Light Breaded Chicken and Cheese Broccoli Rice

Hello everyone! I hope everyone is doing well. While I didn't do to much this weekend, I did get invited for a really nice dinner and I got to bake! You can't go to someones house for dinner and not bring a dessert.  That will be shared later this week or maybe next week. Thankfully it wasn't that hot so turning on the oven wasn't so bad.

How is everyone surviving this heatwave? I've been trying to stay cool, but it is really hard especially when the air conditioning doesn't work where I work.  Does anybody else feel that the heat drains all the energy out of them? I don't feel like doing anything! I hate being lazy, but I really just want to lay around. Does anybody feel me?

Well lets talk about some food. For today I have an easy Chicken and Rice dinner. It's also light if your watching your waist line, but very fulfilling.  You bread the chicken, but instead of putting the chicken in flour than eggs than breadcrumbs, you skip the first too and use mustard. You can use any mustard, but for this one I used normal mustard.

With the rice, I cooked up brown rice with broccoli and light cheese. You mix the cheese in at the end after the liquid is fully evaporated from the rice. Its super simple and I hope you guys like it.

Here's how to do it.

Ingredients/recipe


Breaded Chicken

4 Skinless Chicken Breast, pounded thin
1/4 cup or more of Mustard of your choice
1 1/2 -2 Cups of Panko Breadcrumbs (or as much as needed)
Salt and pepper to taste

Cheese Broccoli and Brown Rice

4 servings of Brown Rice, Cooked according to package directions
2 cups of Broccoli
1 Cup of 2%  cheese or to taste

First preheat  your oven to 350. Prepare a baking pan with a cooling rack sitting on top, if you are able to do this. This will help so air circulates around the chicken breast making sure one sides doesn't get soggy. Make sure you spay the pan and rack with Pam.

Pound your chicken breast to thin cutlets if desired.  Place your mustard in a dish and your Panko breadcrumbs in another dish, add salt and pepper if desired.

Brush your chicken breast with the mustard. I find this the easiest way to make sure the breast is fully covered with mustard. Dip the chicken in the breadcrumbs, adding more if needed. Place the chicken on the cooling rack.

Once all the chicken has been breaded, place in the oven and bake for about 20 minutes if you pounded them thin. Also if you want a really crisp crust place the chicken under the broiler for a seconds.

For the rice, I like to cook it in chicken broth, it gives it more flavor. Add the rice and broccoli. Once all the broth has evaporated, add the cheese and stir until melted.  If you want to add a little more cheese you can do whatever you like to taste.

I hope you guys try this. It really is simple and enjoy!!

On the healthy side...Cheeseburger Salad

Hello everyone!!! I hope everyone had a great weekend. I finally got on the ball again and worked out! Ya go me! LOL. I didn't go to long, because I wanted to work back into it, but as painful as it was, I felt better afterwards. I am trying to be good and stay on top of my healthy, but you know me I can never pass up a cake or any dessert at that. Everything in moderation though.

I went to the gym thinking that it would be kind of slow, but it was pretty busy, keep in mind this was Sunday afternoon. I am the type of person who likes to work out along or with a friend. I hate thinking that people are watching me, but I guess a lot of people do. I've been told that no one really watches, but I  used to work at a fitness center and every once in awhile someone would say something to me about another member. You can't let that hold you back though. Keep going and push yourself.

On to the food. Since I worked out, and have been having many treats on my site lately, which wont go away trust me, I wanted to give you guys something that was a healthy but satisfying.

Cheeseburger salad. Yes, you can have a healthy cheeseburger while eating well. This is made from ground turkey, but you can use lean ground beef or chicken. The meat is flavored with Worcestershire sauce, onions and steak seasoning.  You put all of this on a salad, any kind you want. I listed what I used on mine, but feel free to mix it up anyway you want, I'm not looking. You top this salad off with an easy mustard vinaigrette.

