NormOwn
Chicken Broccoli Alfredo – 149
What a crazy few weeks it’s been, in a good way. My website company is super busy – thank you to all of my wonderful new clients for choosing Just Ducky Designs for your on line advertising! I’ve also been working very closely with my favorite website client The Nashville Musician’s Survival Guide (full disclosure here – he’s also my husband 😛 ). We just launched the new online store where you can purchase an advance copy of the book and/or Eric’s CD “Songs Without Words” (individual downloads are also available). Also added to the site is a PDF preview of the actual book, click here to take a look. We are very excited to announce that April 18th is the official release date! Be sure to check out the store and purchase your advance copy to insure that you will be among the first to receive the book (buying it in advance will also help us pay for the upfront printing costs 😳 ).
OK, enough about all that – back to recipes!! The other night as Eric was prepping and I was cooking this delicious meal, I realized that I hadn’t added it to the blog yet. I’ve been making this recipe forever and it’s one of our favorites. It’s yummy, satisfying, and so easy. I hope it will become one of your favorites too!
Chicken Broccoli Alfredo
(or as Eric calls it – Chick-Broc-Alf)
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon oregano
3 cups broccoli florets
3/4 cup fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth
1 – lb. chicken breast, cubed
2 cups skim milk
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/3 cup fat-free mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/4 cup low-fat Parmesan cheese, grated
1 – 16 oz. package whole wheat pasta (I used bow ties for this); cooked according to pkg. directions – no salt
In a medium saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute for 2-3 minutes. Add the broccoli, season with half of the pepper, basil, and oregano; cook for 2 -3 additional minutes. Add the chicken broth; mix well. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 3-4 minutes or until the broccoli is tender-crisp (you don’t want mushy broccoli). Place broccoli mixture into a bowl and keep warm (there will still be a small amount of broth left, keep most of it with the broccoli but leave a little in the saute pan. Add the chicken cubes to the saute pan (you might want to add a teaspoon of olive oil to the pan); season with remaining pepper, basil and oregano. Saute until lightly browned and cooked through. Remove chicken to the bowl with the broccoli mixture. Add almost all of the 2 cups of milk to the pan (reserve about 2 tablespoons of the milk), heat to very hot but not boiling. Mix cornstarch with the reserved milk and whisk into the hot milk in the pan. Continue stirring until the mixture starts to thicken; turn off heat. Whisk in the cheeses until well blended. Stir in the chicken/broccoli mixture and pour everything over the cooked and drained pasta. Serve with a little extra grated Parmesan!
Buffalo Mac & Cheese – 150
The good news is that I am 1/4 of the way to my goal of 200 recipes in 400 days. The bad news is that I only have 206 days to accomplish it 🙁 I will not be discouraged, I am going to keep going and (like Tony says in the P90X workouts) “Do your best and forget the rest”.
I loved the idea of combining spicy buffalo chicken with a creamy mac & cheese. I simply needed to “healthy it up” a bit. It is still spicy, creamy, delicious and as comforting as any mac & cheese you’ve ever had 😉
1 – 16 oz. pkg. of any whole wheat pasta (macaroni is the obvious choice, but any short cut pasta will do; I used rotini in the photo)
1 – lb. 99% fat-free ground turkey (or chicken)
1/3 cup Franks Red Hot wing sauce
2 Tablespoons Smart Balance Light
2 Tablespoons whole wheat flour
2 cups skim milk
1/3 cup shredded low-fat jalapeno cheddar cheese
2/3 cup fat-free cheddar cheese
1/3 cup low-fat blue cheese, crumbled
3/4 cup whole wheat dried bread crumbs (seasoned with 1 teaspoon chili powder)
Preheat oven to 350°
Saute the ground turkey in a skillet over medium high heat until cooked through and lightly browned. Turn heat down to very low and add the wing sauce; mix well. While the turkey is browning, cook the pasta according to package directions (no salt) and drain. Put the pasta back into it’s pan and add the turkey mixture; cover and keep warm. In the same skillet, on medium low heat, melt the smart balance. Sprinkle in the flour and cook and until well incorporated. Whisk in the milk and keep whisking until the mixture is smooth. Add in the cheese (one cheese at a time and whisk well after each addition). Pour cheese sauce over the pasta/turkey, mix well and then pour into a 9″ x 13″ casserole dish that has been sprayed with fat-free cooking spray. Sprinkle breadcrumbs over the top; cover and bake for 25 minutes; remove the cover and bake for an additional 5 – 10 minutes (until the breadcrumbs are lightly browned).
