Chicken salad stuffed peppers

This was a really easy recipe that I will be making again. And using the rest. I loved the crunch of the pepper but I think I would prefer to put the salad on bread. I am not really much of a rabbit. lol

1 large chicken breast cooked and diced
1/4 cup miracle whip
1 tsp honey mustard
about 1/2 cup diced celery

3 Sweet Peppers cut in half

Mix together the miracle whip and mustard. Then add the Chicken and celery and mix

Fill the peppers with the salad. And enjoy.

I  filled both sides of one pepper for lunch and it totaled to 207 calories. And was the perfect amount. on one half would be about 103.

Homemade Coffee Creamer

This is not necessarily healthier but there is less calories and way less unpronounceable crap. It was not the easiest recipe I have ever made. But it was yummy.

I got this recipe from another blogger so you can find it here in full. http://cookinwithsuperpickle.blogspot.ca/2010/07/homemade-coffee-creamer.html

I halfed the recipe and froze the other half of the condensed milk.
So my recipe is

150ml or about half a can of Sweetened condensed milk
1 cup of milk

Then I added 1tbsp of Cocoa and 1 tsp of almond extract to flavor it. It was amazing. I had it in my Tassimo Decaf Cappuccino. There are many other flavors on the original blog and please tell me if you find others.

Ham and Hashbrown Casserole

Tonight's supper was a small experiment on making one healthy substitution to a yummy comfort food. It is not really a healthy recipe but I believe that everything in moderation is the way to go. We really love this recipe in general and when I switched the sour cream for plain yogurt it was just as yummy and a bit healthier. I might have to start making more healthy substutions to some of our favorite recipes

Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole W/Ham

Ingredients:

1 - (26 oz) bag frozen, shredded hash brown potatoes
1 - 8 oz container sour cream (I used 2 cups of plain yogurt)
1 - 10.5 oz can cream of chicken soup
3 cups cubed ham
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (or a bit more if you like)

Directions: 

Stir all the ingredients together. Place into a lightly greased casserole dish (9 x 13 in). 

This is optional but you can add a bit more cheese on top if you like. 

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 min - 1 hour. .

Crockpot Directions: Coat the inside of a slow cooker with cooking spray or butter. Spoon the hashbrown mixture into the slow cooker. Cover, and cook on High for 1 1/2 hours, then reduce heat to Low, and cook for an additional 2 1/2 hours.

This recipe also called for 1/2 cup of butter but I forgot it and didnt notice the difference.  

Upside down Shepards pie

I altered this recipe quite a bit. I will first give you my recipe and then I will give you the original one from the Kraft Website. My recipe has 441 calories for 1/6th of it. This was really easy yet a bit piddly to put together. I would love to make it again. Once you had the hamburger browned and the potatoes cooked it was easy to make up and then I was able to clean up while everything cooked.


Upside-Down Shepherd's Pie

prep time

25 min
total time
50 min
makes 6 servings

what you need

3/4 lb. (340 g) new potatoes (about 6)
1/4 cup Italian Salad dressing
1 lb. (340 g) extra-lean ground beef
1 Jar of Carrot baby food
1 cup frozen vegetables, thawed
1 cup Cheese

make it
HEAT oven to 400ºF.

Cook potatoes until soft. Drain Let stand 5 min. Meanwhile, heat dressing in nonstick skillet on medium-high heat. Add meat and baby food; stir. Cook 4 to 5 min. or until meat is done, stirring occasionally; Add vegetables

DRAIN potatoes; Mash and place in pan top with meat mixture and cheese. Cover.

BAKE 25 min. or until casserole is heated through and top is golden brown, uncovering after 20 min.

Original recipe
Upside-Down Shepherd's Pie




prep time
25 min
total time
50 min
makes
4 servings, 1/4 recipe (290 g) each

what you need
3/4 lb. (340 g) new potatoes (about 6)
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup Kraft Calorie-Wise Sun-Dried Tomato & Oregano Dressing
3/4 lb. (340 g) extra-lean ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
1 tomato, chopped
1/2 cup Kraft 4 Cheese Italiano Light Shredded Cheese

make it
HEAT oven to 400ºF.

MICROWAVE potatoes and water in 2.3-L microwaveable ovenproof casserole dish on HIGH 10 to 12 min. or until potatoes are tender. Let stand 5 min. Meanwhile, heat dressing in nonstick skillet on medium-high heat. Add meat and onions; stir. Cook 4 to 5 min. or until meat is done, stirring occasionally; stir in corn and tomatoes.

DRAIN potatoes; return to dish. Flatten with bottom of small cup or bowl; top with meat mixture and cheese. Cover.

BAKE 25 min. or until casserole is heated through and top is golden brown, uncovering after 20 min.

