Chicken Pasta Ala King

So this is an excellent recipe that is derived from the blog sixsisterstuff.com They have great recipes. Some are healthy, some are not but either way I highly recommend the site. This dish is really good for you and is packed with so many nutrients. It's good for the whole family - kids, parents, grandparents! I promise you it will leave every single person is your family asking for seconds and thirds!

Chicken Pasta Ala King
2 cups of frozen peas
1 cup shredded carrots
1 15 oz. can of mushrooms
1 onion chopped
28 oz. chicken broth
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. garlic powder
2 tbsp. flour
2 tbsp. margarine
8 oz (2 large pieces) of baked white chicken breast - shredded
1/2 c. nondairy creamer mixed with 1/2 cup of water
1 box of pasta


1. melt the butter - add the onions and cook them for 5 minutes until translucent
2. add in the peas, carrots and mushrooms and cook them in the butter for 5 minutes
3. add in the broth and flower and cook the vegetables for additional 5 minutes
4. add in the chicken and creamer and water and spices and bake in the oven covered with aluminum foil for 30 minutes
5. about 15 minutes in - boil water, add in the pasta and cook for 10 minutes. drain well
6. pour the pasta into each bowl and serve the chicken and veggie mixture on top of the pasta

Serves 8 - Yummy! 

Corn and Bean Salad

Every Christmas and summer I volunteer at Elijah's Promise's, a local soup kitchen where I live. When I was volunteering last Christmas in 2013 they made this salad that I knew it would be perfect for my blog. It's healthy and high in protein, fiber and has lots of veggies!!


Corn and Bean Salad
1 green pepper
1 carrot (grated)
1 can of corn
1 can of black beans
balsamic vinegar dressing (I make my homemade since I can never find a kosher kind in the store).

Optional - add some red pepper for some extra color

Balsamic Vinegar Dressing
1 c. balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp. salt
tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1.4 tsp. garlic powder


dice the green pepper, grate the carrots, add the corn and black beans and mix in the dressing. allow it to marinate for couple hours and serve! It's that easy! 

Garlic Baked Salmon

So this recipe was inspired by the website SixSisterStuff which I found through the blog mixandmatch.blogspot.com. I changed it a little so if you want my version don't go to Six Sister Stuff - their's is different. I made it tonight for my mom and dad and they loved it. My dad kept reaching over and taking my mom's. My mom, being the sweet woman that she is let him but said to me "you better make this again for me". This recipe is super healthy and so easy. I promise you that you're going to LOVE LOVE it!

Garlic Bake Salmon
2 3 oz. pieces of salmon
3 large cloves of garlic
garlic salt
2 tbsp. olive oil
1/4 tsp. dry basil
1 tbsp. butter

1. crush the garlic
2. place in olive oil- add the garlic salt and dry basil
3. heat it in the oil for about 2 minutes
4. place salmon and garlic basil oil marinate in a bag or container and marinate for 1-2 hours.
5. preheat oven to 350
6. melt the butter in a pan and add a little more garlic and salt and pour over the salmon along with marinate
7. bake for 30 minutes

Serve! (best serve with a garden salad and some chips or crackers on the side- or at least that is how I served it)

It's that easy! It's that good! It's that perfect!! YUM!

New Year's Eve Menu

Happy New Year's Eve! It's 2014 for only one more day. On this day I'd like to take a moment and look back at all the wonderful recipes I've posted. I hope you enjoyed them. Do you have a favorite?

For New Year's Eve I've decided to post a menu of what you can serve at your party.

Appetizer
Serve both these items with whole grain chips or crackers
Spinach and Cheese Dip (Serves 4)

1 cup of low fat olive oil enhance mayo
2 spoon fulls of regular cream cheese
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
squirt of lemon juice
1 8 oz. package of frozen spinach (drained well)

Mix the mayo, spices, lemon and cream cheese well and then add in the spinach and mix on high with a handheld blender.

