March 29, 2024

Indian-spiced Chicken and Spaghetti Squash

Have you noticed ALL the squash at the grocery store (even more abundant, probably, at your local farmer’s market)?  Oh, h-a-p-p-y me!  This week there were quite a few small-ish spaghetti squash…so I snatched up 3 of ’em!  They are the perfect size for a meal for two (and some leftovers).  Spaghetti squash, as most of you know I am sure, is a really good substitute for traditional spaghetti…minus most of the carbs.  Here is some nutrition info for spaghetti squash.  This fits in so well with our ‘healthy but oh-so-yummy‘ POV.

My husband Robert’s favorite rendition of “spaghetti squash and…” is with Italian spaghetti sauce and meatballs.  But me…I am not a huge fan of so much liquid being dolloped over top the prepared spaghetti squash.  So this is what spaghetti squash #1 became….  The ‘warmth’ of the garam masala, the cumin, and turmeric spices added so much to fairly flavor-less ground chicken and spaghetti squash.  Enjoy!

Indian-spiced Spaghetti Squash

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ingredients

small (2#) spaghetti squash
1 pound ground chicken (or turkey)
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon coconut oil (or extra-virgin olive oil)
1 small sweet onion, diced
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 tablespoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons minced garlic
10-12 ounce package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
handful (or two) of cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup chicken broth (or water)

directions

  • cook the spaghetti squash (wash the skin off first). I usually just microwave it…in 5 minute increments ‘til the outside is softened and a sharp knife easily pierces the skin. (there are a number of other methods, click this link for some suggestions.) when done, set aside ’til cool enough for you to scoop it out
  • in a large saute pan, add 1 T of the oil and heat over medium heat
    add the ground chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes; remove from pan and set aside…season w/s&p
  • add the diced onion to the pan (and additional 1 tsp of oil, if necessary); 2015-09-14 20.15.50saute for 5 minutes or so
  • reduce heat and then add the seasonings and the garlic; continue to cook, stirring constantly, for another 3-4 minutes to allow flavors to blend together
  • then add the spinach, halved tomatoes, and peas; stir to combine.  pour broth evenly over top; cover the pan and simmer ‘til broth has been absorbed (just a few minutes).
  • meanwhile, using a fork, scrape out strands of spaghetti squash; season well with some additional s&p.  pile up in serving bowl to make a nest of the ‘noodles’; top with meat mixture (NOTE: if spaghetti squash has gotten cold, place in a small saute pan along with a pat of butter and gently heat)

♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥

God loves you!  ♥  (Don’t ever forget that!)

♥  coleen

Quinoa-Sausage Stuffed Zucchini

{hu·mon·gous}
(h)yo͞oˈmäNGɡəs,-ˈməNG-/
huge; enormous; extraordinarily large

Yup…that describes the two zucchini that have been (literally)  hanging out on our kitchen counter for a while now.  What to do…what to do…what to do with them; I think I have asked myself this almost every day for a week.  So, this is what I did.

2015-09-05 20.14.08

Quinoa-Sausage Stuffed Zucchini

And they were sooo yummy!  They made a complete meal.  I think that this ‘stuffing’ mixture would work equally well in any number of ways: in portobello mushroom caps, in stuffed peppers, in acorn squash.  Anything else you can think of?  (I’d love to hear your suggestions in the comments below!)

Here’s the other thing about this recipe (besides fitting perfectly into our healthy but oh-so-yummy POV!) — really quick and so easy!   Enjoy!

ingredients:

1/2 cup quinoa
1 cup water
1 humongous (or 2 medium) zucchini
1/4 teaspoon (each) sea salt, freshly ground pepper
1/2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
12-16 ounces italian seasoned chicken sausage (sweet or hot)
1 small red onion, diced
2 tablespoons of minced garlic
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
1 cup halved grape or cherry tomatoes
4 tablespoons (or more) shredded mozzarella or Monterey Jack cheese
2 tablespoons freshly grated Asiago (or Parmesan) cheese

directions:

  • get the quinoa going right away (cook according to package directions)
  • cut the humongous zucchini in half lengthwise (if needed, cut a thin slice off the bottom to get them to sit firmly);  scoop out the pulp, leaving a 1/4″ shell
  • put the zucchini boats on a microwave safe plate, season with s&p, and microwave on high for 3-4 minutes, ’til just tender.  place the zucchini onto a broiler-safe pan
  • chop the scooped out zucchini into 1/2″-sized chunks; set aside
  • heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat
  • add the sausage, onion, and zucchini chunks; cook for about 5-6 minutes (’til there’s no pink left), breaking the sausage into bits as it cooks
  • reduce heat to low; add the garlic stirring constantly for 1 minute
  • toss in the tomatoes and marjoram; stir to combine and turn the heat off
  • preheat the broiler of your oven and place a rack in the top position
  • (when quinoa is done) combine with the sausage-veggie mixture
  • scoop into the zucchini boats and sprinkle with the mozz or monterey jack
  • place under broiler ’til the cheese is melted, 1-2 minutes
  • plate and sprinkle the grated Asiago or Parm over top

♥   ♥   ♥   ♥   ♥

God loves you!  ♥  (Please don’t ever forget that!)

♥  coleen

Pesto Chicken Broccoli

Look what someone who loves me gave me today…oh! happy me!

2014-08-07 17.34.47

My daughter, Kassia, lovingly gifted me with a jar of her healthy but-oh-so-yummy pesto (and luscious balsamic reduction)!  This is precious stuff…what to make, what to make?  Eventually, I just decided to keep it simple: I took a couple of tablespoons to marinate one pound of chicken tenderloins, which we then grilled. Then cooked up some gluten free pasta, steamed a head of broccoli, and sauteed some mushrooms and onions.  And combined it all together with an additional few tablespoons of pesto.  So yummy!

Kassia graciously is sharing her pesto recipe with us today…. This recipe is vegan and dairy-free (along with being intrinsically gluten free, soy free). Her secret ingredient?  Nutritional yeast.  Yup! Don’t knock it ‘til you try it! (Oh, speaking of trying it…dust your freshly popped popcorn with it!) Here’s a fun link loaded with lots of good info about nutritional yeast, or noosh, and some ideas where to purchase it.  As is, this recipe is dairy-free and vegan.  We topped off the finished dish with some freshly grated Asaiago cheese.  Enjoy!

Pesto

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ingredients:
1/4 cup pignoli (also called pine nuts)2014-08-10 17.47.41
1 tablespoon finely minced garlic (she uses jarred garlic, like her momma!)
2 cups fresh baby spinach
1 cup fresh basil (leaves only)
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast flakes
juice of 1/2 small lemon
1/4 cup+/- extra virgin olive oil
sea salt, freshly ground black pepper
freshly grated parmesan or asiago cheese, optional

 

directions:

  • in a food processor, process the pignoli  and garlic until minced
  • add the spinach, basil, nutritional yeast and lemon juice; process by pulsing until spinach is finely ground
  • with food processor running, s-l-o-w-l-y pour the oil down the food chute ‘til all is well incorporated
  • season with salt and pepper, to taste
  • this will make approximately 3/4 cup (about 12 tablespoons) of pesto. I only used 5 tablespoons in the entire dish pictured above which made 4 generous servings!

♥   ♥   ♥   ♥   ♥

God loves you!  ♥  (Please don’t ever forget that!)

♥  coleen

Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

It has been quite some time since a packet of that kind of famous ‘Ranch Dressing and Dip Mix’ has been in my pantry!  We have been pursuing this healthy but oh-so-yummy POV for about 3 years now.  But it took a little while ’til I realized that there were quite a few additives in that little packet.  (Have you looked at the list of ingredients?  I suggest you do.)  Nowadays I read the ingredient list as well as the nutrition label on every food item I purchase.