African Chickpea Stew – 151
I came across this recipe idea totally by accident, it came up in some search results when I was looking for exercises that can help a hernia! It was a link from a link from another link…anyway, long story. The first recipe I saw had some things in it that I really didn’t like, but I loved the idea of a thick stew (more goulash consistency really, not at all soupy) and the combination of sweet potatoes, chickpeas and carrots. I started searching other recipes and I put several ideas together, added more garlic and onion and came up with this.
African Chickpea Stew
1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, sliced
1-1/2 lbs. uncooked sweet potato, diced
1-1/2 cups carrots, diced
2-1/2 cups low-sodium, fat-free chicken broth
1 – 15 oz. can no-salt added diced tomatoes
1 – 15 oz. can low-salt chickpeas, rinsed and drained
Spicy Sauce
2 bags Success brown rice, cooked according to package directions and drained
Spicy Sauce
4 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1 Tablespoon All Natural Peanut Butter
1 – 6 oz. can no-salt added tomato paste
1/2 cup low-sodium, fat-free chicken broth
1 Tablespoon olive oilCombine all ingredients into a food processor and blend into a smooth, thick pasty sauce.
Heat 1 Tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat; add the garlic and onion. Saute until the onion is slightly soft (be careful not to burn the garlic). Add the sweet potato and carrots; season with a little black pepper (about 1/4 teaspoon). Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil; reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 10-15 minutes (until the potatoes and carrots are done to your liking). Add the Spicy Sauce and blend well. Mix in the diced tomatoes and chickpeas; cook for an additional 3-4 minutes. Add the cooked rice, mix well and enjoy!
Turkey Meatloaf – 152
I love meatloaf, it’s one of those “comfort foods” that makes me think of being a kid. Meatloaf when I was growing up was ground beef and sometimes a mixture of ground beef and pork. My mother usually added a few strips of bacon on the top, because there wasn’t enough meat in there already 🙂 The meatloaf I make now doesn’t resemble that one very much except….let’s see…it’s the same shape and….. it delicious!
Turkey Meatloaf
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 cup onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium yellow pepper, chopped (any type of pepper will do)
1/2 cup mushrooms, chopped
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon basil
2 Tablespoons tomato paste (no salt added)
1/4 cup fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 – 1/4 lb. 99% fat-free ground turkey
3/4 cup oatmeal, uncooked dry
1/4 cup egg substitute
1/3 cup low-fat feta cheese, crumbled
2 Tablespoons low sugar ketchup
Preheat oven to 350°.
In medium saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, peppers, and mushrooms; season with pepper, thyme and basil. Saute until onions and peppers are soft. Add tomato paste, chicken broth and Worcestershire sauce; mix well. Place into a bowl and let it cool slightly. Combine the ground turkey, oatmeal, egg, cheese, and onion mixture; blend well. Place into an 8″ x 4″ loaf pan. Spread ketchup on top. Bake in preheated oven for 50 – 55 minutes or until the internal temperature is 165°.
General Normand Tso’s Chicken – 153
I know, there really is no such person as Normand Tso..sue me! I used to love getting Chinese take out. That is until an hour or so after finishing the food, that’s when some very unpleasant effects would start 🙁 No problem, I’ve conquered Spicy Peanut Noodles and Chicken Teriyaki, why not try the General’s Chicken? I searched on line and in books for some ideas, then combined a few of those ideas with some of my own and a quick pan fry technique instead of deep frying. The taste is very close, it’s pretty easy to make, much cheaper than take out, and a whole lot healthier. Get out your wok, some chopsticks and give it a try!
