Marinated Grilled Tuna Steak

3 (4 ounce) fresh tuna steaks

Ground black pepper (to taste)

Marinade:
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon lemon juice or 1 tablespoon lime juice
3 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
3 fresh garlic cloves, minced

In a bowl combine all marinade ingredients until well blended. Place the tuna steaks into a Ziploc bag. Pour the marinade over the tuna steaks & turn to coat.

Refrigerate for an hour at the minimum or overnight if you have the time. Preheat the grill to medium high heat. Oil the grill grate. Remove the steaks from marinade (discard any marinade) & place on a plate. Season lightly with freshly ground black pepper on both sides. Let sit at room temp (as I do with anything about to be grilled or put in oven) for ½ hour. We grill our steaks for 2 min per side for a little rare in the middle. Cook longer if you like yours more well done.

Healthy Garden Salad

·         5 tablespoons red wine vinegar

·         3 tablespoons grapeseed oil (or olive oil)

·         1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

·         2 limes, juiced

·         1 teaspoon white sugar

·         Salt & pepper

·         2 cloves garlic, minced (or garlic powder)

·         1 (1 pound) package frozen shelled edamame (green soybeans)

·         3 cups frozen corn kernels ( I used corn fresh off the cob)

·         1 pint grape tomatoes, halved

·         4 scallions, thinly sliced

·         1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed & drained

In a large serving bowl, whisk together the red wine vinegar, grapeseed oil, cilantro, lime juice, sugar, salt, pepper & garlic. Set aside.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the soybeans & boil for 3 minutes. Add corn to the boiling water & continue cooking for 1 more minute. Drain very well & pour into the bowl with the dressing. Gently mix in the cherry tomatoes, green onions & black beans. 

Cover & refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving to chill & blend the flavors.

Turkey Burgers

Makes 6 Burgers

1.25 lb. ground turkey

6 halves sun dried tomatoes, diced

1 medium red onion, diced

2 oz. spinach, chopped (I used a good handful fresh)

¼ cup crumbled feta

2 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp garlic powder

1 lg. egg 

Salt & Pepper

7 oz. plain greek yogurt

1 medium fresh lemon

¼ tsp minced garlic

¼ tsp dried dill

Prepare the yogurt sauce by combining the yogurt, ¼ tsp minced garlic, dry dill, juice of half the lemon and a dash of salt. Stir everything to combine & then refrigerate to allow the flavors to blend while you make the burgers.

In a bowl combine the ground turkey with the spinach, sun dried tomatoes, red onion, feta, garlic, dried oregano, egg, salt and pepper to taste. Stir everything until it is evenly combined. Shape the mixture into six patties. Freeze patties until they are firm so they don't fall apart on grill. Grill for 5 minutes on each side on medium heat. Serve with Arnold thin & yogurt sauce.

Grilled Asian Glazed Salmon

Fresh salmon with or without skin, 3-4 servings

1 tblsp Dijon mustard

3 tblsp reduced sodium soy sauce

3 tblsp olive oil

1 tblsp sesame oil

1 tblsp rice wine vinegar

3 tblsp + 2 tblsp sweet Asian chile sauce, divided

A swirl or two of Sriracha, depending on your heat preference

Garlic powder

Ginger powder

Mix all ingredients together except salmon. Taste it to see if there is anything you like more of. This seemed like a perfect combo for us. It also works if you don’t have Sriracha or the rice wine vinegar. The point is this should be an easy throw together with what you have in the house. Important thing to remember is you want a little zing, a little spice and a little sweetness. As for the garlic and ginger, I just throw everything together then sprinkle a very good amount of both. If I had to guess, it’s about 2 tsp of each.

Pour 3/4 of the marinade over salmon in a Ziploc bag, reserving a small amount to glaze salmon after it’s done. Let it marinate at a minimum of 20 minutes at room temp. Pre-heat grill with a smaller grill rack on it. The rack not only keeps the salmon from falling through the main grill grates but I find it protects the salmon from getting burnt . Add a couple more tablespoons of sweet Asian chile sauce to the reserved marinade.