However, there is one person in our little household of 2 who simply loves Ranch Dressing.  He enjoys it on salad, of course, but also as a dip…and as a baked potato topping and as a spread on deli sandwiches.  So I continued to try to find (and purchase!) bottles of prepared dressing that were “better.”  But I have only found 2 that are on the ‘healthier’ end…and they are so expensive!  So I did a tiny bit of research…really less than an hour or so…and found that, for less $ and hardly any time, I could mix up a batch that IS healthy but oh-so-yummy!  happy me…happy hubby!

I suggest you give this a try!  Three tablespoons of this mix = 1 packet of store-bought “ranch dressing” seasoning mix.   Also, click here for a great list of ideas/recipes using Ranch Dressing/Dip!

Down below is a recipe using this mix to make Avocado Ranch dressing…really, really delicious!  And made with only two tablespoons of mayo (or, as I make it, with NO mayo)! Enjoy!

Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing/Dip Mix

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ingredients:

1/2 cup dry buttermilk powder
2 tablespoons dried parsley + 1 teaspoon extra
1 teaspoon dried dill + 1/2 teaspoon extra
2 teaspoons garlic powder or ground garlic flakes
2 teaspoons onion powder2015-08-24 17.08.11
2 teaspoons dried onion bits
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon dried chives
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/8-1/4 teaspoons cayenne (optional)

 

directions:

  • for a finely-ground mix, pulse the mixture in a food processor until it is a uniform consistency
  • stir in the extra parsley and dill for texture (or simply whisk all ingredients together until blended)
  • store in a small airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 months

Avocado Ranch Dressing

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ingredients:

3 tablespoons homemade ranch dressing mix
1 ripe avocado (peeled and pitted) *KEEP the pit*
1/4 cup 0% fat Greek Yogurt
2 tablespoons mayonnaise (optional)
juice of half a lemon
2 teaspoons white balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4-1/2 cup milk or buttermilk (add milk to adjust consistency)

directions:

  • in a blender or food processor, combine first 6 ingredients; blend until semi-smooth
  • then, in a slow stream, pour in olive oil continuing to blend together
  • then add 1/4 cup of milk or buttermilk (adding more if needed) ‘til desired consistency is reached
  • store in an airtight container in fridge ‘til ready to serve **place the pit into the container, too**
  • stays fresh about 4-5 days in an airtight container

Broccoli Salad

Summertime get-togethers…how many have you gone to or hosted this summer?  This past weekend we celebrated the 80th birthday of my dad, Jack McElroy—{4 great-grandchildren, 10 grandchildren, 4 daughters, 3 sons-in-law, our stepmom, and a few others who love him}.  Our family loves to pitch in and all contribute to the meal.  But this Broccoli-Craisin Salad always seems to be requested.

Recently, I have tweaked the recipe to include (or NOT include) about half of the mayonnaise I originally have made this with and I <shhhh! not everyone knows!> substituted plain Greek yogurt.  It worked amazingly well…and lowered the calories/fat grams by approximately 650 calories (yes, you read that correctly) and 80 grams of fat.  And added a significant hit (about 10-11 grams) of healthy protein.  And, honestly, you could even further reduce the mayo/increase the yogurt because of all the flavor variations in this salad.

This is a beautiful raw salad, a very healthy but oh-so-yummy addition to the array of delicious salads on the picnic table.  It has a slightly smoky (from the bacon), slightly sweet (from the Craisins and honey), slightly tart (from the vinegar), very mellow taste.  I have had MANY supposed broccoli haters be prompted to try just one tiny taste…only to find they enjoy it and come back for more!  We enjoy this salad all year long!  Hoping that your family enjoys it, too!

