Healthy Baked Broccoli Tots

HELLO AWESOMENESS!!!!  SOOOOO good -- it really was like eating tator tots only they are VEGGIES!!!  Making these over and over and over again!

Serves 20 tots (1 serving = 6 tots / 90 calories)

Ingredients

2 cups or 12 oz uncooked or frozen broccoli

1 large egg

½ cup diced yellow onion

1/3 cup cheddar cheese

1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs

1/3 cup Italian breadcrumbs

2 tablespoons parsley (or cilantro)

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

Preheat oven to 400 – grease a baking sheet with a thin layer of oil or line with parchment paper and set aside.

Blanch the broccoli in boiling water for 1 minute then remove and shock with cold tap water to stop the cooking process.  Drain well.

Chop broccoli finely and mix throughly with the egg, onions, cheddar, breadcrumbs, and seasoning. Scoop about 1.5 tablespoons of mix using a ice-cream scoop or your hands and gently press between your hands into a firm ball then shape into a tater-tot shape. It helps to wash your hands after every few tots to keep them from sticking onto your hands. Next, Place on your prepared baking sheet.

Bake until golden brown and crispy, 18-24 minutes, turning half way. Remove from the oven and enjoy hot with ketchup, sriracha, ranch dressing, or your favorite dipping sauce!

Chicken Cacciatore

This was WAY too much work for what it tasted like.  It wasn't "bad" but I wouldn't make it again.

1 cup = 4 serving: 2 green, 1 red (246 calories)

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 lb. raw chicken breasts, boneless, skinless, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 medium celery stalk, sliced
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
1 (14.5 oz.) can whole tomatoes
1½ tsp. dried basil, crushed
Ground black pepper (to taste; optional)
2 medium zucchini, sliced
1 medium eggplant, peeled, cut into 1-inch cubes
6 fresh parsley sprigs, finely chopped (for garnish, optional)

Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium high heat.

Add chicken; cook, stirring frequently, for 3 to 4 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Add onion, celery, garlic, bell pepper, and mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 to 5 minutes or until onion begins to soften.

Add tomatoes, basil, and pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 6 minutes.

Add zucchini and eggplant; cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 6 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink in the middle, and juices run clear.

Garnish with parsley if desired.

Tip: Chicken Cacciatore can be served over brown rice or whole wheat pasta.

Oven Poached Salmon

Eh, I was not impressed.  I don't really like when fish tastes like fish -- haha -- and the sauce didn't really cover it up for me.

Serves: 2 servings – 1 red, ½ green (190 calories)

Ingredients

For Poached Salmon:

3 (4-oz.) raw wild salmon fillets

3 fresh dill sprigs, chopped

3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

Sea salt (or Himalayan salt) and ground black pepper (to taste; optional)

Water

For Cucumber Sauce:

1/2 medium cucumber, finely chopped

6 fresh dill sprigs, chopped (reserve a small amount for garnish)

1/2 cup reduced fat (2%) plain Greek yogurt

1 tsp. finely chopped lemon peel

Sea salt (or Himalayan salt) and ground black pepper (to taste; optional)

For Poached Salmon:

Preheat oven to 375° F.

Place salmon, skin-side down, in baking dish. Top with dill and drizzle with lemon juice.

Season with salt and pepper if desired.

Add water to submerge salmon halfway. Cover baking dish with aluminum foil.

Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, or until salmon flakes easily when tested with a fork.

For Cucumber Sauce:

While salmon is baking, make cucumber sauce by combining cucumber, dill, yogurt, lemon peel, salt (if desired), and pepper (if desired) in a medium bowl; mix well. Set aside.

Gently remove poached salmon from baking dish with a slotted spoon or spatula and place on a serving plate.

Top salmon with cucumber sauce. Garnish with dill.

Cheesy Cauliflower Bake

This was like the most yummy thing in the whole wide world -- and it's HEALTHY!!!  We are going to be making this over and over and over again!!!