300 calories per 1/4th

Apple-Glazed Meatballs

Tonight I made Apple glazed meatballs. This recipe was so easy it took almost no time to prep. This recipe was loved by all and will definitely be making it again. The only change I made to the original recipe was that I cut out the cayenne pepper since I am not a big fan of it and I don't think it would have added anything. I served this with rice and frozen cooked veggies. This might just become a regular recipe.

Apple-Glazed Meatballs

Makes: 12 servings
Serving size: 4 meatballs eachYield: 12 appetizer servings

Prep 20 minsStand 10 minsCook 12 mins

ingredients

• Meatballs
• 1
  egg
• 1/4
  cup milk
• 2
  slices white or whole-wheat bread, torn
• 1
  pound 85% lean ground beef
• 4
  cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2
  teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4
  teaspoon salt
• 
  
• 1
  tablespoon vegetable oil
• Apple Glaze
• 1
  cup apple juice or pear nectar
• 1/4
  reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 3
  tablespoons packed brown sugar
• 1 1/2
  teaspoons cornstarch
• 1
  teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4
  teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 6
  green onions, chopped

directions

1.For Meatballs, in a large bowl whisk together egg and milk. Add bread. Let stand 10 minutes, just until bread is softened. Add beef, garlic, black pepper,and salt,  . Mix thoroughly with hands or wooden spoon. Shape beef mixture in 48 one-inch meatballs.

2.In a 12-inch skillet heat oil over medium heat. Cook meatballs, half at a time, about 6 minutes per batch, turning occasionally until brown and crusty on outside and no longer pink inside. Transfer meatballs to a covered dish; cover to keep warm. Drain fat from skillet; wipe out skillet.

3.For Apple Glaze, in a small bowl combine apple juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, cornstarch, ginger, and cayenne pepper. In same skillet as meatballs were cooked, cook and stir juice mixture until thickened and bubbly (at full boil). Cook and stir 2 minutes more. Return meatballs to skillet to heat through and coat with sauce. Transfer glazed meatballs a serving dish. Top with green onions.

nutrition facts ( Apple-Glazed Meatballs)

• Servings Per Recipe 12,
 
• cal. (kcal) 143,
 
• Fat, total (g) 8,
 
• chol. (mg) 42,
• sat. fat (g) 3,
 
• Monosaturated fat (g) 3,
 
• carb. (g) 10,
 
• Polyunsaturated fat (g) 1,
 
• Trans fatty acid (g) 0,
 
• fiber (g) 0,
 
• sugar (g) 6,
 
• pro. (g) 9,
 
• vit. A (IU) 146,
 
• vit. C (mg) 2,
 
• Thiamin (mg) 0,
 
• Riboflavin (mg) 0,
 
• Niacin (mg) 2,
• Pyridoxine (Vit. B6) (mg) 0,
 
• Folate (µg) 16,
 
• Cobalamin (Vit. B12) (µg) 1,
• sodium (mg) 297,
 
• Potassium (mg) 184,
 
• calcium (mg) 40,
 
• iron (mg) 1,
• Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Portabella Mushroom Pizza

Today I made Portabella Mushroom Pizza.

I took 4 big mushrooms and scraped out the gills and stem. Then I was supposed to cook the mushrooms for 15 mins before filling them but due to kids and baby brain I forgot. So I ended up just filling them raw. I used 3 tsp of Prego, then about 1/4 cup of frozen veggies (just because we needed more veggies), cut up turkey breast, and then about 1/4 cup of cheese.

I really liked these but mushrooms are my favorite food so I knew I would. But it was a bit mushy. I suspect if I cooked the mushroom first it would have been more solid and maybe crunchy. Jacinda was unwilling to try anything but the meat on it. She tends to be a bit picky but I try to ensure that she gets lots of veggies and such and a few good plain meals for lunch and breakfast. If you have any questions please email me at eleshiak@yahoo.ca

Chicken Parmesan Casserole, Cauliflower Pizza, Salmon and potato casserole

So first I will post all of the fun recipes I made last week then later I will post the one I made today.


So last week I made 3 new things I will copy and paste the recipes and a bit of a review of them. My reviews and anything I changed will be blue

Chicken Parmesan Casserole

Ingredients:

2 lbs raw boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed

2 cloves garlic, minced

¼ t crushed red pepper flakes (or more to taste if you want it hot)

¼ cup fresh basil, finely chopped

2 cups marinara/pasta sauce (I used Wegmans Tomato Basil)

1 ½ cups 2% reduced fat shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

2 oz Parmesan cheese, freshly grated (I used the smallest holed side of my box grater), divided

3.5 oz garlic croutons, roughly crushed, leaving some larger pieces (I used New York Texas Toast brand Garlic & Butter)


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly mist a 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray.