Broccoli Salad

ingredients:

2 heads broccoli crowns, cut into tiny florets
1/2 pkg Craisins (dried cranberries)
6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled, optional
1/2 red onion, very thinly sliced
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2  cup plain Greek yogurt
3-4 tablespoons honey, warmed
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 cup roasted/salted sunflower seeds
freshly ground pepper

directions:

  • in a small bowl, stir together mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, honey, and vinegar; set aside
  • in a large bowl, combine first 4 ingredients. take liquid mixture and pour over broccoli mixture, tossing gently <go ahead!  use your hands!> to thoroughly coat and massage that  broccoli
  • pour the dressed mixture into a large zip-top bag to go into the fridge.  every once in a while, give the bag a flip-over and a couple of squeezes to spread the yumminess all around
  • when ready to go onto the table, pour the salad out into a serving bowl and top with sunflower seeds and a generous amount of freshly ground pepper.
  • easy-peasy!

notes:

–  definitely prepare this at least 4 hours beforehand…up to 24 hours or so

–   the biggest hint I can offer to you for this salad is to cut the broccoli florets as small as you possibly can.  consider this a ‘labor of love’ and, oh, so worth it!  this will make it  MUCH more palatable to have little florets in your mouth as you munch on this salad rather than a big chunk of broccoli!  and the chopping can be done ahead of time, even a day or so, and simply stored in the fridge.  honestly, i have been known to sit in front of the television while doing it!  😉

♥     ♥     ♥     ♥     ♥

God loves you!    (Please don’t ever forget that!)

♥  coleen

Mango Lassi

This past weekend, my sister and niece were visiting from Minnesota <happy me!>.  On Sunday, rather than cooking another meal together, we decided to treat ourselves to some yummy Indian take-out…yup!  (Actually, Amy “treated” us all!)

So I wanted to add a couple of special beverages and decided on these lovely shakes and a big pitcher of iced sweet&spicy chai tea.  They turned out to add just that extra touch to our smorgasbord (I know, I know…crossing cultures here!) of delightful Indian curries, chickpea salad, lovely appetizers…and, of course, a pile of naan to scoop it all together!  According to Wikipedia, a lassi is a traditional, yogurt-based drink and is popular in India.

Whether you enjoy this beverage to cool yourself on a hot summer’s day or, as we did, to accompany some hot & spicy Indian food—this is refreshing and delicious.  And it fits perfectly into our POV—healthy but oh-so-yummy!  I used a few ripe mangoes as the base for ours, but this would be equally delightful prepared with strawberries, or papaya, or bananas!  Enjoy!

2015-08-10 16.29.24

Mango Lassi

(this makes enough for (4) four tall glassfuls)

ingredients:

2 large mangoes, pitted&peeled – cut into chunks (about 2 cups)
8 ounces plain Greek yogurt
1/2 cup sweetened almond milk (or regular milk)
2 tablespoons honey
dash or two of ground cardamom
1 cup ice cubes

directions:

  • place mango and milk into blender; puree
  • add balance of ingredients; blend thoroughly ’til ice is crushed and all is frothy

♥     ♥     ♥     ♥     ♥

God loves you!  ♥  (Don’t ever forget that!)

♥  coleen

Shrimp, Pasta and Veggies

During the summer months, I like to have a few healthy but oh-so-yummy meals in the rotation that are quick to prepare, don’t heat up the kitchen (and the cook!), but are still delicious and satisfying.  You, too?  I find the easiest way to accomplish this is to keep the ingredients on hand for these few meals.

This recipe is a good example.  The frozen shrimp is a standard in our freezer (oh…the possibilities!).  Mushrooms and onions are always on hand, too…and any fresh green veggie (broccoli, for example) would work well, too.  Everything else is pretty much a pantry staple.  Be sure to generously season this dish as you go along…and taste just before serving to add more, if needed.  Enjoy!

