Kale and Black Bean Tacos

  

Not sure if anyone reads this blog anymore? Anyone....?? Check, Test?? 

Here's a good recipe we like at our house.

(We usually double.)

1 T olive oil

1 small red onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 head of kale, chopped fairly fine

1 15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 lb. beef (optional, we've made it both ways-with or without the beef)

1/2-1 cup cooked quinoa (again optional, I always toss quinoa into things)

1 cup frozen corn

cumin, chili powder, oregano, salt and pepper-to your taste

corn tortillas

avacado, salsa, cheese, nonfat plain yogurt or sour cream or any of your favorite taco toppings

In a large skillet, cook beef if using. Add garlic and onion and saute' for a few minutes until tender. Add seasonings and chopped kale and cook for a few minutes until it turns tender and bright green. Add beans, quinoa, and corn and warm through. Serve on corn tortillas with your preferred toppings! Yummy!

Chicken Barbecue Sandwiches

 This was just another crockpot chicken meal we had a few weeks back. I'm always on the look for new crockpot chicken recipes. Does anyone have any they'd like to share with me?:) Mick said this was more like Memphis Barbecue. It wasn't as sweet as a typical barbecue, but it was good, though. It called for a homemade cole slaw to go on it, which sounds good, but we skipped that part. We ate it on some homemade hamburger buns. Yum.

Ingredients: (I'm pretty sure I doubled the sauce.)

About 4 chicken breasts

    1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup minced onion
2 cloves minced garlic
2 tsp chili powder
hot sauce to your liking

Slaw:
4 cups cabbage, thinly sliced or
chopped
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 Tbs yellow mustard
1 1/2 Tbs apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp celery seeds
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Mix up the sauce ingredients and pour over chicken breasts. Cook in the crockpot 4-6 hrs on high or 6-8 hrs on low. Eat it on your favorite hamburger buns with or without the slaw.

INSANITY Meal 5 Menu

BAKED COD WITH STEAMED CARROTS AND CAULIFLOWER

4 oz. cod filet

1 tsp. olive oil

2 Tbsp. seasoned bread crumbs

Salt and pepper to taste

Steamed vegetable medley of carrots, corn and cauliflower

                                                          

Coat cod with olive oil, bread crumbs, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Bake code at 375 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes, or until it flakes easily with a fork. Serve cod with 1 cup of steamed vegetable medley of carrots, corn and cauliflower.

286 Calories

*400 - calorie meal: add whole-grain dinner roll or a slice of whole wheat bread

** 500 – calorie meal: increase cod to 6 oz., increase olive oil to 2 tsp., add whole-grain dinner roll or a slice of whole wheat bread

DINNER OMELET

1 whole egg

2 egg whites

¼ cup feta cheese, crumbled

1 cup baby spinach leaves

1 slice of whole wheat bread or whole-grain English muffin

In a non-stick skillet coated with cooking spray, make an omelet with egg, egg whites, feta cheese, and spinach. Serve omelet with 1 slice of whole wheat bread or English muffin.

302 Calories

*400 - calorie meal: serve omelet with a fresh pear

** 500 – calorie meal: serve omelet with a fresh pear topped with 2/3 cup of nonfat vanilla yogurt

STEAK WITH BROCCOLI

3 to 4 oz. flank steak, filet mignon, or sirloin

Olive oil

Sea salt and pepper to taste

1 small baked potato

Dijon mustard

1 cup steamed broccoli

Lemon juice to taste

Brush steak with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Grill or broil steak on both sides for 5-7 minutes, or until degree of doneness is achieved. Server steak with a small baked potato topped with country Dijon mustard and steamed broccoli topped with fresh lemon juice.

304 Calories

*400 - calorie meal: increase steak to 5-6 oz.

** 500 – calorie meal: increase steak to 5-6 oz. and finish meal with ½ cup of fat-free pudding OR 1 cup of skim or 1% milk.

