Skinny Chicken Enchiladas

Boy was I spoiled this weekend, Jason made us dinner both nights despite there being football play-off games! Don't worry they were on in the background ;) We had been flipping through a magazine and saw chicken enchiladas that we both thought looked good. I remembered bookmarking a healthy version that I wanted try. With it being the new year and of course wanting to start it off healthier we went with the recipe below. These were definitely a hit! They had a bit of a  from the green chilis and jalapeno. The only change we would make is to not put all of the sauce on top and then uncover them for the last 5 minutes in the oven to give them a little crunch. But since I didn't actually cook I am one happy camper with enough for leftovers tomorrow!

Skinny Chicken Enchiladas

Slightly adapted from: Eat Yourself Skinny

Servings: 4 Serving Size: 2 enchiladas

Ingredients:
For the sauce:

1 clove of garlic, minced

1 can diced green chilis

1-1/2 cups tomato sauce

1 tsp. southwest chipotle seasoning (Mrs. Dash)

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

3/4 cup fat-free chicken broth

Salt and fresh pepper to taste

For the chicken:

1 tsp. vegetable oil

2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

1 cup diced onion

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 small jalapeno

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Salt

1 tsp. cumin

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. southwest chipotle seasoning (Mrs. Dash)

1/3 cup chicken broth

1/2 cup tomato sauce

8 (6-inch) corn tortillas

1 cup shredded low-fat Mexican cheese

Nonstick cooking spray

Directions: 
To make the chicken we boiled water, added the chicken breasts and brought it to a simmer for 15-20 minutes until cooked through. Let it cool until you can handle then shred the chicken with 2 forks.

In a medium saucepan, spray oil and saute garlic. Add green chilis, chipotle seasoning, cumin, chicken broth, tomato sauce, jalapeno, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5-10 minutes. Set aside until ready to use.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

Heat the vegetable oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Saute onions and garlic on low until soft, about 2 minutes. Add chicken, salt, cilantro, cumin, oregano, chipotle seasoning, tomato sauce, chicken broth and cook 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Spray a 13 by 9-inch glass baking dish with non-stick spray. Put 1/3 cup chicken mixture into each tortilla and roll it. Place in baking dish seam side down. Top with sauce and cheese. Cover with foil and bake in the oven on the middle rack for 20-25 minutes. 

Slow Cooker Chicken Tika Masala

I have never actually had Indian food before, let alone made it myself. Yet when I saw this recipe in the January issue of Real Simple, the flavor combination sounded interesting. Why not start the new year off by trying new food? I also liked that it was something I could make in our slow cooker that wasn't shredded and seemed healthy. This turned out really well and the flavors are nutty and warm not extremely spicy like I had associated with Indian food.

 
Slow Cooker Chicken Tika Masala
Serves 4
Slightly adapted from: Real Simple Magazine

Ingredients:
1 15-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons garam masala (Indian spice blend)
kosher salt and black pepper
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 8)
1 cup rice

Garam Masala mix
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon coriander
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
a pinch of cayenne

Directions:
In a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker, combine the tomatoes, onion, garlic, tomato paste, garam masala, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Place the chicken on top of the vegetables, cover, and cook until the chicken is tender, on low for 7 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours.

Twenty minutes before serving, cook the rice according to the package directions.

Lemon Chicken

I recently started receiving emails from a site called ziplist. They have various websites with recipes that are posted and you can save them to a recipe box and generate shopping lists based on what you plan to cook. There are plenty of sites out there similar to that one but I got an email the other day with a picture for lemon chicken that called my name. It also allowed me to use some fresh rosemary from the ever growing rosemary bush in our backyard. Somehow the huge sprig didn't make a dent. I have never made anything with the bone or skin but it turned out nice and crispy despite omitting the additional butter the recipe called for. I used only chicken thighs and they turned out crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. Jason ate his down to the bone and claimed this was the best chicken dish I have ever made! Overall this was a big success.

Lemon Chicken
Serves 4-6
Slightly adapted from: Simply Recipes

Ingredients:

3-4 pounds chicken parts (thighs and legs recommended), skin-on, bone-in, trimmed of excess fat2 Tbsp lemon zest

1/3 cup lemon juice

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 Tbsp fresh chopped thyme (or 2 teaspoons dried)1 Tbsp fresh chopped rosemary (or 1 teaspoon dried)

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

Lemon slices for garnish

Directions:
Place lemon juice, lemon peel, garlic, thyme, rosemary, olive oil salt, and pepper in a small bowl, whisk to combine. With the tip of a sharp knife, cut into each chicken piece one or two times by about 1/2 an inch. (This will help the marinade penetrate.) Place the chicken pieces and the marinade in a gallon-sized freezer bag. Rotate the bag so that all chicken pieces are coated with the marinade. Seal the bag and place in a bowl in the refrigerator (in case of leakage). Let marinate for 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 425°F. Remove chicken from marinade and place in a single layer in a large baking dish, skin side up. Reserve the marinade.

Bake for a total of 50 to 55 minutes, until the skins are crispy brown, and the chicken is cooked through, juices running clear (breasts have an internal temperature of 165°F and thighs 175°F). Half-way through the baking, at about the 25 minute mark, baste the chicken pieces generously with reserved marinade.

Depending on the size of the breasts, they may be ready before the thighs, so if you are cooking a mix of chicken parts, keep that in mind, you may have to take them out of the oven before the thighs.
Let rest, covered in foil, for 10 minutes before serving.