Here's how you do it:

Ingredients/recipe

Adapted From Rachael Ray

Burgers

1 1/2 pounds ground sirloin or ground turkey
1/4 cup finely chopped onion, eyeball it
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons steak seasoning blend or coarse salt and ground black pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
3/4 pound brick sharp Cheddar (recommended: Cabot brand or Cracker Barrel brand* )

Salad

3 large hearts romaine lettuce
1 cup sliced pickles, patted dry
1 cup grape tomatoes
1 Cucumber sliced

Dressing:

3 tablespoons yellow mustard
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup  EVOO
Salt and Pepper

Directions

Preheat a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat(you can use your grill if you want)

Combine the meat with onion, Worcestershire and steak seasoning or salt and pepper. Form 2-inch meatballs, then flatten them into patties. Drizzle formed mini patties with extra-virgin olive oil to keep them from sticking to cooking surface.

Slice the brick of cheese into 1/4-inch pieces. Place patties into your skillet. Cook the mini burgers for 3 minutes on each side then add cheese to melt over patties. If you cheese is not melting, cover loosely with foil.

While the burgers are cooking, coarsely chop romaine and combine with sliced pickles and halved grape tomatoes.

Whisk together the mustard and cider vinegar. Stream in the extra-virgin olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Arrange mini cheeseburgers on salad and drizzle the vinagrette over the salad. Serve and enjoy!

I really hope you guys try this one, its simple, healthy and did I mention 30 minutes?! It is!


Enjoy!

Rachael Ray Book of Burgers-Stretch a Buck Beef and Bean Burrito Burgers

Hello everyone! Its been awhile since I posted and I really wanted to get a post up this week. It has been quite a week and tons of things of happened. Some good and some bad, but I have to keep moving on and reach for my goals and stay positive.

Life is so short and we have to remember to enjoy the simple things in life. One of my many simple pleasures is cooking and baking. My next simple pleasure is cooking Rachael Ray meals. I remember when I first started to cook and my friend told me about her. I started watching her back in 2005 and I was hooked.

I have meet her in person and was on her show for a kitchen call. I posted about that about two years ago when it happened. I am so grateful for that opportunity. Last week she released a new book called "Book Of Burgers." She is the self proclaimed "Queen of Burgers," and I was super excited about this book because who doesn't lover a good burger? This book is a collection of her burgers with some new ones thrown in also. It also has fries in it too, which is my favorite side for any burger.

I decided to show one of my favorite burgers from her called Stretch a Buck Turkey and Bean Burrito Burgers. It is so simple and kind of healthy for you too. I used lean turkey meat and whole wheat buns. On the side I made homemade Refried black beans and a Tex-Mex rice.

I couldn't find just a picture of the burger, so here is the burger and the sides. Delish!

Here's how to do it:


Ingredients/recipe. 

Adapted from Rachael Ray

1 cup cold leftover brown rice
1 pound lean ground turkey
1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
Palmful chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons, half a palmful, cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons coriander, half a palmful
1 tablespoon grill seasoning, I used Montreal Seasoning by McCormick my favorite
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 ripe avocado
1 clove garlic, grated or finely chopped
1 lime, zested and juiced
1 jalapeno seeded and finely chopped
1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup sour cream
4  lettuce leaves
1 ripe tomato, sliced
4 whole wheat burger buns

Combine rice, meat and beans with spices and grill seasoning. Form 4 big patties from the meat and bean mixture then heat 1 tablespoon oil, a turn of the pan, in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook patties 7 to 8 minutes on each side.

While burgers cook, combine avocado with garlic, lime zest and juice, jalapeno and red onion. Mash to roughly combine, then stir in the sour cream.

Place burgers on buns with lettuce and tomato and top with sour cream guacamole.

Chicken Souvlaki & Tzatziki Sauce

Hello. So I wasn’t sure what I should talk about today because I had two things in mind. I guess one thing that I did want to talk about is things that stay in the dark will come to the light. I always pray that I can see things that I don’t see behind my back and when the time is right I find out what people are really saying or talking about. 

I know this isn’t my normal post to complain, but it is sad that the world is still like this. You put trust into people but you find out the truth later. I am a pretty optimistic person so I just try to let it roll off one shoulder and go to the next.  You move on, but learn from this. 

