Recipes!
So, I've been trying lots of new recipes from Pinterest (I try to do one new recipe a week) over the past couple of months, and I wanted to share some of my favorites here. I'm not going to bother with the ones I made and don't want to make again - let's just do the ones that were super good and I'd make again and again, shall we?
Avocado and Chicken Salad with Lime and Cilantro: I just finished making this one for dinner tonight (served on rolls for Leo and Olivia, and over lettuce for me, with fresh fruits and veggies on the side) and it is DELICIOUS!
Ingredients:
- 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded into large pieces (I used the breasts from a store-bought rotisserie chicken.)
- 2 medium avocados, diced
- 2 Tablespoons lime juice, divided (You can use fresh or bottled. I used a combination.)
- 1/4 cup finely sliced green onion
- 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 Tablespoons mayo (I imagine you could use plain Greek yogurt if that's your thing.)
- salt to taste
Method:
1. Shred chicken until you have 2 cups of fairly large pieces. Put in bowl big enough to hold ALL ingredients.
2. Dice both avocados into medium sized pieces, toss in separate bowl with 1 Tablespoon of the lime juice and a bit of salt.
3. Slice green onions and chop cilantro.
4. In small bowl, mix mayo and 1 Tablespoon lime juice to make a dressing. (If using fresh lime, you can grate some of the zest in, too.)
5. Add green onions and mayo/lime dressing to the big bowl of chicken, mix until chicken is coated well.
6. Add the bowl of avocado and lime juice to the chicken and gently combine.
7. Add cilantro and mix until just combined.
8. Serve right away, or chill for a while before serving. (If you want to wait, the lime juice should keep the avocado from going brown.)
Serves:
2 to 4, depending on what you're serving with it. I added this recipe to MyFitnessPal as a 4-serving dish, and it calculated the calories at roughly 400. (Avocados are super high in calories, but full of good fats!)
Cilantro Lime Rice: Notice a theme with all the cilantro and lime? This was a tasty way to do rice, and while I didn't care for the braised pork with salsa verde I made to go with it, I did like this rice!
Ingredients:
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken stock (I used unsalted because of my high BP.)
- 1 cup jasmine rice, uncooked (Seriously just about any rice would work, I imagine. I used plain old Uncle Ben's since that's what Leo likes.)
- 1 large lime, zested and juiced (Or 2 small ones. Or use bottled lime juice. Whatever you prefer, do the lime to your taste!)
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed (I minced. Whatev.)
- 2 Tablespoons butter, cut into small cubes
- 1 pinch crushed red pepper (I left this out so Olivia would eat it.)
- 1 large handful fresh cilantro, chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
Method:
1. Cook your rice with the chicken stock (instead of water) according to package directions.
2. While the rice cooks, chop and combine all remaining ingredients in a bowl.
3. After the rice has cooked and sat for 5 minutes, add the ingredients from your bowl, stir, and enjoy!
Serves:
Serves 4. I added the recipe to MyFitnessPal, and it calculated about 223 calories per serving.
Broccomole: Or, broccoli guacamole! Oh man, this is SO GOOD! I dipped carrots and grape tomatoes in it, as well as pita chips, and I also used it to spread over some flax and fiber sandwich thins. YUM. You could make this vegan, as my vegan friend Lesley pointed out, by using vegan cream cheese!
Ingredients:
- 3 cups chopped broccoli florets (I used a head of fresh broccoli.)
- 1 jalapeno, chopped, seeds removed
- 2 Tablespoons green onions (I didn't have any, oops!)
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 2 oz. fat free cream cheese (I don't do that fat free shit. I used the regular kind.)
- 1/4 teaspoon chili powder (I subbed ground chipotle.)
- 1 Tablespoon cilantro
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Method:
1. Cook the broccoli in lightly salted water until very soft. Overcook the broccoli in comparison to the al dente cooking that most recipes recommend. (I steamed my broccoli in the microwave - easier clean up, less boiling all of the good vitamins and nutrients out of it!)
2. Drain broccoli well. Put broccoli into food processor (or blender, that's what I have). Add remaining ingredients and process until smooth. You can add more olive oil for a smoother texture.
3. Serve warm or cold. Mine stayed good in the fridge for several days, and was good with everything I dipped in it or spread it on!