Spray non stick spray on the grill rack. Place the salmon on the rack and grill for about 4 minutes. Depending on the thickness, it’s about 8 min for an inch thick. Use a large spatula to flip carefully. Grill for 4 more minutes. Brush the reserved glaze over the salmon.

Chicken Pasta Primavera in a White Wine Garlic Cream Sauce

Inspired by a meal the hubs had while traveling out of town, of all places, a Hilton Garden Inn. After explaining what he had I put together this creation and he loved it. 

{Click Here to Print Recipe}

1 lb skinless boneless chicken breasts

Salt

Pepper

Garlic Powder

Italian Seasoning

Olive oil

3-4 garlic cloves, minced

8oz pkg sliced mushrooms

1 orange bell pepper, sliced thin

1 small Vidalia onion, sliced thin

White wine, such as Chardonnay, 500ml, about 3 glasses.

½ can of low sodium chicken broth

1 tblsp cornstarch mixed with about ¼ c water

A few bunches of fresh spinach, sliced

1 lb of fettucine or favorite pasta

Splash of cream (a little less then 1/4 c)

Fresh parmesan cheese

Shaved almonds (for garnish, optional)

Place chicken between 2 pieces of wax paper. With a mallet, flatten out chicken just to uniform thickness. This helps the chicken cook evenly as well as come out tender. Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder & Italian seasoning. Let sit at room temp for ½ hour (my number one rule when cooking or grilling any meat).

Heat up water to boil for the pasta so you don’t have to at last minute. Heat a little olive oil in large sauté pan. Heat garlic until fragrant. Add the vegetables except for spinach and sauté until tender, about 8-10 minutes. Remove & set aside. Heat a little more olive oil in same pan. Add chicken breasts & cook over medium high heat for about 5 minutes per side. Set aside on plate to rest so all juices return to center.

Your pasta should be up to a boil now.

Your pan should be nice & brown. This is when you deglaze the pan to get up all that goodness. Pour in the wine & chicken broth & scrape up all the brown bits. Heat to a boil.  Meanwhile, slice the chicken on a thin slant.

Whisk the cornstarch mixture into the wine broth mixture & let it continue to boil for a minute or two. This is to thicken liquid just a little although this is not a very thick sauce. Add the cream, salt & pepper to taste. Add in the veggies, sliced chicken & spinach. Allow to heat through for a minute. Lower heat and add your pasta. Toss until thoroughly coated. Add some fresh parmesan cheese.

Garnish with shaved almonds and serve with more parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes.

Food for Thought

Use any pasta you'd like. Our fav for this dish is fettucine. Also, feel free to use the frozen pkg of bell peppers & onions for the veggies. This includes green & red pepper. You can add a little butter to the sauce to make it a little richer. It just depends on how healthy you want to keep it. I omitted the butter and it was just as good. This dish is even better the next day!

Braised Paprika Chicken

Healthier dinners like the one below have helped me keep a good attitude along with doing the treadmill in the early morning. With sour cream being the only naughty ingredient, I get a satisfying meal but without the guilt. And I love how the sour cream helps to make the sauce a light but creamy one!

I have also become such a huge fan of the sweet Hungarian paprika in this dish, thanks to my amazing blogger turned real life friend Kacey. I am even visiting her & her family for the first time in just a few weeks. She once sent me a recipe where I needed to have this kind & only this kind of paprika. So don't skimp on it. It's worth it!!!!!

I re-wrote the recipe here since I made quite a few changes to this dish, making it lighter & faster by skipping the butter & using boneless chicken tenders instead of bone in chicken pieces, thereby cutting the cooking time in half.