Shrimp, Pasta and Veggies

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ingredients:

2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons butter, divided
1# large raw shrimp, peeled and cleaned
lemon pepper seasoning
10 ounces mushrooms, sliced
1 small sweet onion, chopped
1 medium zucchini, sliced in half lengthwise, then into half moons
2 tablespoons minced garlic, I use jarred
1-1/4 cups chicken broth (I subbed in white wine for 1/4 of broth)
8 ounces dry spaghetti
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup packed basil, chopped (or 2 teaspoons dried basil)
juice from 1/2 lemon

directions:

  • heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat
  • pat shrimp dry then season on both sides with lemon pepper seasoning
  • add to pan,  saute until pink on both sides and just barely cooked through, less than 2 minutes per side; set aside in a separate bowl
  • add remaining tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter to pan along with mushrooms and onions.  saute ‘til mushrooms are golden brown, 7-8 minutes; then add zucchini and cook ‘til veggies are just turning tender
  • add garlic and season with additional lemon pepper seasoning; stir continually for about 1 minute ‘til garlic is aromatic
  • pour in chicken broth then turn heat up to high and boil ‘til broth has reduced by approximately 1/2
  • meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil; add spaghetti and cook according to package direction ’til just al dente (spaghetti will cook a bit more in the sauce). drain and set aside
  • once broth has reduced, turn heat to medium low; then add basil, lemon juice, and remaining 1 tablespoon butter; stir to combine
  • add pasta and veggies to sauce;  toss to coat the pasta w/ sauce and distribute veggies
  • finally add shrimp and parmesan cheese; toss ‘til combined

♥     ♥     ♥     ♥     ♥

God loves you!  ♥  (Don’t ever forget that!)

♥  coleen

Garlicky Green Beans and Pignoli

Who has memories of sitting with their gramma or favorite aunt and snapping green beans?  Such a simple, enjoyable way to accomplish a task that takes time AND have a great conversation.  Oh, and the end result? A big pile of fresh veggies just waiting to be prepared in the simplest of ways.  And truly it didn’t matter whether they were boiled or steamed or roasted (or microwaved…!), they were DELISH!!!  Just remember—only snap the stem end NOT the end with the little tail!  😉

The recipe I am sharing today uses a pile of green beans which have been steamed for just a few minutes. Click here  for a few ways to steam any veggies.  Meanwhile a simple sauce (yet VERY flavorful!) is prepared.  This sauce could also top any variety of fresh veggies…perhaps some broccoli or zucchini or carrots, even. And it all fits nicely within our healthy but oh-so-yummy POV, too! Enjoy!

2015-06-16 19.12.19

Garlicky Green Beans with Pignolis

ingredients:
1# fresh green beans, snapped and rinsed
2 tablespoons butter (or a combo of butter and olive oil)
2 (or more) tablespoons finely minced garlic (I used jarred)
2 ounces pignoli (pine nuts)
sea salt, freshly ground pepper (I used a lemon-pepper blend)
zest and juice of 1 small lemon (optional)

directions:

  • steam the prepped green beans in the manner of your choice
  • in a large skillet, melt the butter/olive oil over a medium-low heat
  • add the garlic and pignoli stirring constantly for 2-3 minutes making sure they do not burn; remove from heat
  • add the cooked, drained green beans and toss together along with a generous amount of salt & pepper (and the optional lemon, if using)

♥   ♥   ♥   ♥   ♥

God loves you!  ♥  (Don’t ever forget that!)

  coleen

Shrimp and Broccoli

Probably most of us have a favorite Chinese takeout dish…yes?  For me, when done well, it is Shrimp and Broccoli.  Not too spicy but garlic-y…with tender shrimp and broccoli with a bit of crunch (that’s my style).  But often I find a dish like this is just as easy to prepare at home. AND less expensive.

This fits so well into our healthy but oh-so-yummy POV!  It is full of fresh veggies, the shrimp is high protein, and the whole dish has around 300-350 calories!  Here’s the recipe we enjoy…and I would love to hear about your favorite takeout!