CHICKEN MEATBALLS

3 oz. lean ground chicken

1 egg white

1 Tbsp. seasoned bread crumbs

½ cup whole-grain pasta, cooked

½ cup tomato sauce

1 cup green beans, steamed

Mix ground chicken with egg white and seasoned bread crumbs. Form mixture into small meatballs, place on a baking sheet, and bake at 375 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes, or until cooked through. Serve chicken meatballs over whole-grain pasta and toss with tomato sauce. Serve with steamed string beans.

296 Calories

*400 - calorie meal: increase chicken to 5 oz., bread crumbs to 2 Tbsp. and pasta to 2/3 cup

** 500 – calorie meal: increase chicken to 5 oz., bread crumbs to 2 Tbsp. and pasta to 2/3 cup and finish meal with ½ cup fruit sorbet

GRILLED SALMON WITH ASPARAGUS

4 oz. salmon filet

1 tsp. honey mustard

Asparagus, steamed

½ cup whole-grain pasta, cooked

Coat salmon filet with honey mustard and grill or broil for about 12 to 15 minutes until cooked to desired degree of doneness. Server salmon with steamed asparagus and pasta.

294 Calories

*400 - calorie meal: finish meal with 1 cup of fresh grapes

** 500 – calorie meal: increase salmon to 5 oz., increase pasta to 2/3 cup and finish meal with 1 cup of fresh grapes

TURKEY BURGER

4 oz. lean ground turkey

2 Tbsp. salsa

2 Tbsp. red onion, chopped

1 whole-grain hamburger bun or English muffin

Green beans, steamed

Combine turkey, salsa and onion. Form into a burger and grill or broil until cooked through. Serve on bun or English muffin with green beans on the side.

301 Calories

*400 - calorie meal: add 1 slice of reduced-fat cheese to the burger

** 500 – calorie meal: add 1 slice of reduced-fat cheese to the burger and finish the meal with 1 cup of fruit salad

BROWN RICE BOWL

½ cup cooked brown rice

2 oz. grilled chicken breast, diced

1/3 cup corn niblets

1/3 cup cooked peas

Combine rice with chicken, corn, and peas.

318 Calories

*400 - calorie meal: increase rice to 2/3 cup and increase chicken to 3 oz.

** 500 – calorie meal: increase rice to 2/3 cup and increase chicken to 4 oz. and increase both corn and peas to ½ cup

CITRUSBAKED CHICKEN WITH GLAZED CARROTS

4 oz. Boneless, skinless chicken breast

½ Tbsp. olive oil

2 Tbsp. lemon juice

½ tsp. paprika

Sea salt and pepper

1 cup carrots, sliced and cooked

2 tsp. honey

Place chicken breast in an ovenproof dish and top with olive oil, lemon juice, paprika, sea salt, and pepper. Bake at 375 for 15 to 20 minutes, or until cooked through. Serve chicken breast with cooked carrots glazed with honey.

297 Calories

*400 - calorie meal: add ½ cup of cooked brown rice

** 500 – calorie meal: increase chicken to 6 oz. and add 2/3 cup of cooked brown rice

CHICKEN STIR-FRY WITH BROCCOLI, MUSHROOMS, AND SNOW PEAS

4 oz. Boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes

1 cup broccoli forest

½ cup sliced mushrooms

½ cup snow peas

 2 tsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce

2 Tbsp. chicken broth

1 tsp. sesame oil

1/3 cup brown rice, cooked

In a large skillet coated with cooking spray, cook chicken breast pieces over medium heat until cooked through, about 7 to 10 minutes. Remove chicken from pan and cook broccoli, mushrooms, and snow peas in the same pan. Cook until vegetables begin to soften, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add the chicken back to the pan, with the vegetables, and season with soy sauce, chicken broth, and sesame oil. Serve over 1/3 cup cooked brown rice.