BRAISED PAPRIKA CHICKEN  Adapted from Eating Well         

{ Printable Recipe Here }

1 1/2-2 lbs boneless chicken tenders

3/4 tsp coarse salt, divided

1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
2 tblsp olive oil
1 chopped red bell pepper
1 chopped green bell pepper
Pinch of sugar
16 oz pkg mushrooms
2 tblsp tomato paste
2 tblsp sweet paprika
1 tsp crushed red pepper
1 tsp dried marjoram
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1 tblsp all-purpose flour
Dried parsley for garnish

S eason chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt & pepper. Heat oil in a large heavy pan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add bell peppers, mushrooms & sprinkle with sugar. Cook, stirring frequently, until the veggies are soft & light brown. Stir in tomato paste, paprika & crushed red pepper.

A dd the chicken & stir it gently into the veggie mixture. Sprinkle with marjoram & add broth. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid or foil & simmer over medium-low heat until the chicken is very tender, about 20 minutes.

A t the 15 min mark, just before the chicken is done, whisk sour cream, flour & the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small bowl until smooth. Stir the sour cream mixture into the sauce; return to a simmer & cook, stirring, until the sauce coats the spoon. This will make the 20 minutes cooking time for the chicken. Serve garnished with parsley, dill and/or chives, if desired.

{ Food for Thought }

The original recipe called for 3 1/2 lbs of bone in chicken pieces, Canola oil instead of olive oil, the addition of butter & 4 cups of onions. I love onions but they bother some people in the family so I took them out altogether & have been since. I also upped the bell peppers & added mushrooms.

A little thought: recipes call for diced veggies often but in dishes like this I love to actually see the veggies so I just do a rough chop. It looks pretty & it saves on time!!!!!!

Chicken Piccata - Healthy Makeover

Hello everyone & Happy Friday!!!!!!!!!!! And I am definitely happy today, especially after a few days of going on the treadmill in the early morning before work. It's a perfect way to start the day on a good note.

It's been a while since I have done a Not So Fat Friday. If you look at my side categories on the right you'll see there are plenty more healthy recipes under this name. However, I do need to re-label as Recipes - Not So Fat Fridays but for now just go to the N's for Not So Fat Friday.

This dish was so light, fresh & just a little lemony & perfectly filling & I love having my whole grain pasta without the guilt.

CHICKEN PICCATA - HEALTHY MAKEOVER from Eating Well

{ Click for Printable Recipe }

6 oz whole grain angel hair pasta
1/3 cup all-purpose flour, divided
2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/2 tsp salt, divided
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
4 chicken cutlets, (3/4-1 pound total), trimmed
3 tsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 10-oz pkg mushrooms, sliced
3 large cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup white wine
2 tblsp lemon juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tblsp capers, rinsed
2 tsp butter (optional)

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add pasta & cook until just tender, 4 to 6 minutes or according to package directions. Drain & rinse.

Meanwhile, whisk 5 teaspoons flour & broth in a small bowl until smooth. Place the remaining flour in a shallow dish. Season chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt & pepper & dredge both sides in the flour. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken & cook until browned & no longer pink in the middle, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate; cover & keep warm.

Heat the remaining 1 teaspoon oil in the pan over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms & cook, stirring, until they release their juices & begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Add garlic & wine to the pan & cook until reduced by half, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the reserved broth-flour mixture, lemon juice & the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bring to a simmer & cook, stirring, until the sauce is thickened, about 5 minutes.

Stir in parsley, capers, butter & the reserved mushrooms. Measure out 1/2 cup of the mushroom sauce. Toss the pasta in the pan with the remaining sauce. Serve the pasta topped with the chicken and the reserved sauce.

{ Food for Thought }

Although I've never been a caper fan I loved them in this dish. I had them in the pantry so I wanted to use them up. If you don't want to go that route then this dish would be just as good without. I also didn't bother measuring out the sauce at the end. I just put the chicken back in with the sauce to warm through & served it all over the pasta on a large serving platter.

~ ~ ~      ~ ~ ~      ~ ~ ~

I will definitely be getting around today & the next few days to catch up. I hope everyone has a fantastic weekend!!!!!

Coming soon: a Banana Nutella Open Galette I recently created.