Easy Crab Bite Dip (Serves 6)

3 cups of imitation shrimp - shredded. 1/2 cup of mayo, 2 tbsp. Parmesan cheese, onion salt and garlic powder to taste. Mix well. Add shredded mozzarella sheet evenly and lightly over it.

Bake in oven at 250 for ten minimizes


Main Food

Mini Subs (Serves 10-15)

Tuna with Swiss
Egg Salad with Lettuce and Tomato
Cheese, Tomato and Basil

Buy 3 loaves of Italian bread (1 foot each) make 3 large subs.
Tuna - 3 cans of tuna, mayo, 6 slices of swiss, onion and tomato

Egg Salad - 6 eggs, mayo, romaine lettuce, tomato

Cheese - sliced mozzarella, tomato slices, fresh basil slices, red wine vinegar and olive oil

Cut each sub into five sandwiches

Snack Foods

Just buy popcorn, pretzels, nuts and ice cream

Popcorn - melt caramel and pour over the pop corn - place in fridge for 20 minutes- Remove & Serve

Pretzels - melt chocolate and pour over pretzels - add multi color sprinkles. - Place in fridge for at least 1 hour - Remove and Serve

Ice Cream - random flavors for whoever wants! (My parents like to eat ice cream on New Year's)

Hot Dog Spring Salad

So normally I wouldn't make anything with hot dogs. They're not that healthy and are high in sodium and not super high in protein. But my grandfather that used to live with us loves them. He moved out and we still had some leftover. I don't like food sitting in the freezer, we couldn't return it and we weren't going to waste it and throw it out so I needed to create a recipe that was healthy...and I did!

I made this tonight and my parents loved it! I didn't eat it because I don't do red meat, but if you eat red meat I am sure   positive you'll LOVE it!

Hot Dog Spring Salad 
Bag of Romaine Lettuce
2 slices of Red Onion
1/2 small tomatoes chopped
6 oz. of mandarin oranges (not in syrup)
handful of onion and garlic croutons
5 hot dogs
Honey Mustard light dressing


1. lay the lettuce on plate
2. add the chopped tomatoes and onions
3. lay the mandarin oranges equally over the salad
4. boil the hot dogs for 7 minutes and then cut it into 1-2 inch chunks
5. add croutons and hot dogs equally
6. add the dressing and serve!

This is a perfect dinner - it's filling, has lots of veggies, low in fat and has some protein. A healthy way to eat a hot dog. 

Carrot Cake Balls

In less than 2 months my mom will turn the big 6-0! I cannot believe it! I've known her almost 4 decades now - haha. I was born when she was 33. So I'm trying to think of a good thing to make her for birthday celebration. She loves carrot cake. Three years I made carrot cake, one year I made carrot oat cookies and this year I am planning to make carrot cake balls. But I of course have to a taste tester before I serve it at the party. Here's the recipe. (Not really healthy, but it's a 60th party, sometimes you got to live a little!)

Carrot Cake Balls
2 cups of whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups of sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup of veg oil
1/2 tsp. sea salt
2 tsp. of ground cinnamon (good for burning fat)
2 tsp. of baking soda
1 tsp. of vanilla
4 organic eggs
2 4oz. jars of carrot baby food - 100% natural
1/2 cup of grated carrots

1. mix all dry ingredients together (flour, sugar, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, baking soda)
2. then mix the oils, eggs and vanilla
3. mix the wet with the dry and then add in the baby food and carrots
4. mix well and pour batter into your lightly greased and floured (whole wheat) pans
5. bake in oven at 350* for 30-40 minutes (use tooth pick to test if it is done)
6. Let it cool for about 45 minutes.
7. Add about 2 large scoops of cream cheese frosting to a bowl
8. then add the carrot cake and crumble it up and mix well with cream cheese frosting
9. form 3 inch balls and place down on parchment paper
10. once you're done with the batch put in fridge to let harder

Place tooth pics in and serve!

Great way to serve dessert at party. I plan to make chocolate cake with peanut butter as well.

