NormOwn
Chicken Parm Burger – 193 to go
Chicken Parm Burger
1 – lb 99% fat-free ground chicken or turkey
1 egg
3/4 cup oatmeal
1/4 cup low fat Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon dried onion flakes
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 cup seasoned, dried whole-wheat bread crumbs
2 teaspoons canola oil
2 cups cherry tomatoes
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon fresh basil, minced
1/4 cup low sodium, fat-free chicken broth
4 slices Provolone or Mozzarella Cheese
4 whole wheat hamburger buns
Combine ground chicken and next 7 ingredients; form into 4 patties. Place bread crumbs on a plate, dredge patties in bread crumbs. Heat canola oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat, place patties in pan; cook for approximately 4-5 minutes on each side (until browned and cooked through). Place 1 slice of cheese on each burger when they are almost completely cooked to melt.
While the patties are cooking, place the olive oil in another frying pan over medium heat. Add tomatoes, garlic and fresh basil; mix well. Cover the pan and cook until the tomatoes start to burst. Press the tomatoes with a wooden spoon until they are mush; add the broth and cook down (uncovered), stirring constantly until slightly thickened.
Serve burgers on whole wheat buns, topped with the fresh tomato sauce.
Baked Macaroni with Veggies and Cheese – 194 more
A grown up, healthy version of Mac & Cheese :).
Baked Macaroni with Veggies and Cheese
1 – 16 oz. package whole wheat macaroni
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 cups chopped zucchini
1 cup chopped summer squash
1 cup broccoli florets
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 can (14.5 oz) no salt added diced tomatoes
1 cup pasta sauce (use any good, low-salt, low-sugar, olive oil based variety)
3/4 cup fat-free mozzarella cheese
3/4 cup low-fat mozzarella cheese
2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 375°. Prepare macaroni according to package directions (no salt). While the pasta is cooking; heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add zucchini, squash, broccoli, onion and garlic; sprinkle with basil, oregano, thyme and pepper. Saute 5 – 6 minutes or until the vegetables are lightly browned. Stir in tomatoes (with juice), and pasta sauce. Cover and simmer 2-3 more minutes.
Drain the pasta, place back in the pan, add the sauteed veggies and mix well Place 1/2 the pasta mixture into a 9″ x 13″ baking dish that has been coated with cooking spray. Combine the cheeses into a small bowl. Top the pasta mixture with 1/2 of the cheese mixture, place the remaining pasta on top of the cheese layer and sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. Cover and bake for 20 minutes, uncover and bake for 5 – 8 more minutes or until the cheese is lightly browned.
Healthy Tacos – 195 to go!
Healthy Tacos
1 lb. ground beef or ground turkey
1 recipe “Taco Seasoning” (see below)
1 can fat free re-fried beans
2 bags Success Brown Rice, cooked and drained
2 cans diced, no salt added tomatoes
2 Tablespoons minced jalapeno peppers
Brown ground beef or turkey add taco seasoning; mix well. Addre-fried beans and mix well, then add tomatoes and jalapenos. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat 2 – 3 minutes. Add the brown rice and mix well. Continue stirring over a low heat for a minute or so.
Serve in taco shells with low-free plain yogurt, low-free cheddar and/or Jack cheese, shredded lettuce, and salsa (look for a low-salt, low-sugar variety or make your own…recipe coming soon!).
Taco Seasoning
1 Tablespoon chili powder
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
3/4 teaspoon paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon black pepperMix all ingredients in a small bowl.
Corn Bread – only 196 more to go…
My last post was my chili recipe and you can’t really, fully enjoy a bowl of chili without (in my opinion) a cold beer and a piece or two of warm, fresh from the oven, corn bread!
Corn Bread
1 cup whole grain cornmeal
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup skim milk
1/2 cup egg substitute (equal to one egg)
1/2 cup canola oil
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 425°
Combine all ingredients; pour batter into a 9″ square baking pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.
Variations:
- add a 1/2 cup of shredded low-fat jack cheese and 2 Tablespoons of finely minced jalapeno peppers
- this same recipe (with or without the cheese and peppers) works great as muffins; spray 6 muffin tins with cooking spray, fill them 3/4 full with the batter, and bake at 425° for 25 to 30 minutes.
Chili – 197 left!
