Best Chicken/Steak/Fish Ever!
Butternut Squash
I finally figured out how to make consistent, juicy, fully-cooked, incredible meats. Everything else I tried made them dry or soggy. Ironically, this is the easiest and quickest way :)
Trim fat off skinless, boneless chicken breasts (or steak, or fish fillets).
Cut meat in half (go for a chunk 1/2 the size of your fist).
Apply spice to all sides of meat by patting it on there. *see below
Take cookie sheet, put metal cooling rack on cookie sheet, spray with Pam. (you can line the cookie sheet with foil to make cleanup easier)
Put on top shelf of oven, broil.
Chicken: 9 minutes each side - make sure insides are white.
Steak: 3-5 minutes each side, depending on size of pieces.
Fish: 3-5 minutes each side, depending on size - just make sure middle is cooked.
Spices:
Chicken: Roasted garlic and herb
Steak: Montreal Steak
Fish: Smokehouse maple, or baste with lowfat margarine, pepper, and little lemon juice
Butternut Squash
Use sharp knife!
Slice squash open in chunks, wash and clean out seeds.
Drizzle olive oil and rub down all sides of chunks.
Generously sprinkle with Cajun Seasoning.
Use oil to lightly coat foil on cookie sheet, and place chunks SKIN side up.
400*, 45 Minutes - Until you can pierce the skin easily with a fork.
SMOOTHIES!
I did an article on smoothies earlier, but I've got a good method down now - especially after hitting the gym. My body needs fuel and this is easy to make and take with me. And I PROMISE it tastes good. Seriously. I would not lie to you about this. It's actually very, very sweet tasting. My mom would probably think it's too sweet, but I like it. My favorite combo right now is:
1 scoop vanilla whey protein powder
1 scoop vitamin powder: Fatigued to Fantastic Energy Revitalization powder, berry splash flavor
1 scoop Greens First wellness shake mix *see note below
1 handful fresh/frozen (no sugar added) fruit (mango + strawberry + peaches + pineapple)
1 container plain, 0% fat greek yogurt
Had some leftover homemade applesauce my mother-in-law made: made those into ice cubes
A couple regular ice cubes
Filtered water until the thickness is to my liking
Drizzle of all natural, raw, unfiltered honey
1 spoonful sprouted ground flax
*The Greens First one is great to add since it's got a bunch of "super foods", and eating vegetables is hard lol. This will make your smoothie look like mud, and you have to be brave to try it the first time. But it is so sweet! With everything else in here I promise you won't care. Plus, you can show your gym buddies/family/friends/coworkers how hard you are when you drink it :)
I used to put a scoop of orange-flavored Metamucil powder for fiber and cholesterol-lowering stuff, but I just take the supplements now.
I usually don't use bananas because they have so many carbs, and doubling with the other fruits I like the best would just be way too many. So research and substitute based on what kind of protein/carb intake you're going for. There are a billion ways to mix and match this easily for your needs.
Like I said in the article, I can't stand fresh fruit with seeds or textures for some reason - so I use a strainer to keep the seeds and pulp out of my smoothies. Do what you have to do to get this nutrition in you! :)
Vegetable Soup
So it took a couple practice runs but I nailed the delicious crockpot veggie soup : D I try to put stuff in these recipes that I like, so obviously change it to your liking. Only words of caution: DO NOT ADD BAMBOO SHOOTS TO THIS. Seriously. Also, using up frozen chunks of butternut squash was not a success on this. My grandmother suggests adding it at the end with the pasta, but I'm pretty sure it'll still be really mushy.
*Obviously this big crock pot is full and hard to stir, even before adding the pasta. Just a head's up. : )
Brown 1 lb. lean ground turkey. (This is easy to leave out if you want it without meat)
Cook 1 box whole wheat pasta (I suggest penne. Don't use egg noodles here folks). (Also easy to leave out if you don't want the carbs). *Cook it just under normal "done-ness" because it's better after freezing and reheating.
Prepare 1 chicken stock per instructions.
3 fresh carrots, chopped
3 fresh stalks celery, chopped
3 fresh roma tomatoes, diced
1 spoonful fresh garlic, minced
1 handful fresh white onion, chopped
-1 can (go for the lowfat or low sodium options on each if possible)
green beans
chicken broth
lima beans
sweet peas
corn
dark red kidney beans
black beans
pinto beans
garbanzo chick pea beans
tomato soup, condensed - prepare with 1 can water as instructed
Drain all canned veggies and combine them, fresh veggies, chicken stock and broth, tomato soup, and turkey in crockpot. Cook 8 hours on low. Once done stir in pasta. Obviously this makes a ton so freeze and reheat as you wish.
Teriyaki Chicken, Brown Rice, & Veggies
So I've been trying to get used to brown rice since it's so healthy, and this is a way to make it taste better and be less dry : )
1 lb+ lean chicken breasts/desired cuts
Teriyaki Sauce/Marinade - comes in one bottle
Olive oil
Butter - lowfat margarine 'I Can't Believe It's Not Butter'
Salt and pepper
Flour
Quick-cooking brown rice
Frozen veggies - I use the ones that steam in the bag because they're way easy, but you could obviously cut up fresh veggies for this too and it would taste even better.