Roasted Vegetable & Mozzarella Panini

Tis the season I get energized & motivated, invigorated by the cooler weather. With Autumn comes the desire to be my best self so that I can truly enjoy everything around me, all the goodness that happens these last 3 months of the year.

Turning another year older & wanting to embrace it rather than regret ~ Brisk mornings in the park with a cup of coffee ~ Reading in the sun while feeling a cool breeze ~ And of course, the sights & smells of the holidays!!!!!!

So with all that goodness, here's some more.

ROASTED VEGETAGLE & MOZZARELLA PANINI

Bread of your choice
1 tblsp Balsamic vinegar
2 tblsp Olive oil
Salt & Pepper
Garlic powder
1 red pepper, quartered
½ Onion, sliced thick
1 zucchini, cut in half then lengthwise into 1/4" slices
Pesto purchased (optional)
Fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
8 Fresh basil leaves

Pre-heat oven to 400. Combine balsamic, oil, salt, pepper & garlic powder. Brush over vegetables & roast for 10-15 minutes, turning over halfway through cooking time.


Meanwhile, prepare your sandwich. Spread slices of bread with a little prepared pesto. Layer with mozzarella, 3-4 basil leaves, roasted veggies & then a little more cheese. Top with bread.




Using either a pan on stovetop, a George Foreman grill or panini maker, grill sandwich until golden brown on both sides & cheese is melted & slightly oozing out.


I used a dry pan & heated the sandwich over medium heat for about 3 minutes on one side, carefully flipping using a plate, then heating on the second side for about 1 1/2 minutes. Makes 2 sandwiches.


{Food for Thought}

I used a multi grain bread fresh from the bakery but any bread cut into thick slices will work, especially sourdough. If you have leftover oil/vinegar mixture you can brush some on the bread, just don't use too much as you don't want the bread to become soggy. Eggplant & tomatoes would work wonderfully too in a combo of veggies.

Click Here to Print Recipe

And because it's Fall & that means apple picking, take a look at these sweet & savory beauties I posted last year:

Visit here for some Grilled Apples with Cheddar & Bacon
& Apple Thyme Martinis.

This post is my Not So Fat Friday & links to Momtrends Friday Food.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Shrimp & Bean Packets

Welcome to another edition of Not So Fat Fridays. I clipped this recipe from my Better Homes & Gardens & knew I wanted to make it sooner than later. While the name isn't exciting, it made for a delicious & quick weeknight dinner tonight & one I will definitely be making again. It filled my tummy & fulfilled me completely!!! All the flavors just came together so beautifully for a simple & healthy meal. 

1 1/4 lb. medium fresh or frozen shrimp
1 15oz can cannellini beans, rinsed & drained
1 large fresh tomato, thinly sliced
1/4 cup sliced green onions
1/4 cup chicken broth
1 tsp. finely shredded lemon peel
1 tblsp lemon juice
1 tsp olive oil (I omitted this)
1 tsp Old Bay or seafood seasoning
4 slices country style bread, toasted
Fresh basil and/or shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)

Thaw shrimp if frozen. Peel & devein shrimp; set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Fold four 24x18-inch sheets of heavy-duty foil in half. On center of foil, evenly divide beans, tomatoes, shrimp & onions. Drizzle with broth, juice & oil. Sprinkle seasoning, lemon peel & black pepper.

Allowing room for steam to build, fold together narrow ends of foil; seal with double-fold. Place packets on baking sheet. Bake 20 minutes or until shrimp are opaque. Carefully open packets. Serve with bread. Top with basil & Parmesan. Makes 4 servings.

~ Nutrition facts: Calories 335, Total Fat (g) 5, Saturated Fat (g) 1 ~

{My Thoughts}

Instead of country style bread I wanted to go even lighter so I took one slice of whole wheat bread, brushed it with the little olive oil I passed on in the dish, sprinkled it with a little salt & pepper, a lot of garlic powder & a bit of Tuscan spice blend (optional) & then broiled it under low 6 inches from the heat for less than 2 1/2 minutes. I didn't miss the fat laden garlic bread at all. I also used roasted garlic chicken broth for a little added flavor to the packets.