307 Calories

*400 - calorie meal: increase chicken to 5 oz. and increase rice to 2/3 cup

** 500 – calorie meal: increase chicken to 5 oz. and increase rice to 2/3 cup, and finish meal with 1/3 cup nonfat vanilla yogurt topped with a handful of fresh or frozen berries

PASTA WITH SEAFOOD MARINARA

½ cup whole-grain pasta, cooked

3 oz. shrimp, boiled

½ cup tomato sauce

1 Tbsp. parmesan cheese, grated

1 cup spinach, steamed

Fresh lemon juice to taste

Combine pasta with shrimp and tomato sauce. Top with parmesan cheese and serve with steamed spinach, topped with fresh lemon.

287 Calories

*400 - calorie meal: increase pasta to ¾ cup and increase shrimp to 5 oz.

** 500 – calorie meal: increase pasta to ¾ cup and increase shrimp to 5 oz., and finish meal with ½ cup nonfat pudding or 1 cup of skim, almond, rice, or soy milk

INSANITY Meal 4 Menu

SASHIMI

3 oz. (about 6 pieces) of sashimi

½ cup brown rice, steamed

Side salad of mixed greens

2 Tbsp. Asian ginger dressing

Have any variety of sashimi with a side of rice, and a side salad of mixed greens topped with Asian dressing.

319 Calories

*400 - calorie meal: add 1 cup of steamed edamame

** 500 – calorie meal: add 1 cup of steamed edamame, increase fish to 4 oz. and increase rice to ¾ cup

INSANITY SPECIAL SANDWICH NUT BUTTER AND JELLY

1 slice whole-grain bread

1 Tbsp. all-natural peanut or almond butter

1 Tbsp. all-fruit preserves OR ¼ sliced banana

½ cup cottage cheese, 1%

Make half of a nut butter and jelly sandwich with bread, peanut or almond butter, preserves or banana. Serve with cottage cheese.

289 Calories

*400 - calorie meal: make sandwich with 2 slices

** 500 – calorie meal: make sandwich with 2 slices and increase cottage cheese to 1 full cup

COLD CUT PLATTER

2 oz. deli-style turkey breast, sliced

2 oz. ham, sliced

1 oz. reduced-fat swiss cheese, thinly sliced

Sliced tomato

Whole-grain crackers (100 calories)

It’s like a grown-up Luchables! Make your own cracker sandwiches with the ingredients.

289 Calories

*400 - calorie meal: serve with 1 cup of fresh green or purple grapes

** 500 – calorie meal: serve with 1 cup of fresh green or purple grapes and increase turkey to 3 oz. and the ham to 2 oz.

TUNA SALAD IN A TOMATO

4 oz. water-packed tuna

¼ cup celery, chopped

¼ cup red onion, chopped

1 Tbsp. reduced-fat mayonnaise

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

1 large tomato, hollowed out

3 pieces whole-grain Melba toast

½ whole-grain English muffin

Combine tuna, celery, onion, mayonnaise, and mustard and stuff into hollowed out tomato. Serve with Melba toast or English muffin.

289 Calories

*400 - calorie meal: serve with 1 medium fresh apple

** 500 – calorie meal: serve with 1 medium fresh apple, increase tuna to 6 oz. and increase to 5 pieces of wheat Melba toast OR a full whole-grain English muffin

TURKEY LETTUCE WRAP AND BEAN SALAD

2 oz. deli-style turkey breast, sliced

Tomato, sliced

1 Tbsp. reduced-fat Russian dressing

Large romaine or Boston lettuce leaves

¼ cup chickpeas

¼ cup kidney beans

¼ cup celery, chopped

¼ cup tomato, chopped

1 tsp. olive oil

Lemon juice, salt, and pepper, to taste

Wrap turkey, sliced tomato and Russian dressing inside large lettuce leaves. Serve lettuce wrap with a bean salad made of remaining ingredients.

308 Calories

*400 - calorie meal: increase turkey to 4 oz., increase both the chickpeas and the kidney beans to 1/3 cup.

** 500 – calorie meal: increase turkey to 5 oz., increase both the chickpeas and the kidney beans to 1/3 cup and serve with 1 cup of fruit salad.

TURKEY CHILI

1 cup turkey or veggie chili (homemade or store-bought)

Mixed greens

2 egg whites, hard boiled

Red wine vinegar

1 tsp. olive oil

Serve chili with a mixed green salad topped with 2 hardboiled egg whites and dressed with oil and vinegar.