1 cup = 1 serving: 1 green, 1 blue

Ingredients:

1 Cauliflower, cut into small florets and steamed

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar or other cheese blend

1/4 cup almond or cashew milk, unsweetened

Salt and pepper to taste

Steam cauliflower.

Preheat oven to 475 degrees Fahrenheit or put on the broiler.

In a pot, over medium heat add your steamed cauliflower and milk and mix until all incorporated. Stir in 3/4 cup cheese. Stir until all mixed and cheese is melted.

Transfer to a baking dish.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper and the remaining cheese.

Put in the oven for 5-10 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly. Broil if you want the cheese to get slightly brown and crispy on top!

Grilled Chicken Dijon

New chicken recipe and we LOVED it!!!  Tasted so good it seemed fancy, but it was so quick!

2 servings: 1 1/2 Red (199 calories)

Ingredients

2 (4-oz.) raw chicken breasts, boneless, skinless

1 clove garlic, crushed

2 tsp. Dijon mustard

6 fresh parsley sprigs (or thyme, marjoram, or rosemary), finely chopped

1 dash sea salt

½ tsp. ground black pepper

1 Tbsp. olive oil

Preheat grill or broiler.

Combine garlic, mustard, parsley, salt, pepper, and oil in a small bowl; mix well.

Brush chicken breasts evenly with garlic mixture.

Grill or broil chicken for 5 minutes on each side or until chicken is no longer pink in the middle.

Baked Honey Garlic Chicken

LOVED this!!!  Ross said it tasted like BWW asian zing, only BETTER!!!  HE requested we have this again....this week :)

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

3 chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces

2 eggs, beaten

1½ cups Panko breadcrumbs

sesame seeds, optional

fresh chopped parsley, optional

For Honey Garlic Sauce

¼ cup honey

¼ cup soy sauce

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tbsp Sriracha sauce (optional)

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 F degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Add the breadcrumbs to a shallow plate. Beat the eggs in another shallow plate.

Season beaten eggs with salt and pepper. Add chicken to the eggs and toss to make sure each piece is fully coated in the egg mixture.

Coat each piece of chicken with breadcrumbs and place on baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven for about 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and slightly golden.

In the meantime add all the sauce ingredients to a small sauce pan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then turn down the heat and cook for a couple more minutes stirring occasionally.

Pour sauce over chicken and toss so that the chicken pieces are fully coated. If there's left over sauce, use for dipping. Garnish with sesame seeds and parsley if preferred.

Blue Cheese Burgers

These were YUMMY!!!  I'm such a sucker for burgers, and we had friends over tonight so this was perfect!!!

Makes 4 (double): 1 red, ¼ blue

Ingredients

1 1/2 lb Extra lean ground sirloin

1/3 cup of blue cheese crumbles

Himalayan salt

1 tsp of olive oil

Preheat grill

Gently combine the blue cheese crumbles with the meat, but do not over mix!  That will toughen your burger. #dontletmesayitoldyouso

Form burgers – this should make 4 very easily.  Again, do not over handle the meat!  They do not need to have a perfect shape at all.

With your thumb, make a deep depression on one side of the burger.

Brush olive oil on both sides of the burgers and season with Himalayan salt.

Grill burgers on high for 3-5 minutes per side, depending on how done you would like them to be!  We usually do 4 mins on each side.

Enjoy on a bun, wrap, or lettuce wrap!  I also topped mine with sautéed mushrooms for some extra green.

Caprese Chicken

So easy and yummy!!

