Chocolate-Avocado Smoothie

I found this in a Paula Deen magazine.  I think it's really yummy (Dan didn't much like it .He doesn't like much of anything, though)  If I weren't so lazy, I'd make it all the time.

1/2 avocado peeled and pitted
1/2 banana, sliced and frozen
3 Tblsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 c. almond milk
2 Tblsp. agave nectar (I used 4 dates)
I also add a handful of spinach or kale and maybe some blueberries

Put all the ingredients in a blender and blend till smooth.

Doctored up Costco Quinoa Salad

I'm not a fan of this salad alone, but after I added a bunch of stuff, it turned out great...one of my favorites.  In fact, I took this on our last girls week in Tucson, and the ladies loooved it.  It's also one of the few salads that Dad will eat. You can add or subtract anything you like or don't like and it will still be great!

1 Costco Quinoa salad (found in the lower refrigerated cases by the chicken)
1 bunch curly kale chopped
1 bunch cilantro
1/4 finely chopped red onion
1 avocado chopped
juice of 1 lime
1 can rinsed and drained black beans
salt
pepper
you can add more chopped cucumber and tomatoes if you like.

YUMMMMM

Crockpot Chicken Tacos

As we sit here eating our yummy tacos, I decided I'd better get this posted before I lose track of it.  It's super, super simple.  We ate ours with those corn tortillas that you cook yourself on a hot griddle - like the flours ones you can buy at Costco.  I got mine at Walmart

6-8 boneless frozen boneless skinless chicken breasts (mine were quite large)
1 pkg. taco seasoning (I used Taco Bell)
16 oz. jar salsa

Place frozen chicken into a crockpot and dump the rest of the ingredients on top.
Cook on high 4-6 hours or low for 6-8 hours.  Shred and let sit about 15 min. so liquid can
get absorbed.

This fed quite a few people like maybe 8-10ish

Canadian Cauliflower Cheddar Cups

I pulled this dandy little treat from one of those Costco magazines.  We've been trying to eat more varieties of fruits and veggies, so I'm looking for lots of different ways to cook them up.  This was so good that Dan (who usually turns his nose up to cauliflower especially) really liked it.  They're also very cute and very easy.

12 slices Canadian bacon
2 c. cauliflower florets
2 Tblsp. light sour cream
1 Tblsp. fresh parsley
1 Tblsp. green onion, diced
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Very lightly grease a 12-cup mini-muffin pan.  Line each cup with a slice of Canadian bacon.  On the stovetop, steam cauliflower until very soft.  Transfer cauliflower to a bowl and mash it.  Add sour cream, parsley, green onion, and salt and pepper to taste, and mix well.
Fill Canadian bacon cups with cauliflower mixture.  Top each cup with cheddar cheese.  Bake for 15 minutes.  Makes 12 mini-cups.

Blackbean, Rice, and Veggie Salad

I must have gotten this recipe from a magazine  I was reading in some waiting room (probably the dentist). I always carry a notebook in my purse for just this kind of thing...you never know when you'll run into something good and I never rip something out of someone else's magazines...one of my few good qualities. I just made it and found it was right up my alley.  I substituted brown rice for the basmati rice and added an avocado.  Even Dan liked it (course, he's on a diet right now andis being really good about eating just about anything - but I got no complaints.
Makes: about 5 cups

1/4 c. virgin olive oil
1/4 c. lime juice
1 1/2 c. cooked basmati rice, cooled
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, rinsed
1 c. finely diced carrots
3/4 c. raw corn kernels (I used thawed frozen sweet corn)
3/4 c. finely chopped and seeded tomatoes (I used Roma)
1/4 c. minced Italian parsley
1/4 c. minced fresh cilantro - yum!
2 Tblsp. finely chopped red onion or sweet onion
Salt & pepper

Just mix em all together and enjoy!!
   

Crock Pot Italian Spinach Tortellini

Stephanie Willis found this on facebook so we tried it and it was really bad but this remake was very good and very fast. The original recipe called for diced Italian tomatoes, but I think the San Marzano make a huge difference. It would also be good with meatballs or sausage. I like it just the way it is  This is very delicious and is one of my favorites.