310 Calories

*400 - calorie meal: increase chili to 1-1/2 cups

** 500 – calorie meal: increase chili to 1-1/2 cups and serve with 1 whole-grain dinner roll or slice of whole wheat bread

PROTEIN PIZZA MUFFIN

1 whole-grain English muffin

¼ cup tomato sauce

¼ cup mozzarella cheese, part skim

2 oz. grilled chicken breast, sliced

1 cup broccoli, steamed

Top English muffin with tomato sauce, cheese and chicken breast. Cook at 350 degrees for 10 minutes and serve with 1 cup of steamed broccoli.

313 Calories

*400 - calorie meal: increase chicken to 3 oz. and the mozzarella cheese to 1/3 cup

** 500 – calorie meal: increase chicken to 3 oz. and the mozzarella cheese to 1/3 cup and serve with a large navel orange

SHRIMP COCKTAIL PLATTER

4 oz. shrimp, boiled and cooled

2 Tbsp. cocktail sauce

Fresh lemon wedges

1 whole wheat dinner roll or slice of whole wheat bread

1 cup mixed raw vegetables, such as carrots, peppers and cucumbers

Serve shrimp with cocktail sauce and/or lemon. Have roll or bread and raw veggies on the side.

286 Calories

*400 - calorie meal: dip raw veggies into ¼ cup hummus

** 500 – calorie meal: increase shrimp to 6 oz., increase cocktail sauce to 4 Tbsp. and dip raw veggies into ¼ cup hummus

ROTISSERIE CHICKEN AND SALAD

1 - 4 oz. skinless rotisserie chicken breast

Mixed greens

1 tsp. olive oil

Lemon juice

1 granny smith apple, sliced

Serve chicken with a mixed green salad topped with lemon juice and 1 tsp. olive oil. Finish meal with sliced apple.

314 Calories

*400 - calorie meal: add a small baked potato with skin

** 500 – calorie meal: add a small baked potato with skin topped with 1 oz. of reduced-fat shredded cheese

ROAST BEEF WRAP

4 oz. lean roast beef

2 thin sliced avocado

Tomato, sliced

1 - 6-inch whole-grain tortilla

1 cup of mixed fresh or frozen berries

Roll beef, avocado, and tomato in tortilla. Serve with side of mixed berries.

307 Calories

*400 - calorie meal: add 1 cup of plain nonfat yogurt to the mixed berries

** 500 – calorie meal: add 1 cup of plain nonfat yogurt to the mixed berries and top with 2 Tbsp. chopped walnuts

INSANITY Meal 3 Menu

GRILLED CHICKEN SALAD

3 oz. grilled chicken breast

3 cups mixed dark greens

½ apple, chopped

1 Tbsp. pecans, chopped

Cucumber, sliced, to taste

Pile mixed greens on a large salad plate. Top with chicken breast, chopped apple, chopped pecans and sliced cucumber, dress salad with fresh lemon juice.

283 Calories

*400 - calorie meal: add 1 whole wheat English muffin or 1 slice of whole-grain bread

** 500 – calorie meal: add 1 whole wheat English muffin or 1 slice of whole-grain bread and add 1 Tbsp. olive oil onto the salad

SUSHI

1 tuna or salmon roll, made with brown rice, if possible

Side salad of mixed greens

2 Tbsp. of Asian ginger dressing

Have one sushi roll sliced, with side salad served with Asian ginger dressing. (Use the fork technique of dipping the tines of your fork in the dressing before spearing the lettuce to avoid overdoing it on the dressing).

311 Calories

*400 - calorie meal: add 1 cup of steamed edamame

** 500 – calorie meal: add 1 cup of steamed edamame and 1 cup of miso soup

BLACK BEAN SOUP AND HALF SANDWICH

1 cup of canned black bean soup

1 slice whole-grain bread

2 oz. deli-style turkey breast, sliced

2 very thin slices of avocado

Dijon mustard

Make one half of a turkey sandwich made with 1 slice whole-grain bread, turkey, avocado and Dijon mustard. Serve with cup of soup.