2015-07-13 19.37.35

Shrimp and Broccoli

ingredients:

1/4 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/3 cup chicken or vegetable broth
1/8 (or more) teaspoon crushed red pepper, optional
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and cleaned
1 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning
1 large head broccoli crowns, cut into florets
1-2 tablespoons coconut oil, divided
1 medium sweet onion, cut into wedges
big handful fresh sugar snaps or snow pea pods, optional
handful of baby carrots, optional
1 tablespoon minced  ginger (I use jarred)
toppings: 1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds, 1/4 cup sliced green onions
directions:
  • in a small bowl, whisk together the rice vinegar, soy sauce, honey, cornstarch, sesame oil, and broth; set aside
  • season the shrimp with 1 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning; set aside
  • prep all veggies: cut onion into small wedges, carrots in half length-wise, pea pods in half if necessary
  • steam broccoli for 5 minutes; remove from steamer and set aside
  • heat 1/2  tablespoon of coconut oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat
  • add the shrimp and cook, turning once, ’til just pink and slightly browned (4 minutes  or so); remove from pan, set aside
  • add another tablespoon of coconut oil to the pan, along with the carrots and onion; stir fry for 5 minutes or so allowing to brown just a bit
  • toss in the sugar snaps and garlic, and stir gently for 1-2 minutes
  • toss in the steamed broccoli
  • give a quick stir to the sauce mixture and pour into the pan; stir thoroughly but gently to coat all the veggies
  • add in the cooked shrimp while continuing to stir ’til the sauce is thickened (another minute or so)
  • remove from heat; scatter the optional toppings across the entire dish
  • serve with cooked quinoa or rice

    ♥   ♥   ♥   ♥   ♥

    God loves you!  ♥  (Don’t ever forget that!)

    ♥  coleen

GF Strawberry Muffins

2014-04-03 11.47.32

So, I don’t know about your area, but we have had strawberries in abundance here in upstate NY…and they have been beautiful and fragrant and delicious!  My granddaughter, Kaylie Joy, just LOVES strawberries!  I had made a batch of these muffins and when she tasted one, she asked if we could bake some together…how could i say ‘no’?!  We actually doubled the ingredients and it worked very well. And we baked them up as a dozen standard size muffins and 3 dozen mini-muffins.  In either size, they baked beautifully!

kayliemuffins
This recipe (adapted from a similar one over at the Spunky Coconut – one of my very favorite gluten free, refined sugar free blogger/bakers) fits well into our healthy but-oh-so-yummy point of view:

  • uses honey or agave nectar and liquid stevia rather than refined white sugar
  • are gluten free with protein-rich almond flour and a bit of brown rice flour replacing wheat flour

Strawberry Muffins

2014-04-04 14.56.51

ingredients:
2 cups almond flour
1/2 cup brown rice flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon finely ground sea salt
1 cup fresh strawberries
1/2 cup coconut oil, liquified
1/3 cup honey or agave nectar
6-8 drops vanilla liquid stevia
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 large eggs, at room temperature

directions:

  • preheat oven to 350
  • line muffin cups with paper liners
  • wash and dry strawberries; chop finely (not mushed, but small)
  • sift together the dry ingredients; set aside
  • pour liquified coconut oil, sweeteners, and extract into bowl
  • using electric mixer, beat for one minute, then add eggs one at a time
  • slowly add dry ingredients, beating just ’til thoroughly combined
  • by hand, gently fold in finely-chopped strawberries
  • scoop into muffin cups, filling almost to brim
  • bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes
  • immediately remove from muffin pan onto cooling rack; allow to completely cool

tip: Coconut oil needs to liquify in order to be blended into a batter. Depending on the time of year (summer..no problem; winter…a problem) you might need to warm it up. You could either scoop out the required amount of coconut oil and place it in a glass measuring cup on your stovetop as the oven preheats. Or it can be microwaved for approximately 30+ seconds (depending on the quantity you need) and then stirred. Either way, add it into your mixing bowl and combine with other liquid ingredients prior to adding room temperature eggs.

♥   ♥   ♥   ♥   ♥

God loves you!  ♥  (Don’t ever forget that!)

♥  coleen