Enjoy! 

Peppermint Brownies

Okay, so I will admit these are not exactly healthy but they are festive and at Christmas time while you still want to be healthy and stay on your diet you also want to enjoy the ymminess of life. So here's to something not so healthy! Merry Hanukah and Happy Christmas!

Peppermint Brownies
3/4 cup of Hershey's Cocoa
1 1/3 cup of whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
2/3 cup of melted butter or margarine
1/2 c. simmering water
2 cups of white sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt

1 package of Hershey's Peppermint Kisses - seasonal flavor

Frosting
2 c. confectionery sugar
2/3 c. Hershey cocoa
water
tbsp. butter
dash of milk

Preheat oven to 350
1. Mix dry ingredients together - flour, sugar, cocoa, salt, baking soda
2. Melt butter
3. Mix butter, eggs, water and vanilla
4. Add dry mixture to wet mixture - put into greased pan
5. Push in Hershey Kisses and then make sure they're covered - also when you put the Kisses in  make sure you place them where each piece will get it's own Kiss.
6. Bake for 35 miutes

Allow to cool

Frosting - Mix all the ingrediants together and then frost brownies. Enjoy!

Homemade Sour Cream Dip

Happy Hanukkah! Tonight was the first night of Hanukkah and I made vegetable latkehs for dinner (from a box, so I don't have the recipe, sorry), But as the dip I made homemade sour cream - healthy style. I promise you that you'll love it! It's good with chips, latkehs, veggies, crackers or just plain - as my dad would say.

Homemade Sour Cream Dip
4 scoops of cream cheese
4 scoops of light mayo
1/2 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder


Mix all ingredients together. Done! 

Thanksgiving French Onion String Beans

So a few years ago I tried to make a string bean recipe that had shallots on it and let me tell you the strings bean were all gone! Everyone love it. But what was left on everyone's place were the shallots. Lesson learned. The following year I made a string bean recipe from a recipe book I have and I've actually posted it on my blog under the Thanksgiving tab, but it's too simple and basic - not really the traditional feeling of Thanksgiving. The last 2 years my made the string beans - but this year it didn't turn out. This mean it's my turn to make them. Here is what I've put together as my taste tester before next November's Turkey Day!!

Thanksgiving French Onion String Beans

1. 2 lbs. string beans (fresh- cut at the stems and washed)
2. 2 tbsp. butter
3. 3 small onions - sliced
4. 1 tbsp. flour
5. 1 can of cream of mushroom soup
6. 3/4 cup of soy milk or milk (I don't mix meat and dairy together and since I make this for Thanksgiving I use soy)
7. dash of pepper, garlic

1. cook the string beans for 5 minutes in water
2. drain and cut into thirds.
3. mix the cream of mushroom soup and milk together
4. heat the butter in a pan and add the onion slices and french them until their soft - add the flour and brown them and allow the get hard and fried looking
5. pour the green beans into the baking dish - mix in the mushroom and milk mixture
6. sprinkle some pepper and garlic on top. Then add the onions
7. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes - add some bread crumbs and bake an additional 10 minutes

Tomato Basil Tortellini Soup

A perfect soup recipe, I created, that works with these in between months of fall and winter. I promise it will warm your heart and soul.

Tomato Basil Tortellini Soup

2 cups of cheese tortellini
2 tomatoes - diced
handful of fresh basil
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
28 oz. vegetable broth
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. salt
dash of pepper

1. bring the vegetable broth to a simmer - add in tomatoes and basil and allow it soften
2. add in spices
3. cook the tortellini al dente and then add in the Parmesan cheese
4. add the pasta to vegetable broth mixture and allow the pasta to finish cooking.


Serve! 

Apple Oat Cookies

So these are cookies that are just like my traditional oatmeal cookies but I slightly adjusted some of the ingredients and added in apples. I know you will love them as much as my peops did!