299 Calories

*400 - calorie meal: use regular whole wheat bread, not light-style, and increase the turkey on the sandwich to 3 oz.

** 500 – calorie meal: use regular whole wheat bread, not light-style, and increase the turkey on the sandwich to 4 oz. and use 4 thin slices of avocado-about ¼ and avocado

ROAST BEEF SANDWICH

4 oz. lean roast beef

½ 6-inch whole wheat pita pocket

Sliced cherry tomatoes

Romaine lettuce

Dark salad greens

Sliced bell peppers

Sliced cucumbers

Sliced mushrooms

Pile roast beef into pita pocket and top with sliced cherry tomatoes and romaine lettuce leaves. Serve pita with a side salad composed of dark greens, sliced peppers, cucumbers and mushrooms, dressed with a fresh squeeze of lemon or lime juice.

292 Calories

*400 - calorie meal: use the whole 6-inch pita pocket and add 1 tsp. olive oil to the salad

** 500 – calorie meal: use the whole 6-inch pita pocket and add 1 tsp. olive oil and 2 Tbsp. slivered almonds to the salad

TERIYAKI GRILLED TUNA

4 oz. Tuna steak

2 Tbsp. teriyaki sauce (low-fat bottled)

Fresh spinach

1 tsp. olive oil

1/3 cup brown rice

Marinate tuna in teriyaki sauce or other low-fat bottled marinade. Grill, broil, or sear tuna on both sides to desired degree of doneness. Serve tuna with spinach sautéed in olive oil and 1/3 cup brown rice.

295 Calories

*400 - calorie meal: increase rice to ¾ cup

** 500 – calorie meal: increase rice to 1 cup and use 2 tsp. olive oil in the spinach

SHAKEOLOGY

1 scoop Shakeology

1 Whole banana

½ cup skim, almond, rice, or soy milk

½ cup water

Ice

Blend ingredients with ice to desired consistency.

299 Calories

*400 - calorie meal: add 1 Tbsp. of peanut butter to the shake

** 500 – calorie meal: add 1 Tbsp. of peanut butter to the shake, increase Shakeology to 1-1/2 scoops and increase milk to 1 full cup

CHICKEN RANCH WRAP

1 6-inch whole-grain tortilla

3 oz. grilled chicken breast

Sliced tomato

Lettuce

Red bell pepper, sliced

Celery sticks

1 Tbsp. ranch dressing, reduced-fat

Fill tortilla with 3 oz. of grilled chicken breast, sliced tomato, lettuce leaves and ranch dressing. Serve with red pepper slices and celery sticks.

307 Calories

*400 - calorie meal: add 1/3 of a small avocado into the wrap

** 500 – calorie meal: add 1/3 of a small avocado into the wrap and serve with a sliced apple

LEAN BURGER

4 oz. extra-lean ground beef

Mixed greens

½ cup mixed berries and/or melon

Grill or broil a 4 oz. lean hamburger patty. Serve without a bun over a large green salad, with a side of ½ cup mixed berries or melon balls.

302 Calories

*400 - calorie meal: serve hamburger on a whole wheat English muffin with the salad on the side

** 500 – calorie meal: serve hamburger on a whole wheat English muffin with 1 slice of reduced-fat cheese and the salad on the side

WHOLE WHEAT PASTA WITH VEGETABLES AND FETA

¾ cup whole wheat pasta

1 cup mixed, steamed vegetables

1/3 cup feta cheese, crumbled

Top pasta with mixed steamed vegetables and crumbled feta cheese.

304 Calories

*400 - calorie meal: add 2-3 oz. of diced grilled chicken breast to the pasta bowl

** 500 – calorie meal: add 2-3 oz. of diced grilled chicken breast to the pasta bowl and serve with a fresh pear

SALMON NICOISE PLATE

3 oz. salmon

2 cups mixed salad greens

1 cup green beans, steamed

1 small red potato, boiled

5 black olives

Fresh lemon, salt, pepper, to taste

Grill, poach, bake, or broil salmon. Pile 2 cups of mixed salad greens onto a large dinner plate; top the greens with beans, potato, olives and the cooked salmon. Season with fresh lemon, salt and pepper.

