InstantPot Love

Have any of you jumped on the Instant pot bandwagon? I love mine! I do not claim to be a cook, but I thought I'd share a few simple recipes every now and then. I use the word  "recipe" loosely.

I thought I took out a chuck roast the other day, turns out it was chuck steak and I had no idea how to cook it. So I did a bit of a search, found a Youtube, but was actually reading the comments when I thought I'd try this version.

Chuck Steak Ala InstantPot

Love this garlic infused oil from Trader Joes. Put some in the instantpot, set on saute and heat. 

season your chuck steak- I only used salt and pepper.

Brown both side thoroughly. I did one at a time. 

Remove and add a bit of red wine, or you could use beef brother. Use your whisk to get the lovely brown bits from the bottom. 

I added a little of both of these and about 1/2c water. 

I put my browned steaks in, topped with onion...

and mushrooms.

I am cutting my carbs but my hubby loves potatoes so I washed 2 large potatoes and stabbed them a couple times with a sharp knife, (I wasn't sure if they'd explode!) and just set them on top. 

Get your lid on, and press meat/stew and pressure cook for 35 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally if you have time. 

About 40minutes later....

Dinner is served!  I did have broccoli and salad with this meal as well. 

We ate it for leftovers the next day too!

I'd love to know if you have an instantpot and how often you use it.

Made With Chobani

I don't know about you, but I always have Greek yogurt in my fridge. I heard that Chobani was looking for creative ways to use yogurt in a fall dish so I thought I'd share this post.  I could have easily used it to bake some delicious pumpkin treat, but then I would have eaten it all and  it would have defeated the purpose of making it healthy!

I admit it, all of these came out of my refrigerator. I have not been able to find a good clean substitute for this processed salad dressing. Have you looked at the ingredient list of these? I try hard to ignore them!! 

 So, this is where I thought I'd start. I brought home some lovely Dijon mustard from France, mixed in a bit of honey and Chobani Greek yogurt. I kept adding one or the other until it tasted good.

 Does this salad look fantastic?! Clean, unprocessed and delicious! And can it get any easier? Try it, you may like it!

 Smoothies are all the rage these days, some are more healthy than others. I'm surprised that more recipes don't utilize Greek yogurt to increase the protein in the smoothies. I cup has 22grams of protein. So just adding 1/2 cup makes your smoothie smooth and gives you 11g of added protein to keep hunger at bay.

And what's not to love about spinach and blueberries!?

How do you like to use Greek yogurt? 

Check out THIS SITE  for many, many wonderful recipes using Chobani yogurt. 

Smoothie

Smoothies can be improvised in many ways. Here was a suggestion I got this week and it was surprisingly good! Use what you have , improvise, improve.

Beet (cooked and peeled)

berries (I used blueberries)

Kale (I used spinach)

cucumber (I used the little i had left)

lime (small squirt, I was a little leery)

protein powder

coconut milk (almond, cow, etc...will work)

vanilla

Blend, enjoy the pretty color and taste!

Eat This...Not That

I've got a new recipe to post. This would make a terrific side dish instead of mayo-laden potato or macaroni salad. I believe I got it from the Runner's World web page.
It's so versatile you can change up the amounts according to what you have.
I'll call it Corn Salad:

I boiled 3 ears of corn, then I popped them on the grill to give them more depth of flavor.

You can see I like to grill veggies.

I diced into bite size pieces, 2 large tomatoes.

Topped with feta cheese.

Get yourself some fresh basil. 

I actually roll the leaves up together and use my kitchen shears to cut them into pieces. 

Ah, such pretty colors!

I cut the corn kernels off the cob, added them to the bowl and added a little extra virgin olive oil to combine. 

Eat at room temp or refrigerated. Delicious the next day as well.

Italian Tortellini Soup

Photo from food.com

Here's a good soup for a cold day. I've changed it a bit from the original and you can pretty much add or subtract what you like.

Italian Tortellini Soup
Makes 6 hearty servings

2 cans diced tomatoes
1 onion, diced
carrots, sliced
celery diced
frozen spinach
garlic powder
oregano
basil
turkey kielbasa , sliced
water, as needed
cheese tortellini

Add everything except tortellini  to a crockpot or dutch oven  and cook until veggies are tender. (Add water as needed)  Cook tortellini according to package directions and add to veggie mix. Cook a few minutes more for flavors to meld. Top with parmesan and enjoy!