Serves:
This recipe makes about a pint. So if you want to call that 4 servings like I did, MyFitnessPal calculated it right around 83 calories per serving with full fat cream cheese. Tasty like guac, but FAR fewer calories!
Cajun Shrimp Casserole: Y'all, this recipe is so effing good I can't even tell you. I made it for the first time back in October for my mom and dad, and we all loved it, and I made it again last night for my FIL, and he liked it, too. It's too much to do for just Leo and myself (because let's face it, Olivia won't eat a damn thing I cook for dinner, the little turkey!) but for three or four people, it's the perfect one-bowl meal.
Ingredients:
- 2 pounds uncooked shrimp
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1 small red onion, chopped*
- 1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped*
- 1/2 cup yellow bell pepper, chopped*
- 1/2 cup green bell pepper, chopped*
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups fresh or frozen sliced okra (I use frozen.)
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt (I leave this out because of my high BP and the sodium in the cream of shrimp soup is high enough.)
- 1 (10 3/4 oz.) can cream of shrimp soup**
- 1/2 cup dry white wine (I usually use pinot grigio since that's my white wine of choice to drink.)
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 3 cups cooked long-grain white rice.
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
*1 (10-ounce) package frozen onions and peppers may be substituted for fresh onion and bell peppers. (This is what I do. Less work, still tasty, usually cheaper.)
****1 (10 3/4-ounce) can cream of mushroom soup may be substituted for cream of shrimp soup.
Method:
1. Cook rice according to package directions. (Usually 1 cup uncooked rice will yield 3 cups cooked rice.)
2. Peel and devein shrimp while rice cooks.
3. Preheat oven to 350.
4. Melt 1/4 cup butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and red, yellow, and green peppers. Sauté 7 minutes or until tender.
5. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute.
6. Stir in okra, lemon juice, and salt; sauté 5 minutes.
7. Add shrimp and cook 3 minutes, or until shrimp turn pink.
8. Stir in soup, white wine, cayenne pepper, and cooked rice until blended.
9. Pour into a lightly greased 13X9 inch baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with Parmesan cheese.
10. Bake at 350° for 15 to 20 minutes or until casserole is bubbly and cheese is lightly browned. Garnish, if desired, with lemon wedges and parsley.
Serves:
This recipe serves 6 generous portions, and MyFitnessPal calculates a serving at 430 calories.
Avocado and Chicken Salad with Lime and Cilantro: I just finished making this one for dinner tonight (served on rolls for Leo and Olivia, and over lettuce for me, with fresh fruits and veggies on the side) and it is DELICIOUS!
Ingredients:
- 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded into large pieces (I used the breasts from a store-bought rotisserie chicken.)
- 2 medium avocados, diced
- 2 Tablespoons lime juice, divided (You can use fresh or bottled. I used a combination.)
- 1/4 cup finely sliced green onion
- 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 Tablespoons mayo (I imagine you could use plain Greek yogurt if that's your thing.)
- salt to taste
Method:
1. Shred chicken until you have 2 cups of fairly large pieces. Put in bowl big enough to hold ALL ingredients.
2. Dice both avocados into medium sized pieces, toss in separate bowl with 1 Tablespoon of the lime juice and a bit of salt.
3. Slice green onions and chop cilantro.
4. In small bowl, mix mayo and 1 Tablespoon lime juice to make a dressing. (If using fresh lime, you can grate some of the zest in, too.)
5. Add green onions and mayo/lime dressing to the big bowl of chicken, mix until chicken is coated well.
6. Add the bowl of avocado and lime juice to the chicken and gently combine.
7. Add cilantro and mix until just combined.
8. Serve right away, or chill for a while before serving. (If you want to wait, the lime juice should keep the avocado from going brown.)
Serves:
2 to 4, depending on what you're serving with it. I added this recipe to MyFitnessPal as a 4-serving dish, and it calculated the calories at roughly 400. (Avocados are super high in calories, but full of good fats!)
Cilantro Lime Rice: Notice a theme with all the cilantro and lime? This was a tasty way to do rice, and while I didn't care for the braised pork with salsa verde I made to go with it, I did like this rice!
Ingredients:
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken stock (I used unsalted because of my high BP.)
- 1 cup jasmine rice, uncooked (Seriously just about any rice would work, I imagine. I used plain old Uncle Ben's since that's what Leo likes.)
