added some low sodium taco seasoning. I then added a splash of beer to the turkey. The beer calms down the "spice" of the seasoning which my husband & daughter don't like. Next I made a black bean pico de gallo. I took some plum tomatoes & removed the seeds & diced them. I them added some diced red onion, black beans, corn, fresh cilantro, & some fresh squeezed lime juice. I put it in the fridge until I was ready to use it so it could marinate a bit.
    At the store I bought some taco shell bowl that come with cardboard cutouts to shape & bake the shells. I filled the shells with some of the turkey & pico de gallo. I then served it with sour cream  & shredded cheddar to top. Let me tell you, you will not miss your old beef tacos! These tacos were delicious, light, refreshing, & of course....FABULOUS!!!!

Pan seared chicken with herb jus over vegetable hash

I love when the name of the recipe sounds complicated! It may intimidate some, but it truly intrigues me! I saw this recipe on the show Worst Cooks in America. It looked so simple & delicious I knew I had to try it.
I seasoned some chicken breasts with salt & pepper & pan seared them in a little bit of evoo. Once cooked I tool them out & added freshly chopped thyme, Rosemary,parsley, & garlic & tossed it into the skillet. I then added some white wine & let it simmer & reduce by half. I put the chicken back in & let or all simmer together with a little bit of butter.
Now, for the veggie hash I grated a potato, squash, & zucchini. I finely chopped a red onion & garlic & mixed it all together in a bowl. I then added Cajun seasoning, fresh thyme, parsley,1 egg, & a little flour. I mixed it and made little patties & browner then in a skillet with a little evoo. I placed a veggie patty on a plate, topped it with a chicken breast, a little of the herb jus, & threw a few chopped scallions on top! Voilà! It's that simple! Hey, if they're teaching it to America's worst cooks you know it's not that complicated! Deliciousness!!!!!!

Cammie Cakes w/ "buttercream" frosting

So first let me explain the name. My son's name is Camden & bc of his egg & dairy allergies I've been trying to cook more vegan dishes... Hey it's healthy for everyone in my house! These are vegan chocolate cupcakes. I've made them many times & my family loves them so we named them after the one who inspired them... & the Cammie Cake was born! They are so simple & made with just flour,sugar,cocoa, baking soda, vinegar, water, & vanilla extract. These cupcake are so moist & delicious! Camden's 1st birthday is in a couple weeks so I wanted to do a practice rum with his cake. I found a recipe for this vegan frosting & to be honest I was a little nervous as to how it would turn out......... ITS THE BEST FROSTING I'VE EVER TASTED!!!! The frosting is made with just vegan margarine, shortening, soy milk, powdered sugar, & vanilla extract. Just whip it all to together & voila! The family approves & more importantly Camden LOVED it!

SOBA NOODLES!!

Who doesn't love pasta??? I try to use whole wheat pasta whenever I can. It has a distinct taste that I don't mind, but the hubby hates it. I recently started using soba noodle & WOW! They taste like regular pasta! I thought for sure the hubby would comment on the noodles tasting "different" but he loved them! Soba noodles are made from buckwheat. The Japanese believe that buckwheat soba has healing powers. Some of these magic powers have actually been confirmed by medical researchers. Soba noodles are high in protein & fiber, which helps the body eliminate cholesterol.  The regular consumption of soba has also been associated with reduction in body fat. I'll tell ya, healthy & delicious are a great combination! Go & try some of these magic noodles!!!

Lollipops Lollipops

You just have to try these lollipops once & you'll be hooked! I first tried these at my mom's house(she had bought them for the kids) I tried & a taste of my daughters & I couldn't believe how delicious it was! Its tastes like pure fruit juice! They come in a variety of flavors from strawberry,mango, pomegranate,apple(my fav), & many more! These lollipop are organic & have no artificial coloring or flavoring! I now keep them in my house & as treat for my kids......& the grown ups too. Stay tuned for more Fabulous Food Finds!    -find these lollipops at Whole Foods Market

Cinnamon Champagne Chicken Stew

I have made cinnamon chicken many times. It's simple & always delcious. Today I changed it up a bit. I sprinkled some boneless skinless chicken breasts with cinnamon & threw them in the crockpot. I then added some chopped onion, garlic,a can of diced fire roasted tomatoes, a can of crushed tomatoes, salt & pepper, & some champagne!(I had some left over from new years) I let that cook all day & when I got home tonight the chicken was falling apart so I shredded it & then added some barley, a little more cinnamon, & a tiny bit of honey(to balance the biterness of the tomatoes). Then my stew was born! It was DELCIOUS!!

Oh Sweet Matcha!

So I told you I would share with you some of my FABULOUS food finds. Heres the first one I decided to share..... Sweet Matcha! I LOVE green tea, & I recently saw a show where they were talking about the amazing health benefits of green tea, & the health benefits really are incredible! From anti aging properties, memory & concentration improvement, cancer fighting agents....look it up you'll be amazed! Anyway to get the full benefits of green tea you would need to consume about 7 cups a day! Green tea is powerful, but when drinking the tea, you're drinking the water the leaves have been seeping in. Matcha is green tea leaves that are ground into a fine powder! So one cup of matcha is like 7 cups of regular green tea! I drink a cup everyday & it tastes amazing! This sweet matcha I found has a little ground sugar cane in it so you don't need to add anything. So go enjoy a nice hot cup of Sweet Matcha! You can thank me later ; ) Oh & I found it at Whole Foods Market!

FABULOUS FOOD FINDS

   Happy New Year! Its a new year so I wanted to try something new my this blog. Of Course, I will still be sharing my (cough cough) FABULOUS recipes, but I also want to start sharing some of my fabulous food finds. Some of these items may be things that you've seen at the store, but are too intimidated to buy & try them or you just don't know enough about them. Hey, some things you may have never even heard of! So I will tell you my opinion based on my experience, but just know you should always trust my opinion.......seriously!
      So this blog is your notice.............STAY TUNED!