Apple Oat Cookies
2 eggs
1 1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup white sugar
3/4 cup of light brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup of melted butter
2 cups of quick oats
2 cups of apples - peeled and sliced and chopped in to small chunks

1. mix the flour, sugar (both brown and white), cinnamon, baking powder, salt and oats together
2. then add in the eggs and butter
3. add the chunks of the apples and mix well
4. place a spoon full of the cookie dough onto a baking dish
5. bake for 20 minutes  - let cool for 20 minutes

Frozen Fruit Pops

Frozen Fruit Pops

Ingredients/Directions:

Sliced mangoes, sliced strawberries, sliced kiwis, sliced pineapple.
Mixed water and 100% apple juice (half/half)

Pour into 8 oz. plastic cups. Stick a pop sickle stick in it. Then place it in the freezer overnight. The next next day you'll have a yummy and light frozen fruit pop!! 

Baked Beef (fake) and Bean Burritos

So I found this great recipe on Six Sisters Stuff - titled Beef and Bean Burritos and was inspired to create my own healthier version of it. I made this tonight for my parents and they loved it!! It was a huge hit. I made 5 servings - thinking I'd have enough for one left over night but it turned out I was only left with 1 burrito - that's right they each had 2! (Well my dad had 2 1/2 and my mom had 1 1/2 but who's counting?) Enjoy! (note: photo taken before olives were added)

Baked Beef (fake) and Bean Burritos
1 package of Morning Star crumblers
2 cups of Red Pack tomato sauce
1/2 onion diced
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. chili powder

1 can of baked beans (mashed)
1 tsp. fat free Russian dressing

Black olives
1 cup of shredded cheddar and mozzarella cheese blend

4 whole wheat white tortillas

Preheat oven to 350
1. In a large plan soften the crumblers in the tomato sauce - then add in the spices
2. add the diced onion to the cumblers and allow it to heat together until the crumblers are soft (defrosted) and warm
3. Take the mashed beans and heat in a pan

5. Lay out each tortilla and place 2 spoons fulls of the crumblers, 2 spoon fulls of the beans, Roll up tightly
6. Place in oven and bake for 25 minutes- Take it out and pour cheese and olives over the burritos and place back in the oven for additional 10 minutes

Serve Up and Enjoy!!

Easy Healthy Homemade Banana Ice Cream

This is a wonderful summer, fall, winter or spring recipe. It's low in calorie and will hit your sweet tooth without adding on the pounds. Enjoy!!

Easy Healthy Homemade Banana Ice Cream
3 Frozen Bananas (Sliced)
1 1/2 cups of nonfat plain yogurt
1 tsp. honey
1 cup of vanilla almond milk
1/2 cup of crushed ice
tsp. of white sugar
chocolate or caramel fudge


Mix all the ingredients (besides for the fudge) in a blender and blend on high. Once it is smooth, add in the fudge and stir well. Then place it into a container and freeze it for at least 3 hours. Remove from freezer 20 minutes before serving. Serve with nuts or more sliced bananas!

Delicious and Very Healthy!!
  

100th Post: Rosh Hashanah Apricot Glazed Corned Beef (Fabulous and Delicious)

Happy 100th blog post to me!! I cannot believe that I shared 99 recipes. This is my 100th post. I still remember when I decided to start a blog back in 2012. The first night I think I shared about 15 recipes. I was so excited. I just kept posting and posting. Then I hit a lul and stopped posting or only posted every now and then. I am really trying to get my traffic up on my blog. I admire so much mixandmatchmama.blogspot.com - her blog is what inspired me to start a blog. She shares recipes and one thing about her blog is that she basically shares the same recipe but changes the method. She shows you how you make 1 cake but by adding one or two differences you can an entire new recipe and taste. Love it! Thank you to everyone who has commented on my blog over the last 2 years and thank you to everyone will post. Please share my blog with all your family, friends, neighbors, co-workers and anyone you know!