{Click Here to Print Recipe}

Have a great weekend everyone. No plans here except visiting you & making up for the last 2 weeks of no shows!!!!!!

Walnut-Crusted Chicken Cutlets with White Bean Mash

You didn't think I'd miss Not So Fat Fridays two weeks in a row, didja? I thought I would make my absence up to you with not only a wonderful main dish but a side one as well. This was super easy to make on a week night & we really enjoyed it. 

What I love about the chicken is that it is only breaded on one side. As for the white bean mash, it's such a wonderful healthy alternative to mashed potatoes & just simply delicious.

WALNUT-CRUSTED CHICKEN CUTLETS

Olive oil nonstick cooking spray
1/2 cup panko (Japanese-style bread crumbs)
1/8 tsp ground red pepper (cayenne)
Salt & pepper
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted & cooled
1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves, loosely packed
1 large egg white
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 1/2 lbs chicken-breast cutlets, thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 450°F. Place rack in 15 1/2" by 10 1/2" jelly-roll pan; spray pan & rack with cooking spray. On large dinner plate, combine panko, ground red pepper, 1/2 teaspoon salt & 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. In food processor with knife blade attached, blend walnuts & parsley until nuts are finely chopped; toss with panko mixture until well blended. Set aside.

In pie plate, whisk egg white and Dijon until well mixed. One at a time, dip 1 side of each cutlet in egg-white mixture, then into walnut mixture to coat side evenly; press firmly so mixture adheres. Arrange chicken on rack in jelly-roll pan, coated side up; lightly spray with cooking spray.

Bake chicken 10 to 12 minutes or until topping is golden-brown & chicken is no longer pink throughout.

{Click Here to Print Recipe}

WHITE BEAN MASH

In saucepan cook 2 cloves minced garlic in 1 tblsp hot olive oil for 1 minute. Stir in two 15oz cans white beans, rinsed & drained. Coarsely mash. Stir in chicken broth to moisten beans (up to 1/4 cup). Stir in 1/2 tsp crushed dried thyme & 1 tsp lemon juice. Season to taste; heat through. Makes 4 servings.

{Click Here to Print Recipe}

Have a wonderful weekend everyone! I will be catching up & seeing you shortly!!!!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!!!

Arroz Con Pollo

Hey all, hope everyone had a great weekend. Mine was a perfect balance between relaxation & productivity. This post was meant for my Not So Fat Friday but I just couldn't find the time to post so my apologies. Hopefully, I can make it up to you right now with some deliciousness. 

1 tblsp olive oil
4 chicken thighs
4 chicken drumsticks
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
2 oz smoked ham, cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 small onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 3/4 cup(s) canned tomatoes, drained & chopped
1 tblsp tomato paste
2 cups canned low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup rice, preferably long-grain
2 tblsp chopped fresh parsley

In a large, deep frying pan, heat the oil over moderately high heat. Season the chicken with 1/4 tsp each of the salt & pepper. Cook the chicken, turning, until well browned, about 8 minutes in all. Remove. Pour off all but 2 tblsp of the fat from the pan.

Reduce the heat to moderately low. Add the ham, onion & garlic to the pan & cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion starts to soften, about 2 minutes. Add the bell peppers & cook, stirring occasionally, until they start to soften, about 3 minutes longer.

Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, broth & the remaining 1 3/4 tsp salt & 1/4 tsp of the pepper & bring to a simmer. Stir in the rice & add the chicken in an even layer. Simmer, partially covered, over moderately low heat until the chicken & rice are just done, 20 to 25 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley (I used dried).

{My Thoughts}

I have a rule to always double the amount of garlic in any recipe I see. I've never regretted it. So, the garlic above is already doubled. As for the parsley, I used dried & would again. And for rice, jasmine is my favorite & the one I chose for this. 

{Click Here to Print Recipe}

For More Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays please visit Lisa at Blessed with Grace!!!!

I continue to make up for lost time & get around to everyone who has come to say hello!!!!!!