General Normand Tso’s Chicken
Sauce:
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 Tablespoons water
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 cup equivalent of Stevia (I use the concentrated version and it comes out to be 1/4 teaspoon)
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
2 Tablespoons white vinegar
1 cup fat-free, low-sodium chicken brothPut all ingredients into medium bowl; mix well. Set aside
Chicken:
2 Tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup egg substitute
1/3 cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
12 oz. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into large chunks
3 Tablespoons Canola Oil
Veggies:
1 red pepper, julienne sliced
1 yellow pepper, julienne sliced
1 small onion (Vidalia or Red), sliced
1 cup portobello mushrooms, sliced
2 bags Success brown rice, cooked according to package directions (for best results, cook the rice way beforehand and chill; then use the cold rice)
Place soy sauce, egg, cornstarch, pepper flakes, and cayenne in medium bowl; whisk until smooth. Add chicken and coat well. Heat oil in wok (or large skillet) until very hot (but not smoking). Add chicken chunks a few at a time, cook until very brown, turn and cook the other side; remove to a plate that has been lined with paper towels. Continue until all chicken is done. Add all the veggies to the wok and stir-fry for 4-5 minutes, until they are tender-crisp. Pour in “Sauce”; 
cook until thick (if the sauce gets too thick, add a little water). Add chicken back to pan and cook for an additional minute. Add rice and mix well. Serve and enjoy 🙂
Creamy Chicken & Broccoli Soup – 154
It seems like everyone I talk to lately says a variation of “I’m sick of this snow and cold weather!”. I know that those of you in the northeast have gotten more than your share so far this year. For me, living in Tennessee but having grown up in the northeast, I’m loving it 🙂 We have had six snow “storms” since winter officially began, none of which produced more than a few inches at a time. Our most recent “storm” was Tuesday night/Wednesday morning and although it was beautiful; it did result in my having to postpone the appointment I had scheduled with the surgeon. I will have to wait one more week to find out what’s up. Those of you who have grown up with real snowstorms will laugh at the photos below and the fact that our town (actually our state) basically shuts down over anything more than a half inch or so.
Anyway, all of this cold, snowy weather makes me want to cook hot soup! So here is – a really yummy, creamy, good-for-you, easy to make soup 😉
Creamy Chicken & Broccoli Soup
1 Tablespoon olive oil
12 oz. boneless, skinless, chicken breast, cut into cubes
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon basil
1/4 teaspoon ground sage
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup onion, chopped
3 cups broccoli florets
3 cups fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth
3 cups skim milk
1/3 cup low-fat cheddar cheese, shredded
1/3 cup low-fat blue cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup low-fat Swiss cheese, shredded
Heat olive oil in large dutch oven. Add chicken, season with pepper, garlic powder, basil, sage and saute until the golden brown and cooked through. Remove chicken and keep warm. Spray the same pan with fat free butter flavor cooking spray; add garlic and onion to the pan and cook until the onions are just slightly soft. Add broccoli and saute for 2 – 3 more minutes. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 7 – 8 minutes (until broccoli is done). Remove 2 cups of broccoli mixture and place in a bowl to cool (I like to pop the bowl into the freezer to speed up this process). Add the milk to the pan; when the milk is hot (do not boil) whisk in the cheeses and continue stirring until melted. Take the reserved broccoli mixture from the freezer and place into a blender or food processor; process until smooth and then add back into soup. Mix in the cooked chicken and cook for a few minutes to heat everything and blend the flavors. That’s it!
P90X Workout Update and How The Hell Did I Get a Hernia?
Eric and I finished our second full round of P90X last week and took our fit test on Saturday. We both had great results and I was super happy with my 2 1/2 pack that’s starting to show
! We took Sunday off and I was all set to enjoy watching my beloved Pat’s squash the Jets….well you probably know how that turned out. So, I drowned my sorrows Sunday evening with a couple of my favorite Bud Light Limes and went to bed early.
Monday morning we embarked on day one of our 1st round of P90X+. The first workout was Upper Body Plus – wow! This workout hits every upper body part and each exercise is timed rather than counted for reps. The very first thing is “Double Double Dip’ll Do Ya”; you take two chairs facing each other with space for your body in between, then in plank with one hand on each chair, you do 2 push up, then swing your feet through and do 2 dips, then swing back for 2 push ups. You continue this craziness for 90 seconds. If you think that sounds easy – please – grab 2 chairs and give it a shot….then come back and continue reading. The rest of that 40 minute workout is equally as challenging, but we did it and felt pretty good about our first day. The next day brought Intervals – an insane 40 minutes of cardio where each move is done at 3 stages for one minute; 1st 20 seconds at low intensity, then medium for 20 seconds, then ALL OUT for the last 20 and then immediately on to the next move. It is a fun workout and it really gets your heart rate up. We felt so good, later that day we decided to add in a second workout. This time we did the brand new One on One Recovery & Stretch. Due to time constraints we only did about 35 minutes, but I highly recommend this as a supplement to any workout routine.