This is Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year) recipe. I made this for the first night of the holiday. My family was having a family of 4 plus the 4 of us (mom, dad, me and grandfather). I got 4 1/2 pounds of meat (expensive!) and we had a ton of other food. And before I give you the amazing recipe I will just we only had 3 small slices left over!! It was that good.

One thing you will start to notice is that not all my recipes will be "healthie foodie" approved. Lots of recipes are just too amazing to make them perfectly diet healthy. We only live once, after all!!

Apricot Glazed Corned Beef
4 1/2 pounds of corn beef
1 cup of water
1 cup of apricot preserves
1 squeeze of Dijon mustard
1/4 cup of light brown sugar
2 tbsp. low sodium soy sauce


Preheat oven at 350
1. place corn beef in a large baking dish - pour 1 cup of water over it and cover tightly with aluminum foil
2. bake in oven at 350 for 2 hours
3. mix the ingredients of apricot preserves, Dijon mustard, brown sugar, soy sauce very WELL
4. pour mixture over corned beef and make sure it all nice and absorbed in the mixture
5. bake an additional uncovered for 30 minutes

(nice when served with my)
Strawberry Mango Salad - found in the salad tab
Baked Squash w/ Brown Sugar - found in the squash tab


Serve warm - drizzling with the marinate from the pan!!

Pumpkin Ice Cream Cookies

It's almost fall! I love fall. I love the smell of freshly sharpened pencils. I love the smell of a new notebook. I love new folders and I love how everything is starting fresh. I love when the leaves change colors. I love Thanksgiving. I love Halloween - I love seeing all the cute kids in their adorable costumes. And if you're team is in playoffs - fall is a great time of year. Go Braves!! And when I was a kid and used to watch all those teenage shows, I loved the season premiers after a summer of re-runs. You see fall is a really fun time of year. Don't you think? In honor of fall I thought I would post a yummy fall dish - that still has a speck of summer in it.

Saying goodbye to summer and hello fall...Labor Day Weekend Special!

So fall is all about pumpkins! And summer is all about ice cream. So why not combine the two?!!

Pumpkin Ice Cream Cookies
1/2 cup of brown sugar
1/2 cup of white sugar
1 cup of pumpkin puree
1 egg
1 cup of oatmeal
1 cup of whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup of raisins
1/2 cup of melted butter
Ben and Jerry's Vanilla Caramel Frozen Yogurt

1. Mix your dry ingredients together: flour, sugars, oatmeal, cinnamon, baking soda and salt
2. Then mix in your wet ingredients: egg, butter and pumpkin and raisins
3. Cover and place in fridge for 1 hour
4. Preheat oven to 375 - form cookie dough into round 3 inch cookies and bake for 20 minutes - let cool. During this time you should take out your frozen yogurt and allow it to soften. Once they're easy to handle and the ice cream is softened put a scoop on a cookie and then take another cookie and place on top.
5. Wrap each sandwich in saran wrap and place in freezer for at least 3 hours.

When you're ready for eat it take it out and Enjoy a delicious fall/summer treat- guilt free! 

White Bean Chicken Chili

If you haven't yet tried my traditional chili you're missing out. It is a huge hit at my house. Everyone loves it! It's super healthy and super easy to make.

Here's a link to my Summer Chili http://thehealthiefoodie.blogspot.com/2012/09/summer-chili.html

Therefore after having so much success with the first one I decided to create a white bean chili with chicken instead of soy. And well it was incredible. I promise you that you'll love it. Again very easy to make. Not too many ingredients and very healthy. I approve this recipe.

White Bean Chili

1 3 lbs. package of white chicken breast

15 oz. can of red kidney beans

15 oz white beans

8 oz. canned corn

1 celery stalk

1 carrot 

1 green onion

1 cup of vegetable broth

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

1/4 tsp. onion powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. chili powder

1 tbsp. fresh cilantro

1. clean the chicken and pack try

2. cook in oven at 350 for 25 minutes - allow it to cool enough to handle (20 minutes is fine)

3. chop the celery and carrots

3. bring the vegetable broth to a simmer and add in the celery and carrots - until they soften

4. slice/shred the chicken into thin strips 

5. add in chicken, beans and corn and stir 

6. then add in spices and cilantro. continue to mix in until it has a nice thick consistency

7. add in the salt and stir again and bring to simmer

It is best served with crackers :)

Serve Up!