Makes: 6-8

1 bag frozen tortellini (I used 1 part of those 2-piece packages of 5 cheese fresh tortellini at Sam's)

1 small bag fresh spinach (I bet you can use frozen - haven't tried that)                                                     28-oz. San Marzano whole tomatoes

2 c. chicken broth

1 block (cut up) cream cheese (you can use Neufchatel if you want to lighten it a little)

1 tsp. basil

1 tsp. oregano

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

1 tsp. minced garlic

Add all the ingredients to a  crock pot or dutch oven and cook about 2-3 hours in the crock pot on low or for 45min. in a dutch oven till tortellini is done.  If you cook either way too long, the pasta gets kind of mushy.

Easy Italian Slow Cooker Chicken

The actual name of this recipe that I found on facebook was Stupid Easy Chicken, and really that name does fit it because it really is stupidly easy to make.  It's also great because you just throw it in a crockpot and boil up some noodles and voila...dinner. The recipe calls for cubed chicken, but if you need it to cook more like 6 hours, don't cube it and throw it in frozen.
Serves: 6

3/4 cubed chicken breasts
2 (14oz.) cans Ital. diced tomatoes
1 envelope Lipton Savory Herb & Garlic mix (found right next to Lipton Onion Soup)
Bow tie pasta - cooked
parmesan

Mix soup and tomato into crockpot.  Add chicken and stir.  Cook on low 4-5 hours.  Cook bow tie pasta.  Mix together at the end and top with the parmesan.

Southwest Slow Cooker Chicken

This is extremely easy and cooks on low for about 6 hours if you use frozen chicken. I actually thought it was better the next day because it didn't have as much liquid and was easier to put in the tortilla) or make in plenty of time so it can sit and thicken.  This was another pinterest find, but I did doctor it up a bit by adding an additional can of black beans, green chilies, salt, and about 1 tsp. cumin.  You could also maybe try Monterey Jack cheese sprinkled on top of each serving.
Serves: 8 ish

• 6 large or 8 small frozen chicken breasts
• 8 oz plus 4 oz. block cream cheese (I used light)
• 2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can corn or 1 cup frozen
• 1 can Rotel
• 1  can green chilies
• 1 tsp. cumin
• cheese (optional, and added at the end as you make them)
• 1 tsp. salt

Put frozen chicken in the crockpot.  Add cream cheese, beans, corn, Rotel, and cumin.

Cook for 6-8 hours on low.  Shred chicken if you like and serve on a tortilla. You can use low carb

or wheat tortillas or even serve this over brown rice.

Broccoli, Ham, and Mozzarella Baked with Eggs

Got this off Pinterest.  It is VERY easy and very fast but you do have to take the time to chop the ham and blanch the broccoli for 2 min.  Otherwise, it goes together in a flash, is carb friendly, and fairly lowfat.   You can eat it for breakfast, lunch, or dinner  It's kid friendly too as long as the kids like broccoli.
Serves:8

4-6 c. very small broccoli flowerets, blanched about 2 min., drained well.
2 c. diced ham (1 lb.)
1 c. low-fat grated Mozzarella
1/3 c. thinly sliced green onion (optional, but good)
8-10 eggs, well beaten
Spike Seasoning (or other all-purpose seasoning blend) to taste (1 tsp. ish)
fresh ground pepper to taste
low-fat sour cream, for serving (optional)

Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Spray a 9 x 13" dish with non-stick spray.
Bring a medium-sized pot of water to a boil and cook the broccoli just 2 min., the pour into a colander placed in the sink and let it drain well.  Dice the ham while the broccoli drains.
Layer broccoli, ham, Mozzarella, and green onions (if using) in casserole dish.  Season with Spike Seasoning and fresh-ground black pepper and pour beaten egg over.  Use a fork to "stir" the mixture just until all the ingredients are coated with egg.  (It might look like there is not enough egg, but carry on!)
Bake 35-45 minutes, or until all the mixture is set and the top is starting to lightly brown.  (If you use the higher amount of eggs, it will take the longer baking time, but start to check after about 30 min.) Serve hot, with low-fat sour cream if desired.  This can be kept in the fridge for at least a week and reheated in the microwave.