This recipe has so many great options and variations. Sometimes I use turkey or ground beef or meatless grounds, sometimes I add mushroom, sometimes creamed corn. I can make it at dinner time or I can make it early in the day and throw it in the crock pot. It all works!
Chili
1 lb ground turkey, ground beef or 1 12 oz package of Quorn Meatless Ground
1 green pepper, chopped (or any combination of approximately 2 peppers – colors of your choice)
1 red pepper, chopped
1/2 cup onion, chopped
(*optional* 1 – 8 oz. package mushrooms, sliced)
1 Tablespoon garlic, minced
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
3/4 teaspoon oregano
3/4 teaspoon basil
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
4 Tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 can diced tomatoes
1 – 12 oz. can tomato sauce
(*optional* 1 – 12 oz. can creamed corn)
1 cup low sodium, fat-free chicken broth
2 -15 oz cans beans (great northern beans go great with ground turkey, red kidney beans are my favorite with ground beef or the meatless grounds) rinsed and drained
In large dutch oven, saute the ground meat until lightly browned. Add the peppers, onion, mushrooms (if using mushrooms); continue sauteing for 3 -4 more minutes. Add the garlic and spices; mix well. Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce and broth; mix well. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally for 30 – 60 minutes (even longer, if desired, the longer it simmers the spicier the flavor). Add the beans and simmer for another 15 – 20 minutes.
**NOTE** Recently I’ve been making this as a crock pot meal, it allows it to simmer for a longer time and turns out great. I follow the same directions except – while I’m sauteing the meat, veggies, and spices – I add the canned tomatoes, tomato sauce, creamed corn (if using) and beans to the crock pot. Once the meat, veggies, and spices are done in the saute pan, simply dump all of that into the crock pot with the tomato mixture and add the cup of chicken broth. You can cook it for as long as you have time. If I make this in the morning, I’ll set it to low for 7 or 8 hours – if I forget (which I usually do) and don’t start it until after lunch, I’ll set it to high for 3 – 4 hours.
Scrambled Lasagna – 198 to go!
I actually made this on Thursday night. Again we needed a quick meal that would yield some leftovers for a weekend trip with Rhett. Rhett and band played a frat party (!) on Friday night in Troy, Alabama and then an outdoor festival on Lake Barkley in Kuttawa, Kentucky. Since we try to never eat fast food, catering, or basically any food that I don’t make myself…we brought all of our own food (as usual). Fruit and yogurt for breakfasts, whole wheat bread and tuna for lunches and two leftover meals. This week it was Baked Feta Meatballs (from Wednesday night) and this yummy, super quick and easy no-bake lasagna:
Scrambled Lasagna
1 – 16 oz. package of any short cut pasta (I used Rotini)
1 1/2 cups fat free Cottage or Ricotta Cheese
1/2 cup fat free Mozzarella Cheese
1/2 cup low fat Mozzarella Cheese
1/2 cup low fat Parmesan Cheese
1 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon oregano
2 cup pasta sauce (I make a big sauce a couple of times and month and have some in jars in the fridge – you could also use any good jarred sauce. You want to check the ingredients and choose one with the least amount of ingredients and low salt, no HFCS, and olive oil.)
Cook pasta according to package directions (no salt); when the pasta is done drain it into a colander. Into the pan that the pasta just came out of add the Ricotta, Mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses; stir over the heat of the burner (turn the burner off after removing the boiling pasta, the leftover heat will be enough to do the job) until the cheeses are starting to melt. Add the spices and then the pasta sauce; mix until everything is well combined and warmed. Dump the pasta from the colander into the pan and scrambled it all up. There you have it!
The “breadsticks” on the plate in the photo are an Eric creation. They are healthy, quick and delicious!
Eric’s Breadsticks
whole wheat pita rounds
olive oil
dried oregano
garlic powderSpray each pita with olive oil (you can buy a simple mister that works great for this), sprinkle with oregano and garlic powder. Place pita in toaster oven on high; toast to desired crispness. I like mine warm but fairly soft and Eric likes his with more of a “crunch” to it. Have it your way!
Baked Feta Meatballs – Day One – Recipe One – 199 to go
And so it begins….