1 red, 1 green, 1 blue

Ingredients:

4 oz. Chicken breast

2 Dashes of Pepper (divided)

½ tsp. Olive oil

2 tsp. Pesto sauce

2 thick slices of a large tomato

4 Large fresh Basil leaves

1 slice fresh Mozzarella

1 dash Sea salt

4 tsp. Balsamic vinegar

Season both sides of chicken with pepper.  Heat oil in medium non-stick pan over medium heat

Add chicken and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side or until no longer pink in the middle

Top chicken with slices of tomato and mozzarella, basil leaves, and pesto

 Reduce heat to medium low and continue cooking for 1-2 minutes until cheese is melted and tomatoes and basil leaves are softened

Drizzle with Balsamic vinegar

Crockpot Beef Stroganoff

This was pretty good!  You really do need to add seasoning though cause the greek yogurt (instead of sour cream) and not using mushroom soup doesn't make it taste the same as the "unclean" version :)

4 Servings: 1 Red, 1 yellow

Ingredients

1.5 lbs top round steak

1 medium diced onion

3 Tablespoons chopped parsley

3/4 teaspoon dried dill

3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

8 oz sliced mushrooms

2 Tablespoons minced garlic

1/3 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup low sodium beef broth

1 cup plain greek yogurt

***ADD SEASONING TO YOUR LIKING***

In crock pot, place all the ingredients except for the flour, broth, and yogurt. Mix ingredients.

In a separate bowl, combine flour and broth and whisk until flour is completely dissolved. Pour into crockpot and cook on low for 7-8 hours.

Turn off crock pot and let cool for 10 minutes. Mix in greek yogurt (the steak should be tender and shred as you mix).

Serve over whole wheat noodles.

Broccoli and Mushroom Flatbread

Dinner over at Gpas tonight and wanted something quick but healthy.  This was really good!!

1 yellow, 1 green, 1 blue

Ingredients:

1 Sprouted whole grain tortilla (8 inch.)

¼ C Organic tomato sauce

1 clove finely chopped garlic

¼ C chopped broccoli

¼ C chopped mushrooms

2 Tbsp. shredded Mozzarella

2 Tbsp.  shredded Parmesan

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F

Place tortilla on baking sheet  and spread with tomato sauce

Top with garlic, broccoli, mushrooms, and cheeses

Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly

Fruity Quinoa Salad

1 yellow, 2 purple

Ingredients:

1 cup cooked quinoa

½  cup fresh blueberries

½  cup fresh strawberries

½  cup mandarin oranges

½  cup mango chunks

2 tablespoons olive oil

Juice of 1 lime

1 teaspoon honey

1 tablespoon fresh chopped mint leaves

Combine the quinoa with the fruit in a large bowl.

Stir to combine.

Put the olive oil, lime juice and honey in a jar with a lid and shake.

Toss with the salad

Sprinkle on the fresh mint leaves. 

Sweet Potato and Beef Stew

This was sooo yummy!!!  Little time consuming being that it has to gently boil for 2 hours BUT perfect for a Sunday afternoon :)

Serves 6 - 1/2 green, 1/2 yellow, 1 1/2 red

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon olive oil
1lb 10oz raw lean beef stew meat
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium carrot, chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
8 cups low-sodium organic beef broth
1/2 cup red wine
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground smoked paprika
3 bay leaves
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
2 large sweet potatoes, cut into 1 inch pieces
2  teaspoons corn starch
lukewarm water

Heat oil in large sauce pan over medium-high heat.

Add stew meat; cook, stirring frequently, for 4-5 minutes. or until browned.

Add onion, carrot, celery; cook - stirring occasionally for 5-6 minutes, or until onion is translucent.

Add garlic; cook for a minute.

Add 1 cup broth and wine; cook stirring constantly, scraping bottom of pan so beef doesn't stick, for 5-8 minutes or until liquid has almost completely evaporated, and tomatoes begin to break down.

Add remaining 7 cups broth.  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Reduce heat, gentle boil, for 2 hours stirring occasionally.

Add sweet potatoes, cook for 20-25 minutes or until they are tender.

Combine cornstarch and water in a small bowl, whisk to blend.  Add to stew; cook stirring constantly for 2-3 minutes or until stew has thickened slightly.