Anyways, let’s get out to food! I made this dish a few weeks ago and thought it was super simple and wanted to share. It’s a 30 minute meal from Everyday from Rachael Ray and has really nice flavors. It reminded me of a chicken gyro because of the Tzatziki sauce. I also used pita bread instead of the naan bread and it still tasted great.  This one is a winner and I hope you guys like it.

 

 

 

Here is how to do it:

Ingredients/recipe

Adapted from: Rachael Ray

Ingredients/recipe

1 ½ pounds of chicken breast

Salt and pepper

 2 lemons

3 garlic cloves chopped

A pinch of dried oregano

½ a cup Evoo

1 cup of Greek yogurt

1 ts ground coriander (optional)

½ ts ground cumin

½ cup feta crumbles or to taste

½ a cucumber grated and drained

1 tbs of mint leaves

Parsley

Toppings: Tomatoes, red onions and sweet peppers all opitional.

Place the cucumber in a strainer, sprinkle with salt and let sit for 20 minutes. Press out the liquid.

In a large, resealable plastic bag, combine the EVOO, half the lemon juice, three-quarters of the garlic, the parsley and oregano. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, drop into the bag and marinate for 10 minutes while you preheat the broiler. 

Scatter the chicken across a broiler pan and broil, turning once, until charred and cooked through, about 10-12 minutes. 

In a food processor, blender or just chop by hand like I did, purée the drained cucumber, the yogurt, the remaining lemon juice and garlic, the mint, coriander and cumin; season with pepper. 

Pile the chicken onto the pita bread, top with tomatoes, red onions, and sweet peppers, Tzatziki sauce and enjoy!

Buffalo Chicken Wraps

Hello! This is going to sound strange, but doesn’t a new pair of socks feel so good?! I know this is totally strange, but I love new socks. They are more comfy because you are breaking them in. Yeah I went there today.

So I hope everyone enjoyed Mondays post, my Cupcake of theMonth. I’m so excited about them I want to make them again. 

I am moving on today though and giving you guys Buffalo Chicken Wraps. These are so simple, and healthy. I cut out the cheese, but if you really love blue cheese, you can add a little bit. I also put in avocado to take place for the creamy ranch sauce. 

A little messy but so good

Look at all the veggies!

Here’s how you do it:

Ingredients/recipe

1 Grilled Chicken Breast, or chicken Boca patty

Lettuce or bagged dry broccoli cole slaw

Cucumber, 4-5 slices depending on how thick you cut them

Tomato, about 2 slices

Avocado, I used about 3 slices, ¼ of the avocado

Red Hots Buffalo sauce (zero Calories!)

 Lavash Wraps or 100 calorie wrap

Cook your chicken, whichever chicken you choose. Cut your tomato into slices along with the cucumber and avocado. This will be a very stuffed wrap, don’t worry just grab a fork.

When your chicken is done, pour a little of your buffalo sauce into a small dish and dunk your chicken breast in there. 

Build your wrap anyway you like, I start with the veggies and place the chicken on top. Roll your wrap up and enjoy!

It was hard to cut this because it was so filled with so many veggies.

Spinach and Artichoke Tuna Melts

Hello! How is everyone this beautiful day! Well beautiful where I live. The sun is shining and its warm! I love it. I have the windows open and I am soaking this weather up before it cools off again. 

Is anyone doing anything for Cinco de Mayo? I a working, but we are giving a pot luck so I am trying to decide what to bring. I’ve been thinking of a veggie stroganoff, because I can make it in the crockpot, but I am still unsure.  I need something inexpensive but delicious. I know I am going to make a yellow cake so I am super excited about that. I will show that to you guys when I make it.

Today I have a super simple and healthy lunch or dinner. I saw this on the Rachael Ray show and was really happy when I had the ingredients to make it. This is a spinach and artichoke tuna Sammie! It has great flavors with the spinach and the artichokes plus the salt from the capers…yum! I actually made this open face to save a few calories. 