Baked Feta Meatballs
2 cups cooked brown rice
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
5 Tablespoons reduced-fat crumbled feta cheese, divided
1/4 cup fat-free mozzarella cheese
1 lb. 99% lean ground turkey
1/4 cup egg substitute
1/4 cup dried whole-wheat bread crumbs
6 Greek olives, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced; divided
4 medium zucchini, sliced into 1/4″ slices
1/2 cup onion, sliced
1 cup marinara sauce (use a good low-sodium variety)
Preheat the oven to 450°. Coat a 13″ x 9″ baking dish with cooking spray. Scatter the zucchini, onion and half of the minced garlic in the bottom of the baking dish. In a large bowl, combine the rice, oregano, 4 Tablespoons of the feta, 2 Tablespoons of the mozzerella, ground turkey, egg substitute, bread crumbs, olives and the rest of the minced garlic. Stir until well combined. Shape the turkey mixture into about eighteen 1 1/2″ balls. Place the meatballs on top of the zucchini; drizzle with the marinara sauce. Cover tightly. Bake for about 25 minutes. Uncover and top with the remaining 1 Tablespoon of feta cheese and 2 Tablespoons of mozzarella. Let sit in the oven for a couple of minutes, or until the cheese melts.
The Do It The HardWay Cookbook; 200 recipes in 400 days
If you’re anything like me, you love eating tasty food. Sitting down to a nice dinner of grilled swordfish and sautéed veggies, perhaps a nice chicken chili with cornbread, maybe even some linguine with white clam sauce. Well not only do I love eating these savory delights, I love cooking them too. I also like being healthy, and I always strive to use the healthiest ingredients, preparing dishes that are not only tasty, but high in nutrition and low in bad fats and added salt and sugar. These have been some of the key elements to my “Do It the Hard Way” concept all along. Learning about nutrition, how to read labels, developing an understanding of what good ingredients are, and preparing healthy dishes all take an investment of time and energy, but an investment that is not only rewarding to my taste buds, one that enhances other aspects of life, that being health and well-being.
With this blog, I am now officially on a mission to create the “Do It the Hard Way” cookbook over the next year. 200 recipes in 400 days. Recently, me and Eric watched a great inspiring movie ‘Julie and Julia’”. If you haven’t seen this movie, the story is about an aspiring writer who set out to cook all of the recipes in Julia child’s ‘Mastering the Art of French Cooking’ over the course of a year, blogging about her cooking adventures, and occasional debacles daily. My concept is similar in nature, except I will be creating all of these dishes myself, inventing some from scratch, and adapting many popular recipes into healthier “Do It the Hard Way” versions.
To hit my goal of 200 recipes for this book, that’s roughly 4 a week from now until my birthday on September 23 of 2011. Each recipe will require several steps to be deemed book ready. First comes the initial idea or concept, then the food is prepared, cooked, and photographed before the all-important taste test. At some point during this process I need to make sure I have written down exactly what I used for ingredients as well as how I prepared and cooked the meal. Then I need to sit down at the computer, enter all of this info (including the nutritional specs), and create a blog post for the recipe.
Assuming I can reach my goal of 200 recipes by my self-imposed deadline, I will then begin work on the printed book design which I hope to have available by January of 2012. It will be a lot of work to keep up with this pace, but I am determined to see it through. I am also very fortunate to have some assistance by way of the world’s best live in prep cook, my husband, Eric, who is also the chief photographer in this project.
The good news is that you don’t have to wait until 2012 to try these recipes. As I will be posting them online as I create them, I urge you to try the ones that interest you and leave comments. Tell me what you like and what you don’t like. I’m open to suggestions and encourage your participation to help improve these dishes as I go along. And if you have any ideas about a recipe you would like to see me create a healthy version for, by all means, please send them along.
So that’s it, 200 recipes in 400 days to yield the Do It the Hard Way cookbook.
Happy cooking!
Baked Honey-Mustard Salmon & Sauteed Zucchini
This was dinner last night. Hope you give it try and enjoy it as much as we did!
Baked Honey-Mustard Salmon
2 – 6oz. salmon fillets
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 powder
3/4 cup dry, seasoned, whole-wheat bread crumbs (see recipe below)
Preheat oven to 400°. In small bowl stir together yogurt, mustard, honey, cayenne, and garlic powder. Brush each salmon fillet with approximately 1 Tablespoon of honey-mustard sauce (reserve the rest of the sauce for dipping :)) coat the top and sides of each fillet with the seasoned bread crumbs. Bake for 12 – 15 minutes in the preheated oven or until it flakes easily with a fork.