2. Spread the cubed pieces of chicken across the bottom of the baking dish in a single layer. Sprinkle the minced garlic, red pepper flakes and basil evenly over the chicken. Spread the sauce evenly across the top. On top of the sauce layer, sprinkle ¾ cup of the Mozzarella and one ounce of the Parmesan evenly across the dish. Sprinkle the crushed croutons across the top and follow with the remaining cheese.

3. Bake for 40-45 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.


Yields 8 servings. WW P+: 8 per serving (P+ calculated using the recipe builder on weightwatchers.com)

Nutrition Information per serving from myfitnesspal.com: 303 calories, 15 g carbs, 11 g fat, 37 g protein, 1 g fiber

MY Recipe
Ingredients:
2 lbs raw boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
2 tsp minced garlic
¼ cup fresh basil, finely chopped
1 Jar Prego
1 ½ cups shredded cheese
½ cups bread crumbs with 2 tsp garlic powder.

This was a different take on a recipe I already made but I will say I liked this much better. It was so easy. Jacinda loved it. I served it with Spaghetti. I had 1 cup of spaghetti and about 1/8 of the casserole so my calorie count was 492


On Saturday I made Cauliflower Pizza

Cauliflower Pizza
Makes one 9-12in pizza – 6 slices


Crust:
2 cups shredded cauliflower
1 egg
1 cup finely shredded reduced-fat mozzarella cheese
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp salt


Topping:
1/2 cup piza sauce or marinara sauce
1/2 cup finely shredded mozzarella cheese
topping of choice

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. “Rice” or “shred” the cauliflower in a blender until it resembles small crumbled rice/pieces, but not pureed. Using a few pieces of paper towel, ring the excess water out of the cauliflower. Place the cauliflower crumbles in a mixing bowl and combine with egg, mozzarella, oregano, garlic powder, and salt. Mix with a spatula until well combined. Generously coat a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray spray (this crust is known to stick). Place the dough on the baking sheet and press into a 9 to 12-inch round crust. Lightly spray the crust with nonstick spray and bake for 20 minutes or until golden. Remove the crust from the oven and turn the heat to broil. Spread the sauce on top of the baked crust, leaving a half inch border around the edge. Sprinkle mozzarella on top of the sauce. Add any extra toppings at this time. Place the pizza back in the oven and broil for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Remove pizza from the oven and cut into 6 slices and serve hot.

My calorie count for this one was 525

This was one of those recipes that I couldn't get enough of. Jacinda ate the toppings but not the crust. The crust ended up being a little soft which I think was due to the thickness of it but it tasted amazing.for toppings I used a bit of cooked ground beef, mushrooms and cheese.


After telling my sister about this she mentioned she had seen a recipe that made bite sized versions of this which would be way nicer and possibly get Jacinda to try them so I hunted down the recipe and the only difference was that rather than spreading it onto a pizza pan you place it on the pan like big cookies and press them down. I think this would be much nicer and will be doing that next time.

On monday I made a Potato and Salmon Casserole

Salmon and Potato Casserole

· Nonstick vegetable oil spray
· 1 14.75-ounce can pink salmon (with bones), drained
· 2 1/2 potatoes
· 1 cup low-fat (1%) milk
· 1 cup cheese
· 2 large eggs
· 1/2 cup chopped green onions
Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray 10-inch-diameter glass pie dish with oil spray. Separate salmon into chunks, leaving bones intact (bones are very soft and will blend into potato mixture). Remove black pieces of skin; discard. Set salmon aside.

Cook potatoes in large pot of boiling salted water until very tender, about 20 minutes. Drain. Transfer potatoes to large bowl. Add milk, ¾ cup cheese. Using electric mixer, beat until almost smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Beat in eggs. Stir in salmon and green onions. Transfer mixture to prepared dish. Sprinkle with remaining ¼ cup cheese.

Bake casserole until golden and heated through, about 45 minutes.

My calorie count was 247 for about 1/6th of the pan


I loved this one. It was easy to make despite the time it took to cook the potatoes and such. Once the potatoes were cooked it was really easy to mix together with the electric mixer. Jacinda really liked this one. Peter found it to be a bit dry. I had been craving Salmon so this is one healthy recipe.
So far I am loving this so far.

Introductions

Hi. My name is Eleshia Chow. I am a stay at home mom for two beautiful children. Jacinda is 2 years old and has always been known for being a good eater. She eats lots but is often not willing to try new things. and Kale who is 3 months old so he is not eating yet but once he is I might use this for baby-food recipes as well.

 For those of you who know me also might know that I have began making new recipes that are healthy yet easy and yummy meals. I am currently trying to lose the weight I have gained so far during my pregnancies and possibly a little bit more.

I hope to document some of these here and give a bit of a review for them. I have never done a blog before but I am very excited to give it a shot.  I am very willing to try new things but since I currently have no income most of my meals must also be budget friendly. Which is not easy since healthy often means expensive and hard to find ingredients. Living in a small town means that those hard to find things are even harder to find.I would like more ideas and suggestions.