Here is how you do it:

Ingredients/Recipe

Adapted from Rachael Ray

3 cans tuna drained and flaked

1 can artichoke hearts in water (14 ounces), drained well and chopped

1 box thawed frozen chopped spinach (10 ounces) , drained well and pulled apart

Juice of 1 1/2 lemons

1/2 red onion, finely chopped

2 ribs celery hearts, finely chopped

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

3 tablespoons capers, drained

TS of garlic powder

Pepper

4 whole wheat ciabatta rolls (I found mine at Wal-mart with a bakery)

2-3 TBS of EVOO

Slice of Mozzarella cheese

Tomato, for topping

Heat your broiler.

First, heat your spinach in the microwave, drain and pull it apart. Next drain and flake your tuna, place the spinach and tuna in a bowl. Drain your artichokes and chop them, add them to the bowl. Next add your capers, onion, celery, pepper and garlic powder.  Next add your lemon juice and EVOO and mix well.

Place the mixture on a ciabatta role, top with a slice of tomato and a slice of mozzarella cheese. Stick it under the boiler and toast the bread and melt the cheese, about 4-5 minutes. Take out and enjoy!

I really hope you guys try these they are so good! It’s like spinach and artichoke dip without the guilt! 

Have a great day and enjoy!

Ipod and Tuna Salad

Hello!

Ho has everyone been? I feel like I have been sitting in front of my computer for days, months, years! I have been updated my ipod and making new playlists and finally getting around to putting all my cds onto my hard drive. Is it even possible that I can get exhausted from this? It takes forever and I have to rearrange things to my liking. How do you arrange your playlists?

So that has been what I have been up to, how about you?

Since this is taking up a lot of my time, I wanted to give you guys a healthy, fast dinner, or lunch.

It’s a super simple salad and you can adjust it any way you like. This is a tuna salad. I hope you guys try this and enjoy!

Ingredients/recipe

4 cups of chopped lettuce or spinach

¼ cup of white kidney beans

2 tbs of chopped olives

1 tomato, chopped

1 can of tuna, drained

¼ cup of mozzarella cheese

2 tbs of EVOO

2 tbs of red wine vinegar (I love mine tangy)

Squeeze of lemon juice

Mix all of your ingredients, except for the evoo, vinegar and lemon juice, in a large bowl. In a smaller bowl, mix your evoo, vinegar and lemon juice. Top your salad and give it a few good tosses.  Eat and enjoy!

If you don’t like tuna, you can use chicken or just leave the meat off.

Enjoy!

Sub Week!

Hello! How was everyone’s weekend? I was lucky enough to have it off and I relaxed, cleaned, enjoyed the beautiful weather, and planned meals. 

My poor roommate either had someone break into his car, or someone ride along in his car. We put boxes into the back of his SUV and noticed that the screen cover was pulled all the way out, and the blanket he has back there was all out of place and bunched up. He wasn’t sure when it happened, or how, but it is pretty scary to think that someone went into the back of his car and possibly rode along. 

On a lighter note I am excited to announce SUB WEEK! Yes a week full of homemade subs. These are simple, affordable, healthy subs that you can make at home. These are just suggestions. You can pretty much do anything with these subs so here is my first sub and a take on it.

The only thing about this sub is I cannot figure out a name.  Its not a quite a rueben, but its close. 

This is a Turkey Giardiniera and sauerkraut

Wrap tightly in tin foil

look at that, I want to eat the whole thing!

my mouth is drooling...

look at this! so excited!

Ingredients/recipe
1 loaf of whole wheat bread

1 jar of giardiniera, chopped

1/2 pound of deli turkey meat

Swiss cheese

Mustard

Preheat your oven to 350. 

Cut your bread in half, but don't slice all the way through. Put a layer of Swiss cheese, turkey met, giardiniera and mustard. Wrap tightly in tin foil and place in oven for about 10 minutes.

Take out and enjoy!

I love homemade subs because you can do anything with these! I hope you guys make some homemade subs and enjoy!