- 1 large lime, zested and juiced (Or 2 small ones. Or use bottled lime juice. Whatever you prefer, do the lime to your taste!)
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed (I minced. Whatev.)
- 2 Tablespoons butter, cut into small cubes
- 1 pinch crushed red pepper (I left this out so Olivia would eat it.)
- 1 large handful fresh cilantro, chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
Method:
1. Cook your rice with the chicken stock (instead of water) according to package directions.
2. While the rice cooks, chop and combine all remaining ingredients in a bowl.
3. After the rice has cooked and sat for 5 minutes, add the ingredients from your bowl, stir, and enjoy!
Serves:
Serves 4. I added the recipe to MyFitnessPal, and it calculated about 223 calories per serving.
Broccomole: Or, broccoli guacamole! Oh man, this is SO GOOD! I dipped carrots and grape tomatoes in it, as well as pita chips, and I also used it to spread over some flax and fiber sandwich thins. YUM. You could make this vegan, as my vegan friend Lesley pointed out, by using vegan cream cheese!
Ingredients:
- 3 cups chopped broccoli florets (I used a head of fresh broccoli.)
- 1 jalapeno, chopped, seeds removed
- 2 Tablespoons green onions (I didn't have any, oops!)
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 2 oz. fat free cream cheese (I don't do that fat free shit. I used the regular kind.)
- 1/4 teaspoon chili powder (I subbed ground chipotle.)
- 1 Tablespoon cilantro
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Method:
1. Cook the broccoli in lightly salted water until very soft. Overcook the broccoli in comparison to the al dente cooking that most recipes recommend. (I steamed my broccoli in the microwave - easier clean up, less boiling all of the good vitamins and nutrients out of it!)
2. Drain broccoli well. Put broccoli into food processor (or blender, that's what I have). Add remaining ingredients and process until smooth. You can add more olive oil for a smoother texture.
3. Serve warm or cold. Mine stayed good in the fridge for several days, and was good with everything I dipped in it or spread it on!
Serves:
This recipe makes about a pint. So if you want to call that 4 servings like I did, MyFitnessPal calculated it right around 83 calories per serving with full fat cream cheese. Tasty like guac, but FAR fewer calories!
Cajun Shrimp Casserole: Y'all, this recipe is so effing good I can't even tell you. I made it for the first time back in October for my mom and dad, and we all loved it, and I made it again last night for my FIL, and he liked it, too. It's too much to do for just Leo and myself (because let's face it, Olivia won't eat a damn thing I cook for dinner, the little turkey!) but for three or four people, it's the perfect one-bowl meal.
Ingredients:
- 2 pounds uncooked shrimp
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1 small red onion, chopped*
- 1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped*
- 1/2 cup yellow bell pepper, chopped*
- 1/2 cup green bell pepper, chopped*
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups fresh or frozen sliced okra (I use frozen.)
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt (I leave this out because of my high BP and the sodium in the cream of shrimp soup is high enough.)
- 1 (10 3/4 oz.) can cream of shrimp soup**
- 1/2 cup dry white wine (I usually use pinot grigio since that's my white wine of choice to drink.)
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 3 cups cooked long-grain white rice.
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
*1 (10-ounce) package frozen onions and peppers may be substituted for fresh onion and bell peppers. (This is what I do. Less work, still tasty, usually cheaper.)
****1 (10 3/4-ounce) can cream of mushroom soup may be substituted for cream of shrimp soup.
Method:
1. Cook rice according to package directions. (Usually 1 cup uncooked rice will yield 3 cups cooked rice.)
2. Peel and devein shrimp while rice cooks.
3. Preheat oven to 350.
4. Melt 1/4 cup butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and red, yellow, and green peppers. Sauté 7 minutes or until tender.
5. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute.
6. Stir in okra, lemon juice, and salt; sauté 5 minutes.
7. Add shrimp and cook 3 minutes, or until shrimp turn pink.
8. Stir in soup, white wine, cayenne pepper, and cooked rice until blended.
9. Pour into a lightly greased 13X9 inch baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with Parmesan cheese.
10. Bake at 350° for 15 to 20 minutes or until casserole is bubbly and cheese is lightly browned. Garnish, if desired, with lemon wedges and parsley.
Serves:
This recipe serves 6 generous portions, and MyFitnessPal calculates a serving at 430 calories.