Love Your Greens 30 Day Challenge

I'm always up for a challenge! Must be the competitive side of me! lol

Unconventional Kitchen has thrown down the challenge as a way of adding more greens to your diet. I've been doing that pretty well, but thought I'd jump in anyway.

Here's a recipe from the site:

Click to enlarge

My version for one person:

In a blender, mix:

a handful of frozen pineapple chunks
1/2 banana
10 or so frozen grapes
handful of spinach
1/3 c nonfat plain Greek yogurt
1 TB ground flax seed
1/4 c unsweetened almond milk (actually, just enough to help it blend)

Delicious!

If I have just had a good workout or run I'll add one scoop of protein powder.

Have a fantastic weekend!!

Bean Salad

 

My friend Kat sent me a link to Fiesta Bean Salad and I finally got a chance to try it last night. I did not make up the whole recipe, but instead whipped up a little of the dressing ( juice from one lime, olive oil, cumin, freshly minced garlic and salt to taste)  then added a small amount of kidney beans, garbanzo beans, onions, tomatoes and cilantro. All together it may have totaled 2 cups. 
 

 
I put it over a bed of greens with a 1/4 avocado and a little sliced chicken breast. It was wholesome and delicious but I think the next time I will not put it over any greens.

If you try it let me know how you like it. The last time I had garbanzo beans I had excruciating cramps the next day. I made sure to rinse mine thoroughly and so far today I'm feeling pretty good.

Shooting for 10 miles tomorrow! Hmmmm, what will I fuel with tonight?

Smoothie Recipe

I've been changing up a few things in the kitchen. I've recently purchased this Zoi plain nonfat Greek yogurt. I have yet to find a Greek yogurt I like to eat straight from the carton. So, I've been adding 1/4 cup of this to make a smoothie and it is working out really good.

I like to make a smoothie high in protein after a run and this recipe has about 26 grams of protein. The Greek yogurt increases my calcium intake, which my doctor says I need more of.

• 1/2 cup partially frozen Zoi nonfat plain Greek yogurt 
• 1/2 banana 
• 1/4c unsweetened vanilla almond milk 
• 1/4 cup frozen mixed berries, or peaches, strawberries or whatever you have on hand 
• 1 scoop Whey protein, vanilla flavored 

Blend, drink, enjoy.

 283 calories, 42 carbs, 5 fat, 26g protein

The nonfat Zoi is not gluten free, (because of the maltodextrin) but the full fat is gluten free.

Have a healthy weekend!!

Chicken Shawarma

The other day I came across a terrific recipe for Chicken Shawarma which I love. I made a few simple changes and used the leftover chicken in a salad the next day. it was a terrific meal that I'll be adding to my rotation.

In a large ziploc bag mix:
2 TB lemon juice
1 tsp curry powder
1 TB olive oil
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp ground cumin
3 garlic cloves, crushed

Add 1 pound boneless, skinless, chicken breasts cut into manageable pieces. Let marinade for 2-3 hours

Broil (or grill) until done, and serve with:

warm pita bread
hummus
tzatziki
carrots
fresh tomatoes
sliced cucumbers
low fat feta cheese
Greek olives

I can't wait to make it again!!

Beef & Pasta Skillet

I've been trying a few new recipes and I've finally fixed one that is a keeper!

Beef & Pasta Skillet Primavera
Makes 4 generous servings
25-30 minutes to make
265 calories per serving

1 pound extra lean ground beef
1 can 14 oz reduced sodium beef broth
1 cup uncooked whole wheat rotini pasta
2 small zucchini cut in half lengthwise, then cut into 1/2" slices
1 can 14 oz Italian Style diced tomatoes- drained

Cook ground beef in a skillet until brown and cooked through. Stir in broth and pasta. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 7-11 minutes, or until pasta is not quite cooked. Add zucchini and drained tomatoes. Continue to cook about 5 more minutes or until pasta is tender and sauce is slightly thickened.
Garnish with Parmesan cheese, if you'd like.


While the ground beef is browning I would add onions and garlic, as the overall dish was a bit flat. 

You can find more beef recipes at this site:

Beef It's Whats For Dinner
 

New Recipe Failure

Not all new recipes are destined to be eaten!!