*Note: DO NOT FOLLOW RECIPE ON BOX OF BROWN RICE. It's awful.
Cook the brown rice alone with the amount desired by following directions on box. Set aside.
Prepare veggies as instructed on bag or fresh chopped, set aside.
Mix up a marinade of olive oil, salt and pepper, and teriyaki sauce. Do equal parts oil and sauce and make enough to very generously baste your chicken in.
I cut my chicken pieces no bigger than the size of my fist, and I have small hands.
Take your chicken breasts/pieces and trim all the fat off. Remove the skin. Pat dry. Coat in flour.
Preheat a ratio of 1 to 1 butte and extra virgin olive oil.
Place chicken pieces gently in oil and cook. It takes a different amount of time each try, so instead of '6 minutes per side' I go by stages. First stage looks pale. Next stage looks sickly yellow. After that it turns a nice golden. This is when you flip it. Don't wait for it to be golden brown. Set aside.
Once cooked in pan, place all pieces on cookie sheet covered in foil and sprayed with pam.
Stir marinade and baste generously on each piece, dabbing some under each piece so the bottom gets it.
Broil a few minutes until it starts to look more brown, flip. Marinade this side generously as well - go ahead and use up the rest of the mixture. Put some on the underside again as well.
Broil until done = piece cut in half shows no pink and juices run clear.
Mix everything together in large pot, adding some more fresh teriyaki sauce to make sure veggies and rice get some flavor. Do not make it soggy. = Super Delicious and reheats really well.
Spinach Casserole
2 10 oz. packages frozen, chopped, cooked, drained spinach.
1 c. lowfat cottage cheese.
1/4 c. onion flakes.
1/4 c. flour.
2 beaten eggs.
1/2 tsp. salt.
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce.
1/4 tsp. pepper.
1/4 tsp. nutmeg.
1/4 tsp. thyme.
Parmesan cheese.
Combine and place in greased casserole dish. Sprinkle top with as much parmesan cheese as desired.
350*, 35 Minutes.
Scrambled Egg Casserole
*Still experimenting with this recipe.
1 roma tomato - diced.
1 small-medium green bell pepper - diced.
1 link lowfat turkey sausage - sliced.
1 pearl white onion - chopped.
Pepper.
Garlic salt.
Italian seasoning.
6 eggs.
2 handfuls shredded lowfat mexican cheese. (save a little)
Mix everything and stir well. Pour in greased casserole dish - press everything down to even level.
350*, 30 Minutes.
Let some cheese melt on top once it's cooling out of the oven.
Rotisserie Pasta
*I need to add garlic salt to this before serving, so working that out. Otherwise very tasty.
1 pckg. egg noodles - cholesterol free, cooked.
1 can roasted tomatoes with Italian-ish seasonings (basil, garlic, oregano I think?)
1 cold rotisserie chicken from store, torn in pieces.
1/2 fist fresh chopped onion.
1 spoonful fresh minced garlic.
1 can quartered artichoke hearts, torn apart (I tear the hairy looking part away).
Simmer chicken in sauce from tomatoes and veggies, 5 minutes on medium low.
Mix everything well.
OR
Crockpot Chicken Alfredo
1 pckg cooked egg noodles.
1 jar lowfat alfredo sauce.
1 baking chicken and crockpot.
3 fresh roma tomatoes.
Seasonings.
Use the Hardcore recipe for crockpot chicken and veggies.
Chop up tomatoes and mix everything. Liberally season with Italian seasonings, pepper, and garlic salt.
*This makes a lot, so you may want to add an extra jar of alfredo sauce to make sure it's not bland or dry. I didn't and had to season it more before serving.
I-Live-In-An-Apartment-With-No-BBQ-Shish-Kabobs
Thick slices fresh green bell pepper (or desired color).
Thick slices fresh red onion.
Chunks trimmed steak (whatever cut desired).
Marinade steak with store-bought grill marinade packet.
Broil close to the top of oven until cooked through, turning and basting halfway through.
Breaded Pork Chops & Sweet Potatoes
*My husband also loves this with asparagus cooked in what's left in the pan after cooking the chops. Gives them good flavor.
1 egg
1 spoonful lowfat milk
Italian bread crumbs
Olive oil
2 spoonfuls minced garlic (I use the prepared stuff in the plastic jar, lasts forever and super easy)
1 pckg lean pork chops - as trimmed already as possible and thin. (Mine don't look like above). Finish trimming all the fat before cooking.
Stir egg and milk rapidly with fork. Dip each pork chop fully in mix, then place in bread crumbs laid on a plate until completely coated. Heat oil in pan with garlic until garlic turns a little brown. Place chops in oil on medium high heat until dark brown on each side and fully cooked inside.