That night Eric had a show with his trio at a local bar (the 12 South Tap Room) and I was very excited to go listen to the music and see some friends. The show went great and the crowd really enjoyed the band. We got home around 1 AM and sat up for a little while talking before heading to bed.
Around 2:30 AM I woke up with a minor nagging pain in my groin/lower ab. I tried ignoring it for about a 1/2 hour, but I could tell it was getting worse. It wasn’t a constant pain, but a sharp pain that would last about a second or two, then stop, then come back several minutes later. I got up around 3 and almost immediately the pain starting getting unbearable. I asked Eric to get up and keep me company (which, of cour
se, he did – he is the best). I tried just walking around, I tried Tylenol; but within about an hour we both realized that this was still getting worse and I was having trouble walking. Off to the emergency room we went.
The staff at the ER were just great, they got me in right away and I was in an exam room talking to a doctor within 15 minutes. At this point the pain was really bad and the doctor did an exam of the painful area. Immediately he said “I know exactly what is wrong”! Which was a huge relief to me, all I wanted to was to figure out what was going on and to get it fixed. He said you have an inguinal hernia. A hernia! How could that be? I’m in great shape, I’ve been working out religiously and none of my workouts cause any pain? Apparently this type of hernia is caused by a defect and I’ve had it for years. The problem is, it’s now worse and is going to require surgery 😥
I won’t go off on too big a rant about the state of our health care system; but…..if you don’t have insurance – don’t get sick. I’ve spent the last 3 days on the phone with hospitals, nurses, financial aid offices. People won’t even call me back when I ask for an appointment when they hear the words “no insurance”. I don’t take being told “no” very well, I get, what Eric calls “phone tone” and start insisting that someone do their job (I might have used some stronger terms that that, but that’s not important right now). Finally I got through to the right person and got them to listen to me. I now have an appointment with a surgeon in 5 days.
Unfortunately, I am still in pain off and on and, although it’s not as bad as the other night, I won’t be able to do any P90X workouts for a while. It also looks like once I have surgery I won’t be doing any exercise for several weeks. I’m really upset about this. I’ve worked really hard to get to where I am and I don’t want to lose any of this progress.
I’m going to continue to eat healthy, do whatever activity I can and hope that I can be back P90X+ soon. I’ll try to post some new recipes, if I can get myself to do some cooking. I’m the opposite of an emotional eater. When I’m stressed I have no appetite at all, I find it almost impossible to force down any food. If it wasn’t for Shakeology, I wouldn’t have had any nutrition at all in the last couple of days!
Thanks for listening (whoever is out there listening 🙂 and I’ll keep you all posted! bon appétit!
Shrimp Scampi – 155
Those of you who know me from New England probably remember a restaurant/bar called LJ’s. I remember (or at least partially remember) seeing Eric’s old band, Shockwave, playing there and dancing the night away with friends. I also recall getting there early sometimes and having dinner (yes, there was a time in my life when I ate “restaurant food”). My favorite item on the menu was their Shrimp Scampi. Looking back I remember that on the nights when I would order that for dinner, it was well into the night before I could drag my butt out of the chair and dance. The Scampi was delicious but it sat like brick in my stomach and made me feel more like lying down than dancing. On a side note – something I never thought of back then – I must have reeked of garlic after eating that meal, it’s a good thing Eric usually ate the same thing….a belated apology to anyone he or I may have offended with our garlic breath 😳 Anyway; this version of Scampi will not make you want to lie down and nap and it is (in my humble opinion) every bit as delicious as the LJ’s version….it will however give you serious garlic breath!