I expected these to be in between a muffin and a cookie- they were neither! LOL

Mushroom and Beef Stew

I tried a new recipe yesterday and I loved it!! Here's the link.

Wild Mushroom Beef Stew

It only uses the crockpot so it is easy clean up, as well!!

Tray Baked Chicken

This recipe was created by British chef Jamie Oliver. My hubby is pretty picky and I really didn't know what he'd think of the sweet potatoes, but he liked it a lot and told me it was a keeper. It looks like a long recipe, it isn't very hard at all.


Brine for the chicken:
1 qt water
2 TB kosher salt
1/3c honey
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 sprigs fresh sage, leaves only (don't omit the sage as it gives it wonderful flavor)
1/4c apple cider vinegar
juice and zest of one lemon


The rest of the ingredients:
4 chicken breasts, bone in, skin on (I can't find them in my town, so I use boneless skinless)
3 sweet potatoes, scrubbed and thinly sliced
4 medium potatoes, scrubbed and thinly sliced
1 med onion, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 sprigs fresh sage, leaves shredded
olive oil
sea salt and pepper
1 2/3 c chicken broth (this equals one 14 oz can)
grated Parmesan cheese
butter

1. Mix brine, add chicken, cover and refrigerate 2-8 hours.
2. Remove chicken from brine and let it come to room temperature.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a roasting pan toss potatoes, onion, garlic and sage with olive oil, salt and pepper. Pour in broth. Cook for 30 minutes.
Top with chicken,  a few pats of butter and Parmesan cheese. Cook additional 35 minutes or until chicken is golden.

Makes 8 servings

The original recipe called for bacon and cream. I didn't add the bacon and really couldn't  figure out what the cream did for the dish so I left it out too.

If you tried a recipe that you want to share leave the link to your blog on a comment or email it to me and I'll post it.

Chicken Fajita Tortilla Soup

The other day I was watching Rachel Ray on the Food Network and she did an awesome recipe. Most of the time that station is entertainment but this soup sounded like it had all the ingredients to be a keeper. I can't wait to fix it again!
Here's the link to her recipe: RR Chicken Fajita Soup
Here it is as I made it:

1 TB Olive Oil
3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces
1 TB coriander (this is a key ingredient!)
thyme- fresh or dried
salt and pepper
Onion
Bell pepper, any color you'd like to use
1 jalapeno (seeded)
1- 14.5 oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes
1-14.5 oz Mexican style diced tomatoes
1 qt chicken broth

Heat a large soup pan with olive oil over medium high heat. Add chicken and cook for about 4 minutes. Add coriander, thyme, s&p, onions, and peppers. Cook 8-10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add tomatoes and chicken broth. Heat through. If you need to keep it warm for a bit turn to low until ready to serve. Makes 8- one cup servings

If you'd like, top with cheese, chips, cilantro, or avocado.

I found nutritional info at sparkspeople.com I'm  not sure how accurate it is but it sounds about right.
Without any topping 1 cup would be 150 calories.

If I was ever in a hurry I could see using a roasted deli chicken and shredding some of it. Also, my hubby does not like green peppers so I used one red pepper. It would be great to use green, red, orange or yellow! Leave the seeds in your jalapeno pepper if you want it spicier.

Enjoy!

Happy Hippy Wrap

A few weeks ago my friend Phyllis and I met for lunch after attending our weight watcher meeting together. I ordered a veggie wrap called the Happy Hippy and have made it several times at home since then. When we were out I ordered it with rosemary fries, which defeated the healthiness of this wrap, but oh, it was worth it!!

1 tortilla for wrap. I use La Tortilla whole grain white. They make several yummy flavors, but sometimes I can't find them. The wraps are huge and only 100 calories.

Spread wrap with about 2 tablespoons of hummus. I love Tribe in the 2 serving container.

Add: lettuce, onion, cucumber, and tomato.  (good way to get your veggies in too)

Eat, and enjoy!!

Ditch the Scale

How often do you get on the scale? I hope not more than once a week- at the most! It is exciting to see weight loss but if you get on too often your day can be ruled by the number on the scale. Women especially can have big fluctuations. If you are attending weight watcher meetings then let that be your once a week guide. If you aren't then try and weigh yourself the same day of week at around the same time. If you don't have scales, save your money and let your clothing be your guide.