Pineapple Angel Food Magic

This cake is pretty amazing.  I got this off Pinterest and made it right when I saw it cause I was intrigued.  It's light and spongy and fat free.  I'm not a pineapple lover, but you don't really feel like you're eating pineapple when you eat this. It is really good with some light squirty whip on top.

1 box Angel Food cake
20 oz. can crushed pineapple

Combine and mix with a spoon in a bowl.  That's it....dump it into a greased 9x13 pan and bake at 350 for about 25 min. or until golden brown on top.
This might even be good as strawberry shortcake......

Tomato Basil Chicken

Tomato Basil Chicken

by Erin Willis

Ingredients (Serves 3)

3 Chicken breasts
Kosher salt and fresh black pepper
2 Tblsp. olive oil
2 c. chopped fresh tomatoes (I use 1 can roasted tomatoes)
2 tsp. minced fresh garlic
4 Tblsp. cold butter
1/2 c. fresh basil, chopped (I use 1 Tblsp. dried basil)
freshly grated Parmigiano reggiano cheese, for garnish
1/2 (16 oz.) box penne

Instructions

Season chicken with kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper. Add a couple of Tblsp. of olive oil to your

skillet. While waiting for the oil to heat up, start boiling the water for the pasta When the oil is HOT, add the chicken breasts. After about 4-5 minutes the chicken breasts should ready to turn. Cook them on the second side another 4-5 minutes, or until just about done. The thinner the breasts the faster they cook. After the second side has been cooking for about 4 minutes, add the tomatoes, basil, butter, garlic, and add a little more salt and pepper.

When your chicken is "done", turn the sauce down to the lowest setting to keep it warm till the pasta has finished cooking. Remove the chicken and place on a cutting board. Slice the chicken on the bias into strips. Place pasta, sauce, sliced chicken and cheese on a plate.

Chicken and Broccoli Stir-Fry

This is actually something good I got off Pinterest.  It's very fast with very simple ingredients.  I found it needed a bed of rice to sit on so I think topping it off with some brown rice will actually make it a meal in
a bowl - and not a bad one healthy wise.

Serves: 4-5

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast (I used 4 good sized ones), cut into 1-inch pieces
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped (I used 1 heaping tsp. jarred minced garlic)
2 tsp. finely chopped ginger
1 c. chicken broth
3 Tblsp. soy sauce
2 tsp. sugar
4 c. broccoli flowerets
4 tsp. cornstarch

1.  Spray 12-inch skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium-high heat.  Add chicken, garlic and
     ginger.  Fry 2 to 3 minutes or until chicken is browned a little.
2.  Add 3/4 c. of the broth, the soy sauce and sugar.  Cover and cook over medium heat 5 minutes,
     stirring twice.
3.  Add broccoli.  Cover and cook about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until chicken is no longer
     pink in center and broccoli is crisp-tender.
4.  Mix cornstarch with remaining 1/4 c. broth; stir into chicken mixture.  Cook, stirring frequently,
     until sauce is thickened.

Light Berry Dump-it Cake

Keywords: bake dessert cake

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Ingredients

• 1 box white or yellow cakemix without pudding (Duncan Hines)
• 2 (12 oz.) pkgs. frozen berries
• 1 can diet 7-up or some other diet clear soda

Instructions

Dump the fruit into a 9 x 13 pan. Sprinkle the dry cakemix over the top. Gently pour the 7-up all over the top of the cakemix but don't stir it. It will form a crusty top which is delish.

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White Chicken Chili (a lighter version)

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Ingredients

• 5 c. chopped chicken
• 3 (15 oz.) cans Great Northern Beans, drained
• 1 (32 oz.) box chicken broth
• 1 (16 oz.) jar mild salsa
• 1 (8 oz.) pkg. pepper jack cheese, cubed
• 2 tsp. cumin
• Garnish with sour cream, cheese, and tortillas, if desired

Instructions

Combine all ingredients into a slow cooker and cook on high for 3-4 hours or low 6-8 hours.