Seasoned Whole Wheat Bread
4 slices whole wheat bread
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried oreganoPlace bread slices on a baking sheet and bake at 225° for about 15 minutes, turn off oven and let dry for about another 15 minutes. Break up the slices into a food processor and add the spices (the types of spices and the amounts can be adjusted according to your taste and what type of recipe you will be using them in); blend in the processor until it turns into fine crumbs. 4 slices of bread makes a little over 1 cup of dried crumbs. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in your fridge.
Sauteed Zucchini
2 cups zucchini, sliced
1 cup summer squash, sliced
1/2 cup onion, sliced
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup non-fat, low-sodium chicken (or vegetable) broth
Heat olive oil, over medium-high heat; add zucchini, summer squash, onion and seasonings until lightly browned. Turn heat down to medium and add garlic; continue to saute for another 1-2 minutes. Add broth and cover; continue cooking for 3-4 more minutes or until most of the broth has reduced; stirring occasionally.
Spicy Peanut Noodles and Chicken Teriyaki
Last Friday Eric and I were trying to get ready to leave for a show in Ohio with Rhett. Since we have had all of July off, it was a particularly hectic day of trying to remember all the details that go into leaving for a bus trip and not forgetting anything.
…side note: Eric’s going to kill me for relating this little story here, but I can’t resist. It has been 6 weeks since we’ve done a show and it is very easy to forget some things when your schedule has been so different. So…we did manage to get ready, get everything packed and leave for the trip without forgetting anything – a minor miracle. However when we arrived back in Nashville on Sunday morning and unloaded all of this gear from the bus to our car…well that was a different story. We live about 35 minutes from where we get the bus, so here we are driving home and I am really looking forward to grabbing my favorite blanket, sitting in my favorite chair and enjoy some breakfast and a hot cup of tea any minute now, since we are only 5 minutes from home. It was right then that Eric glanced in the rear view mirror and exclaimed “Shit!”. Oops, he had left his guitar on the bus 🙂 Thankfully we have the most wonderful bus driver in the world and he had not taken the bus back to the shop yet and agreed to wait for us. So it was about an hour later before I was enjoying my breakfast and tea, of course if was worth it since I spent most of that time teasing Eric about his forgetfulness. I’m so lucky that he puts up with me!…OK, back to business here!
We needed to have a quick meal that would not require much chopping (since my excellent prep cook had many other things to attend to that night) and would yield some leftovers that we could take with us and eat on the road. We decided on a super easy and yummy recipe that I created several months ago:
Spicy Peanut Noodles and Chicken Teriyaki:
1 – 16 oz. package of whole wheat spaghetti
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 Tablespoon chili powder
1 Tsp. ground ginger
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons olive oil
3/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
3 Tablespoons peanut butter – Smucker’s All Natural is the best – nothing but peanuts and salt!
1 – 16 oz. package of broccoli slaw
While spaghetti is cooking, heat olive oil in a large wok, add garlic and saute until soft. Add cayenne, red pepper flakes, chili powder and ginger; mix well. Add soy sauce and peanut butter.
Simmer on lowuntil peanut butter is liquefied. Add broccoli slaw and toss well; continue cooking, stirring occasionally for 2 – 3 minutes. When spaghetti is done, add it to the wok and toss well.
A few hours before you start the noodles, you need to marinate the chicken for the Teriyaki:
4 oz. pineapple juice
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
1 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 Tablespoon honey
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken, cut into 3″-4″ strips
Place chicken in a shallow bowl with cover. Mix all ingredients (except chicken) together and pour over chicken; cover and marinate for at least 1 hour. Right before you start cooking the spaghetti, preheat the oven to 425º. Skewer chicken pieces on metal skewers, place on a rack on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes per side.
An even quicker variation to this recipe –
Eliminate the marinade. Add these steps to the beginning of the Spicy Peanut Noodle directions. Chop the chicken into bite sized pieces, saute in a little olive oil in the wok until lightly browned. Remove the chicken from the wok and keep warm. Continue with the remaining Noodle recipe and add the cooked chicken back into the wok right before you add the spaghetti at the very end.
Yum 🙂
Another variation is to completely eliminate the chicken! It’s still nutritious, delicious, and filling as a vegetarian dish!