Pour the juices from the pan into a serving bowl. Use a tablespoon to skim the fat off the top (save the fat for cooking with later, or discard, but do not discard down the drain or it will solidify and clog your drain). Serve the chicken with the juices on the side or a little poured over the top of the chicken.

Broccoli and Cheese Mini Egg Omelets

These are the perfect breakfast item when hosting a brunch or breakfast. They are packed full of protein and something that can be popped in the oven so you can actually entertain your guests. I recently made these when having my cousins over for a quick breakfast. I wanted something substantial but that didn't require a lot of time in the kitchen like pancakes or french toast, these were the perfect solution. I was surprised by how flavorful, filling and best of all healthy they were. They would make a great choice for new years day breakfast or brunch.

Broccoli and Cheese Mini Egg Omelets

Source: Skinnytaste

Makes 12 muffins/servings

Ingredients:

4 cups broccoli florets
5 whole eggs
1 ½ cup egg whites
½ cup reduced fat cheddar
1/4 cup good grated cheese like pecorino romano
1 tbs olive oil
salt and fresh pepper
cooking spray

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°. Steam broccoli with a little water for about 6-7 minutes, or microwave.
When broccoli is cooked, mash into smaller pieces and add olive oil, salt and pepper. Mix well.

Spray cupcake tin with cooking spray and spoon broccoli mixture evenly into 12 tins.

In a medium bowl, beat egg whites, eggs, grated cheese, salt and pepper. Pour into the greased tins over broccoli until a little more than 3/4 full. Top with grated cheddar and bake in the oven until cooked, about 20 minutes. Serve immediately. Wrap any leftovers in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator to enjoy during the week.

Chicken Noodle Soup

The other day I got a rotisserie chicken that we shredded for another dish. Of course we had left overs and needed something to make with them. Normally we make quesadillas or tacos but wanted to have something a bit lighter after eating so much during the holidays. With the weather getting a bit colder (by Florida standards) I could finally make some soup! I know that I cheated by buying chicken stock and not making my own, but despite that this turned out really well and was perfect comfort food with minimal effort in a short amount of time.

Chicken Noodle Soup
Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 medium carrots, cut diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick slices

2 celery ribs, halved lengthwise, and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices

1 bay leaf

2 quarts chicken stock

2 cups dried wide egg noodles

1 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

Place a soup pot over medium heat and coat with the oil. Add the onion, garlic, carrots, celery, thyme and bay leaf. Cook and stir for about 6 minutes, until the vegetables are softened but not browned. Pour in the chicken stock and bring the liquid to a boil. Add the noodles and cook according to directions, about 10 minutes until tender. Fold in the chicken, and continue to simmer for another couple of minutes to heat through; season with salt and pepper.

Andes Mint Cookies

I received these cookies from the blogger cookie swap and was anxiously waiting for the recipe to be posted. We ate our dozen rather quickly and wanted to make more. They are not only that something sweet you crave after a meal but with the mint pieces give you a refreshing mint taste as well. One of the best parts is that the moment you open the bag or tin they are stored in you get a nice waft of the mint smell. I even made a batch to bring for Christmas. This is a recipe we will definitely keep.

Andes Mint Cookies

Yields: 4 dozen cookies
Source: Somewhere In Between

Ingredients:

½ cup salted butter – softened

¾ cup light brown sugar

½ cup white granulated sugar

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 eggs

10 oz Andes Créme de Menthe Baking Chips (or, chopped whole Andes Mints)

2 2/3 cups sifted flour

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.

In a Stand Mixer (or, use a large bowl and an electric hand mixer), cream butter and both types of sugar until blended.

Add one egg at a time, blending thoroughly until combined.

Add Vanilla Extract, Baking Soda, Baking Powder and Salt, and mix until combined.  Pour in Andes Mint Pieces and stir to blend.

Sift flour and add flour a 1/2 cup to one cup at a time and mix only until combined (avoid over mixing, or you will have tough cookies). Chill for approximately one hour (dough will be crumbly).

Form dough into 1”-2” balls and place 2" apart on a silpat (or parchment paper) lined cookie sheet, slightly flattening each of the balls. Bake for 8-10 minutes, only until slightly brown on the edges. Cool cookies on pan for up to 2 minutes before removing.

Source: Somewhere In Between

Cranberry Apple Crisp

I hope everyone had a nice holiday! We spent ours with my in-laws and their family. They live nearby, which definitely makes it nice being able to avoid traveling around the holidays. I did of course do a lot of cooking this weekend which will be posted throughout the week. I tried out a new dessert for Christmas that was really easy to make and delicious. I like to have fruit desserts with turkey and pretend it is healthier. However, I am not a pro at making pie crusts so I was excited to come across this recipe with a crumble topping and no bottom! The tart cranberries are sweetened up by the apples and sugar but it is not an overly sweet dessert.

Cranberry Apple Crisp

Serves 6-8

Source: Taste of Home

Ingredients:
3 cups chopped peeled tart apples
2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
1 cup sugar
3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

Topping:
1 ½  cups quick-cooking oats
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup packed brown sugar
½ cup butter, melted
¼ cup chopped pecans

Directions:

Combine apples, cranberries, sugar and flour. Pour into a greased 11-in. x 7-in. baking dish. 

In a bowl, mix topping ingredients until crumbly; sprinkle over apple mixture. 

Bake at 350° for 50-55 minutes or until bubbling and fruit is tender.