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Kale Salad

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Ingredients

• 1-2 bunches of curly kale
• 1/2 or 1 small savoy cabbage or nappa cabbage
• 1 pkg. broccoli slaw
• 1 small red cabbage (optional)
• pepitas
• craisins
• almonds
• light poppyseed dressing

Instructions

Wash all of these thoroughly and dry (use a salad spinner or towel). It keeps way better dry. Slice the kale and cabbage thinly. Add the slaw. Store in a ziploc with a folded paper towel in the bag.

When ready to serve, throw on some pepitas (shelled pumpkin seeds), craisens, and I also like those toasted sliced salad almonds. Serve with dressing like light poppyseed.

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Asian Noodle Salad

I-found this pinteresting (which is my special treat at night if I get all my work done) and it was very yummy.  I'm really trying to find lighter, good-for-you stuff that Dan likes (which isn't the easiest thing).  The recipe says it makes only 6 servings, but it probably makes double that.  It's super simple just a lot chopping.  Make sure the veggies are dry when you store them. I use a salad spinner and store the salad in a ziploc with a folded papertowel in it and it stays good for at least a week or more.

1 pkg. Linguine Noodles, or Asian noodes, cooked, rinsed and cooled
1/2 head sliced Napa cabbage, or more to taste
1/2 head sliced purple cabbage, or to taste
1/2 bag baby spinach, or to taste
1 whole red bell pepper, sliced thinly
1 whole orange bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 whole yellow bell peper, thinly sliced
1 bag bean sprouts (also called Mung bean sprouts)
Chopped cilantro, up to 1 bunch, to taste
3 whole scallions, sliced
3 whole cucubers peeled and sliced
1 can (about 10 oz.) whole cashews, lightly toasted in skillet

For the dressing:

1 whole lime, juiced
8 Tblsp. olive oil
8 Tblsp. soy sauce
2 Tblsp (up to 3 Tblsp. sesame oil
1/3 c. brown sugar
3 Tblsp. fresh ginger chopped finely
2 cloves garlic, chopped finely
jalapenos or serrano peppers finely chopped, to taste
chopped cilantro

Mix salad ingredients together.  Whisk dressing ingredients together and pour over salad.  Mix with tongs or hands and serve on a platter.
Note: dressing keeps for up to three days before serving, without cilantro.

Quinoa with Black Beans, Tomatoes, Corn, and Feta

This is something I found on pinterest (my new favorite thing to do).  I am always looking for healthy recipes (I know that's hard to believe because I'm also always on the search for the best "bad" things to eat), but Dan and I really are trying to knock the junk out of our diets.  That doesn't mean we can't cheat once in awhile though.  But......this is a really good-for-you thing and it tastes great aaaand it is very easy to make.

Asian Noodle Salad

Another recipe found during mom and dad's October visit.  Mom and I were watching the cooking shows and saw Giada make this salad and it looked yummy.  I really like napa cabbage and this salad was just as good if not better the next day.  The cabbage holds up way better than lettuce does sitting overnight.  I really dislike a lettuce salad that's been thrown together and stuck in the fridge for the next day - soggy and wilted - yuck.  This was still crunchy and good.
I didn't have almond butter so I just threw about 1 1/2 cups of the slivered almonds into the blender with the rest of the dressing ingredients.  I also added a bit more olive oil for consistency.  I really liked the toasted slivered almonds and would probably even add more.  I didn't put sesame seeds in cause mom can't handle them, but I might next time.  I also used 1 tsp. minced ginger in a jar instead of fresh.

Southwestern Corn and Black Bean Salad

This was a yummy find from good old Paula Deen once again.  Another find on mom and dad's recipe trying trip of 2012.  This is a cooked salad unlike my other corn salad - both very different.

White Bean Kielbasa Soup

I pulled this out of a Better Homes and garden magazine.  It makes a real hearty, good-for-you soups. Genevieve says this is one of her favorite soups.
Serves about 10-12