Sweet Potato Fries
*I haven't made this recipe yet, I've been going with the frozen bag of sweet potato fries I cook in the oven with no preservatives or extra ingredients and I add seasoned salt.
Sweet potatoes
EVOO
Honey
Salt & pepper
Seasoned salt
Wash sweet potatoes, cut in strips. Toss everything in bowl.
400*, Bake until crisp
Chicken Veggie Casserole
*My recipe naturally makes a lot and takes a while to prepare. Good news is this can be reheated and eaten for days or frozen. Use whatever veggies you like, but I don't care for a lot and this combo worked for me.
1 pckg egg noodles, cholesterol free, cooked.
4-6 chicken breasts, boiled or cooked however desired.
5 cans cream of chicken soup - fat free.
Reduced fat/fat free shredded cheddar cheese.
Chopped fresh carrots.
Chopped fresh onion.
Chopped fresh celery.
1 can green beans - drained.
1 can corn - drained.
1 can baby corn - drained.
3 fresh diced roma tomatoes.
1 can water chestnuts - drained.
1 can bamboo shoots - drained.
Stir fry hard veggies in lowfat butter (margarine isn't as good) until desired softness. Mix everything - Make sure it's very creamy after adding soup - based on amounts you may need to add more soup.
350*, 20 Minutes until bubbly
Once done cooking or reheated, crush up tomato mozzarella parmesan crackers and spread on top.
Spinach Quichelettes (Crustless)
10 oz. frozen chopped spinach - cooked and drained.
3/4 c. liquid cholesterol free egg white.
3/4 c. shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese.
1/4 c. fresh chopped celery or green bell pepper.
1/4 c. fresh chopped onion.
1/4 c. fresh chopped roma tomato.
Spray muffin tins WELL. Combine ingredients and place in cups.
350*, 20 Minutes - until knife in middle comes out clean.
Serve with salsa.
Mesquite BBQ Baked Chicken
This is my absolute favorite, since it's incredibly tender and moist, even reheated, and my husband says it's the best BBQ flavor he's ever had. I wanted something that was better than boiled or baked chicken that turned out dry, and a seasoning that was better than soaking it in a bag of BBQ sauce. I also can't handle stuff that's too spicy. If I had the spices around I'd make it fully myself, but I'm telling you my secret weapon: use those seasoning packets from walmart!!!
1 lb+ lean chicken breasts/desired cuts
1 packet marinade
Olive oil (Extra Virgin)
Butter (I use lowfat margarine 'I Can't Believe It's Not Butter')
Salt and pepper
Flour
I cut my chicken pieces no bigger than the size of my fist, and I have small hands.
Take your chicken breasts/pieces and trim all the fat off. Remove the skin. Pat dry. Coat in flour.
Preheat a ratio of 1 to 1 butte and extra virgin olive oil.
Place chicken pieces gently in oil and cook. It takes a different amount of time each try, so instead of '6 minutes per side' I go by stages. First stage looks pale. Next stage looks sickly yellow. After that it turns a nice golden. This is when you flip it. Don't wait for it to be golden brown. Set aside.
Once cooked in pan, place all pieces on cookie sheet covered in foil and sprayed with pam.
Mix marinade and baste generously on each piece, dabbing some under each piece so the bottom gets it.
Salt and pepper.
Broil a few minutes until it starts to look more brown, flip. Marinade this side generously as well - go ahead and use up the rest of the mixture. Put some on the underside again as well.
Broil until done = piece cut in half shows no pink and juices run clear.
Asian Stir-Fry
*Keep in mind this will not taste as greasy as normal chinese food - it's much fresher with less oil, but tastes great.
Thin beef strips - trimmed
Kikkoman soy sauce
Fresh chopped onion
Minced garlic
Shoestring carrots
Chopped Bok Choy
Cooked broccoli.
Chives
Thin linguine noodles - cooked
Olive Oil
Marinade beef in soy sauce. Stir fry everything with a little olive oil. Add soy sauce to taste.
Crockpot Chicken & Veggies
1 four or five pound chicken
2 medium onions, sliced
5 small red potatoes, peeled and halved
Italian seasoning.
2 spoonfuls minced garlic (I use the plastic jarred kind and get some juice)
Chopped carrots.
Lowfat butter.
Lowfat or low sodium chicken broth.
Place some onion and all carrots along bottom of crock pot. Put the rest of the onion inside the chicken. (I've included ground sausage and Italian bread crumbs mashed with some lowfat butter inside the chicken before and that was good). Stab top of chicken with fork. Rub down entire chicken with butter. Place chicken on top of veggies. Sprinkle garlic and seasonings over top. Arrange potatoes around outside of chicken in crock pot. Add 1/2 c. broth. Cover and cook on low 8-9 hours or until 170 degrees. When done ladle juices over top of chicken slowly.
-Adapted from "Six Ingredients or Less Slow Cooker" cookbook by Carlean Johnson.