Shrimp Scampi
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Tablespoons margarine (I use Smart Balance Light)
1 – 2 oz. can anchovies, minced
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 leaves fresh basil, chopped
1/2 cup chopped parsley
2 cups fat free, low-sodium chicken broth
1 lb. medium shrimp, raw, peeled and deveined
1 lb. whole wheat linguine, cooked according to package directions (no salt)
Heat the olive oil over medium in a skillet, melt in the butter. Add anchovies, garlic, pepper flakes, basil, and parsley. Saute until the anchovies are melted and the garlic is soft. Add broth and bring to a boil. Add shrimp, reduce heat to simmer and cook for about 7 – 10 minutes (until the shrimp are firm). Pour entire mixture over cooked pasta; mix well.
Chili Cheese Dogs – 156
Last night we were having our nightly “what’s for dinner” discussion and we just couldn’t decide on anything. Eric wasn’t feeling well and he couldn’t perform his usual prep cook magic and for some reason I just didn’t feel like cooking (a very rare occurrence!). Then I looked into the freezer and saw a package of organic turkey hot dogs that I’d purchased a while ago from Whole Foods.
If you’ve read many of my blogs, you’ll know that I strive to make healthy versions of all my favorite foods. Hot dogs have been a difficult one because most of what you find in supermarkets are full of fat, salt, nitrites and all sorts of nasty stuff. The only alternatives have been mealy, tasteless imitations of real hot dogs. These ones are made by Applegate Farms and they are delicious and healthy 🙂
Just a plain hot dog was not going to cut it for dinner. So I said “how about chili cheese dogs”? The only problem was I didn’t have any leftover chili. No problem, I simply put together some “chili-like” ingredients, simmered them together on the stove and viola….instant chili….add cheese, put on top of a hot dog and you’ve got chili cheese dogs. Add a quick salad on the side and you’re done!
Chili Cheese Dogs
1 – 15 oz. can diced tomatoes, no salt added
1 – 15 oz. can red kidney beans, low sodium
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion flakes
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon basil
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 Tablespoons chili powder
2 Tablespoons chicken broth, fat-free, low sodium
1 teaspoon cornstarch
4 organic turkey hot dogs
4 whole wheat hot dog buns
1/2 cup low-fat or fat-free cheese, shredded
Place tomatoes and beans into a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic powder, onion flakes, paprika, oregano, basil, black pepper, cumin, cayenne, and chili powder; mix well. Simmer for several minutes (15 or 20 if you have the time). In a small bowl mix the chicken broth with cornstarch, add this to the beans and stir well until thickened. While the chili is cooking, place the hot dogs into a skillet that has been sprayed with non-fat cooking spray and saute them until they are heated through. Either toast the buns in toaster oven or in the same skillet as the hot dogs.
To assemble; place a little cheese on the bottom of a bun add a hot dog, top with chili, sprinkle with additional cheese – Enjoy!
I did a quick Google search on the nutritional info of “Chili Cheese Dogs” and found that if you ordered one from Dairy Queen you’d be choking down almost 450 calories, 22 grams of fat and over 1,000 mg of sodium — yuk 😯
Oven “Fried” Chicken with Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce – 157
I’m trying to get back to posting a new recipe at least three times per week, but it’s been tough. I’m suddenly swamped with website work (which is a GREAT thing – if you’d like to see my design portfolio click this link: justduckydesigns.com) and for some reason Eric has been requesting that I make meals that I’ve already posted – Jambalaya, Stone Soup, Chili…. 🙂 I guess I’ll have to stop asking him what he’d like for dinner – which is what I did last night! This recipe is a great way to get that crunchy fried chicken flavor and texture without all the fat. The yummy dipping sauce is just a bonus.
Oven “Fried” Chicken
8 oz. boneless, skinless chicken, cut into strips
1/4 cup egg substitute
1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs (recipe here)
1/4 cup stoneground cornmeal
Preheat oven to 425°. Place a cooling rack onto a cookie sheet. Place egg substitute in a bowl, combine seasoned bread crumbs and cornmeal on plate; mix well. Dip chicken pieces in egg and the roll in the bread crumb mixture. Place on rack and spray the chicken with a light coating of non-fat butter flavor cooking spray. Bake for 10 – 15 minutes (depending on the size of the chicken pieces).
Honey Mustard Sauce
3/4 cup plain fat-free yogurt
3 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 Tablespoons Honey
1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (to taste)
1/8 teaspoon garlic powderCombine all ingredients into a small bowl; mix well.