Strawberry Glazed Salmon and Spring Salad

This is one of my favorite recipes. It has summer written all over it. It's so light, so healthy and so fun. I promise you are going to beyond love it. I made it from my mother and father and they raved about it. They couldn't get enough of it. If you're family doesn't like it, I promise you a full refund - LOL...Get ready for your mouth to go crazy for goodness.

Strawberry Glazed Salmon and Spring Salad
Salad:
1 package of spring mix salad
1 can of mandarin oranges
handful of dried cranberries

Salad Dressing:
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
3 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1/4 tsp. lemon
2 tbsp. sugar

Strawberry Glazed Salmon
3 - 3 oz. salmon fillets
1/2 cup strawberry preserves
2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
squirt of lemon
dash of onion salt
1/4 c. soy sauce

1. Mix the glaze together
2. clean the fish and allow it to marinate for 30-60 minutes
3. preheat oven to 350 and bake for 30 minutes
(while it is cooking)
4. put the oranges and dried cranberries on top of the salad
5. then mix it with the dressing

Serve Salmon and Salad on a plate and Enjoy!!

Mexican Stuffed Pasta Shells

This recipe I made a while ago. The first I made this it was after a long hot day. We had been at work all day and working with kids in the hot sun. I work at a soccer camp where I coach little kiddos all day. It's fun but very tiring. After a long day this meal hits the spot. It isn't super healthy but it's just mediocre. Each serving is about 300 calories. Enjoy!

Mexican Stuffed Pasta Shells
1 pound of whole wheat pasta shells
1 cup of organic marinara tomato sauce
1 package of Morning Star crumbles
1/2 tsp. of garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
15 oz. can of black beans
15 oz. can corn
8 oz can of black olives
2 tbsp. fresh parsley
A couple of dollops of sour cream
2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese
1 tomato (seeded and chopped)

1. Cook the whole shells until Al Dente (6 minutes)
2. Set aside and let cool - while it is cooling:(Preheat oven 350)
- heat the Morning Star with the tomato sauce and once the sauce is room temp. add the garlic powder and onion powder and then add in the black beans, chopped tomato and corn.
- place the shells in pan and put 2 tbsp. of the bean mixture in each shell. Then add olives to each shell. Cover the shells with cheese.
3. Put in oven for 40 minutes. Garnish with parsley and sour cream

Serve and Enjoy! (Serves 6)

Turkey Sauce and Angel Hair Pasta

This is an excellent recipe. I know you will love! It has less 3 grams of fat in the entire dish (which means each serving has about 1/4 gram) It is filling and very healthy!


Turkey Sauce and Angel Hair Pasta
2 pounds ground 100% lean turkey
1 large egg
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. garlic salt
1/2 cup of uncooked oatmeal
2 plum tomatoes (pitted and chopped)
1 tbsp. fresh basil
2 cups of tomato sauce (NOT marinara but regular tomato sauce)
dash of oregano, dash of salt, dash of pepper
1 pound of whole wheat angel hair pasta

1. mix the ground turkey with egg, oatmeal, onion powder, garlic - pat it down like you would for meatloaf in a flat pan
2. bake in oven at 375 for 40 minutes
3. take it out immediately after it is done and mush (the warmer it is the easier it will be to mush)
4. add the chopped tomatoes, fresh basil, dash of spices (oregano, salt, pepper) and tomato sauce to the ground turkey and mix well - warm on stove and then set aside
5. boil water, once water comes to a boil pour the angel hair pasta in - cook for 6 minutes (angel hair pasta cooks quicker than other pastas)
6. place angel hair on plate and pour over sauce

Enjoy!!