I'll check in on Sunday and let you know how I did this week. I'll look forward to hearing about your successes!!


PS, I tried a new recipe this week called Grilled Zucchini Greek Salad. It was excellent and a great way to get more veggies in. You can find it at Kalyn's Kitchen.
I changed mine up a bit by adding cucumbers and omitting the vinaigrette.

Leftovers?

My favorite soup for leftover turkey!
Turkey Jambalaya

Let me know if you make it and how you like it. I'm getting ingredients today!

Tomato Shrimp Pasta

Use your nutritional labels on the ingredients you use to find the points values. This recipe is a keeper! My hubby and I both loved it.

2 servings,
Approx Nutritional Info: 246 calories, 6g fat, 2 g fiber
All amounts are approximate:

1 tsp olive oil
minced garlic
1 small zucchini, diced very small
1/2 pound raw shrimp, peeled, tails off, and deveined. (I use 21/25 per pound, 3 points for about 5-6 shrimp)
2-3 chopped fresh tomatoes
fresh basil
Parmesan cheese


2 servings rigatoni, penne, or angel hair pasta. (or your other favorite)

Cook, drain, and keep pasta warm.

Put olive oil in fry pan and saute garlic and zucchini over medium heat. (don't burn the garlic)

Add shrimp and cook for about 1 minute, flipping shrimp after about 30 seconds. Add diced tomatoes and cook about 2 minutes longer. Remove from heat, add fresh basil and mix with cooked pasta. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

If you overcook the shrimp it will be tough and chewy.

ENJOY!!

Grilled Chicken Kabobs

The nutritional information of this recipe will depend on how big your chicken chunks are and how much you eat of it. This is a great recipe to get in your veggies too.

Marinade chicken chunks in pineapple juice and a splash of teriyaki sauce. I just put it in the fridge and left it while I was cutting up the veggies.
You can use what you have for your kabobs.
Fresh or canned pineapple chunks
onions
red, green, yellow, or orange peppers
mushrooms
cherry tomatoes
zucchini pieces

Thread veggies and chicken on skewers and grill about 5 minutes on each side. Before you remove them from the grill brush with a little teriyaki sauce.
Super easy, low in points, and tastes really good!

If you are going to use wooden skewers be sure to soak them in water before using. They will start on fire!! Ask me how I know that!!

Frittata Recipe

I know I haven't put a recipe on here for quite some time. My friend, Kat, encouraged me to post this one. I made this for my mom and hubby on Mother's day-it was delicious! I'll post the recipe, then I'll tell you the changes I made.

Asparagus and Mushroom Frittata
Serves 6
Nutritional Info: (approx) 158 calories, 9g fat, 1 g fiber

1 TB light butter
1 TB olive oil
1/2 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1" pieces
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
3 eggs
3/4 cup egg beaters (or egg substitute for 3 eggs)
1 TB water
1 tsp fresh thyme
3 TB shredded reduced fat Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup part skim shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat your broiler.
Melt butter in a cast iron skillet (mine was a 10" and whatever pan you use should be able to go into the oven) and add olive oil. Add asparagus and cook until it is tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in mushrooms and cook an additional 5 minutes.
Meanwhile whisk together eggs, egg beaters, water and thyme until fluffy. Add to skillet and cook about 5 minutes- do not scramble. It's a frittata, not scrambled eggs. I do lift some sides of the egg up and let the raw egg get underneath to cook. The top should not be completely cooked.
Put under your broiler and continue cooking until the eggs are set. Add Parmesan and mozzarella and melt. Serve and enjoy! It was even good as leftovers.

What I did: I trimmed the bottom of my asparagus spears, but didn't cut them into pieces. Then I steamed them for 2-3 minutes in the microwave to soften. Then I added the mushrooms and asparagus to my hot skillet and sauteed about 3 minutes. I added 2 slices of lean ham and sauteed that about 2 minutes. (It doesn't increase the points unless you add quite a bit)
Because my hubby doesn't like asparagus I removed it from the skillet before adding the eggs. When it was time to put under the broiler I added the asparagus on one side in a spoke fashion. I think it looked a bit fancier then chopped into pieces. Then I added the cheese to melt.