301 Calories

*400 - calorie meal: add a whole wheat dinner roll or a slice of whole wheat bread

** 500 – calorie meal: add a whole wheat dinner roll or a slice of whole wheat bread and top salad with 2 tsp. olive oil

Mustard maple salmon

3 tbsp dijon mustard 3 tbsp maple syrup 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar 1/4 tsp salt 4 (6oz) salmon filets Cooking spray Combine first 4 ingredients in a large ziplock bag; add salmon. Seal and marinate for 20 minutes. Prepare grill or broiler. Remove salmon from the bag, reserving the marinade. Place salmon on a grill rack or broiler pan, coated with cooking spray or foil. Cook for 6 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Baste salmon occasionally with the reserved marinate.

Brisket- Kyle's pepper Pasted

3 or 4 lbs brisket 2 tbsp liquid smoke 1 tsp onion salt 1 tsp garlic salt 1 tsp celery salt 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce 2 tbsp black pepper 1.5 tsp salt Mix 7 ingredients and brush on all sides of met. Wrap in foil and marinate overnight. Cook at 300 degrees for 5 hours. Remove foil; brush with barbecue sauce. Return to oven and brown for 30 minutes. Be sure the foil is tight while cooking so no juices will be lost.

Honey-Mustard Salmon

4 salmon fillets
2 T dijon mustard
1 T honey
salt and pepper to taste
Preheat broiler. Mix together mustard, honey, pepper and salt-place salmon down on broiler pan (use tin foil for easy clean up) and brush with honey-mustard mixture. Broil 5-7 in. from heat for 7-10 min. or until the fish flakes with a fork. This is so easy and so tasty!

Pizza Frittata

Mmmm...I love frittatas. Here's a new one I found.

6 oz. cream cheese (I used 6 oz. nonfat plain yogurt)
6 eggs or egg whites
1/4 tsp or so of basil and oregano
Pepper to taste
You can really use any veggies you want, here's what I used:
1 to 1 1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced
1 to 2 green peppers (I used sweet peppers)
1 to 2 cups fresh spinach, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 to 2 tomatoes, chopped

Saute' all the veggies until soft. In a bowl, mix the eggs, yogurt and seasonings. Add veggies-I used a 8 X 11 pan, coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 for about 20-25 min. Top with pizza sauce (we actually had leftover spaghetti sauce-so that's what is on this one.)

Here it is when I pulled it out of the oven.

Spaghetti Squash Spaghetti

This has to be my favorite fall/winter meal. I thought I was so smart coming up with this-but apparently people do it all the time. Switch out the spaghetti noodles for some baked spaghetti squash-a meal full of vegetables!! Here's my favorite spaghetti sauce:

1 large onion, chopped
1-2 green pepper, chopped
2-4 stalks celery, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 15 oz cans tomatoes, undrained
1 6-oz can tomato paste
1-2 8 oz. cans tomato sauce
Seasonings to taste: Parsley, basil, oregano, marjoram, pepper, salt, brown sugar

I usually cook my vegetables in the juice from the canned tomatoes. You can always saute' them in a T or two of oil. Add tomato paste, canned tomatoes, and tomato sauce. Add desired amount of water to reach the thickness that you want. Add the herbs (unless you're using fresh)-bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 30 minutes or so. I like a sweet spaghetti sauce so I skip the salt and add a few T of brown sugar after it's simmered. You can always add some meat if you want, too.

Lentil Rice Patties

1/2 cup uncooked brown rice

1/4 cup dried lentils, sorted and rinsed

1 1/2 cups water

2 T finely chopped cashews, almonds, or peanuts (I use almonds)

2 T bread crumbs (I used oats instead)

2 T stir-fry sauce (I use liquid aminos, can find it at any grocery store)

4 medium green onions, or 1/4 c chopped onion

1 egg or egg white

In a saucepan heat rice, lentils and 1 1/2 c water to boiling. Reduce heat to low-cover; simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lentils are tender and water is absorbed. Cool slightly. Mash with a fork. Stir in remaining ingredients. Shape into 4 patties-about 1/2 inch thick. Cook patties in skillet until each side is golden brown-this takes a little while.

Salsa Lime Chicken

Minus the hour baking time, this is a really easy, quick, and cheap meal. I got this off the back of a bag of chicken we bought at Costco a few years ago.

4 Chicken Breasts

1 Cup Salsa

1/4 C Dijon Mustard

2 T lime juice

Preheat oven to 375. Line a baking dish with foil. Mix the salsa, mustard, and lime juice. Pour on top of the chicken. Bake, covered for 40 minutes. Uncover, bake 10-15 minutes or until done. We just eat this plain, but you could always eat it over rice. Sometimes I use black bean and corn salsa and add in a can of black beans and extra corn.

Chickpea Burgers

I promise these are super tasty, all 3 of my kids eat these up everytime I make them. Boston and Dakota even put the onions and relish on theirs, too.


1-15 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1-15 oz. can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 carrot, peeled and finely grated
1 small onion, finely grated
3-4 T sunflower seeds
2 T tahini (you can buy this at any grocery store in the health food aisle)
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 handful chopped fresh coriander (I just use a few tsp dried)
1 T vegetable boullion cube or powder

Preheat oven to 420. Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend for 5-10 seconds, until the mixture is fairly course. Push mixture down with a spatula and blend for another 10 seconds. I just have a blender so I have to repeat this process quite a few times before it's all blended. Wet your hands and shape mixture into small balls. Flatten with a fork and bake for 15-18 minutes until lightly colored. Let sit for 5 minutes before you eat them. They are a little crumbly, but really good. We eat ours with homemade zucchini relish, saute'd onions and avacado.

Carrot and Almond Soup

2 onions, peeled and chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
6 carrots (or you can use one sweet potato and 4 carrots), peeled and sliced
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 T preferred boullion cube or powder
3 T chopped fresh coriander (I used 3 tsp dried)
3 T chopped fresh parsley, stalked reserved
3/4 cup ground almonds

Put onions, garlic, carrots and celery in a large saucepan with about 5 cups water, bring to a boil-add boullion and the stalks of the coriander and parsley. Lower heat and simmer for 30 minutes or until veggies are tender. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Strain, saving the vegetable stock. Take out the herb stalks and blend in a food processor or blender until smooth. Return to pan and add the stock until it reaches desired consistency. Add the ground almonds (ground them in a blender or food processor) and top with the coriander and parsley.

Chicken Alfredo Lasagna

I forgot to take a picture when I made this for us-I'll post it next time we make it-it is really tasty!
Filling:
3 cups chopped cooked broccoli
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 eggs, beaten
Sauce:
9 oz. chopped cooked chicken
28-32 oz. jar four-cheese lasagna (homemade is way better, I'll post my alfredo sauce after this one)
Cheese:
8 oz. shredded Monterey Jack
1/4 c grated parmesan cheese
lasagna noodles-uncooked

Start with 1/3 cup sauce on bottom, then repeat twice: four noodles, filling, sauce, cheese. Bake covered at 375 degrees for 45 minutes; uncover and bake 10 minutes more.

My Fav. Alfredo-I think I doubled it for the whole lasagne recipe
2 cups milk
1 T flour
1/4 tsp salt
Pepper
2 T butter (or olive oil, just to saute')
2 tsp finely chopped garlic
2 oz cream cheese
2/3 c grated parmesan

Stir milk, flour, salt, pepper with wire whick until smooth. In a saucepan, melt butter (I usually use oil). With whick, add in milk mixture. Cook and stir 6 to 8 minutes or until it thickens and boils. Stir in cream cheese until melted. Stir in parmesan cheese until melted. Sprinkle with parsley.

Veggie Frittata

12 eggs, or egg whites

2 cups fresh spinach,torn

2 tsp garlic, crushed

2-4 roma tomatoes, chopped

1/2 cup onion, chopped

1-2 red bell pepper, chopped

4 T fresh basil (or use dried-2-3 tsp)

2 oz. parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray an 8-inch pie pan or baking dish. Beat eggs in a bowl, them mix in all the ingredients. Pour into the pan. Cook for 12-15 minutes or until the eggs are firm. Top with a little salsa if you want. Yum.

Serves: 2-4

Shrimp Stir-Fry

Here's a couple of our favorite P90-x Recipes.
10-16 oz shrimp, peeled
3/4 T low-sodium soy sauce
1 tsp rice vinegar
3/4 c low-sodium chicken broth
3/4 tsp garlic, chopped
3/4 tsp ginger, minced
1 C red onion, sliced in wedges
1 C broccoli florets
1 3/4 c snow peas (I just use frozen peas)
2 C mushrooms, halved
3/4 cup any kind of bell pepper, chopped
3/4 cup canned water chestnuts, drained
2 T sesame seeds
1 oz. cashews


Heat soy sauce, rice vinegar, and 2 T of chicken broth in a saute' pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and ginger and saute' until tender. Add all the vegetables to the pan and continue to saute', stirring and adding more broth as necessary. Add shrimp when the vegetables are halfway cooked and saute' until veggies are tender and the shrimp is cooked through. Top with sesame seeds and cashews.
Serves: 2-4

Island Pork Tenderloin Salad

This is so good, sometimes we jut do the meat as a main dish instead of with the salad.

Island Pork Tenderloin
16 oz. pork tenderloin, lean (I buy turkey tenderloin at Sam's)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp chile powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp olive oil
1/4 c brown sugar, packed
1/2 T fresh garlic, finely chopped
1/2 T tabasco sauce


Preheat oven to 350. Stir together salt, pepper, cumin, chile powder, and cinnamon and coat the pork with the spice rub. Heat oil in a skillet and brown pork. Stir together brown sugar, garlic, and tabasco and pat on top of the tenderloin. Place in a roasting pan and cook in the oven for 20 minutes.


Island Pork Tenderloin Salad (2 Servings)
1 Orange, peeled and cut
2 C fresh spinach
1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
2 T golden (or regular) raisins
2 C napa cabbage
12-16 oz island pork tenderloin

Pile it all together and top with your favorite dressing.

Basil-Tomato Tuna Steaks (Jinny)

2 6-8 oz. Ahi Tuna Steaks
Pepper to taste
Fresh Basil, chopped- (or dried) to taste
1-2 Roma Tomatoes, chopped
2 oz. mozzarella or parmesan cheese (optional)

Spray skillet with a little cooking spray. Cook tuna over medium heat for about 3 minutes on each side or until it flakes with a fork. Transfer fish to a broiler pan. Sprinkle fish with pepper, add basil, tomatoes and cheese if using and broil about 2 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

Serves: 2


Here's a slight variation on the meal that I found after I posted this.
1/3 cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tsp olive oil
1 can diced tomatoes
1-1/2 tsp italian seasoning
2 6-8 oz. tuna steaks
Mozzarella or feta cheese (optional)

In a saucepan, saute onion and garlic in oil until tender. Add tomatoes and seasoning. Bring to a boil. Reduced heat; simmer, for 5 minutes. Broil fish 4-6 minutes, top with tomato mixture and continue to broil until it's done to your liking.

Bang Bang Shrimp - Copycat from Bonefish Grill

10 min 5 min prep

Ingredients
1 lb shrimp, shelled and deveined smaller shrimp works best
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup Thai sweet chili sauce
3-5 drops hot chili sauce, just a few drops
1/2-3/4 cup cornstarch, to coat the shrimp in

Directions
1Mix mayo and sauces for coating.
2Bread shrimp in cornstarch.
3Deep fat fry the shrimp until lightly brown.
4Drain on paper towel, put shrimp in a bowl and coat with the sauce.
5Serve in a lettuce lined bowl, top with chopped scallions.