Grilled Zucchini

There is nothing better in the hot summer months than fresh veggies from the garden!  We have planted a wide variety this season, tomatoes, cucumbers, peas, beans, swiss chard, brussels sprouts, corn and lots and lots of herbs.  When veggies are freshly picked you don't want to boil them and lose that fresh picked flavor.  So tonight when we picked our first zucchini of the season we decided to grill it.  In my opinion it is the best way I have ever had it!

So this is super easy, all you need to do is slice your zucchini into fours.  While we wanted to stick to not losing the natural fresh taste we decided to lightly brush it with olive oil and then just add some salt and pepper to taste. Place them face down on the grill and cook until lightly chard. Remove and serve as the perfect summer side.  I decided to serve these with my Sauteed chicken with Browned Sage Butter!  Enjoy!

Sauteed Chicken with Browned Sage Butter

With it being summer most people like to enjoy grilled food.  For us we cook almost every night on the grill, both the meat and the sides.  I am getting to the point that I just can't seem to eat anymore grilled chicken.  So tonight I decided to saute chicken breasts in the house with some browned sage butter.  It was so delicious (and easy) that I plan on making it again this week! Here is what you will need to make this fresh juicy chicken.

2 Chicken Breasts (cut in half and pounded to 1/4 inch)

1/2 Cup Flour

Salt and Pepper to Taste

Olive Oil Cooking Spray

5 Tablespoons Butter

2 Sprigs Fresh Sage

3 Teaspoons Fresh Thyme

2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice

First you want to salt and pepper your chicken to taste.  Next spray down your saute pan with the olive oil cooking pray and heat your pan.  While the pan is heating, lightly coat each side of the chicken breast with flour.  Now it is time to add your chicken to the pan, cook on medium heat about 4 minutes on each side (or until cooked through).  Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.  Immediately add the butter and sage sprigs to the hot seasoned pan. Cook until butter is browned.  Remove the sage and add the thyme to the butter, cook about 30 seconds (being careful that the thyme does not burn).  Lastly add the lemon juice to the pan and throw the chicken back in.  It is now time to serve and top with the butter sauce! 

Although I am tired of grilled chicken, veggies are still delish on the grill!  While I was making the chicken my husband threw some fresh corn on the cob and zucchini that be picked fresh from the garden on the grill to have with our chicken.  Perfect summer meal, Enjoy!

Corn Bowl

So tonight's original dinner was a mess!! I didn't get home until about 8:30 and then had to cook dinner.  I ran to the store to grab a quick pre-made frozen stir-fry dinner......yes I know, they are terrible for you! Well then, it must have been a sign I shouldn't eat it when I put it in the pan and forgot about it and burnt it....ooopps!

So this means that I needed to think of something quick, since at this point I was starving.  I through a bag of steamfresh corn in the microwave to hold me over.....then I took a look in the fridge to find some tomatoes, olives and kielbasa.  I simply sliced all three and sauteed in EVOO until the kielbasa was cooked.  Threw this on top of the corn and that was dinner!

Honestly, it was DELICIOUS!  I will probably make it again as both Scott and I loved it, this shows you never know what you can do when your starving with what you have in the fridge! Enjoy!

Men Can Cook Too!

Men can cook too!

I texted my husband tonight to tell him I would make American Chop Suey, his favorite, when I got home.  When I get home late he usually will start dinner, the protein at least, so I can just throw together some sides when I get home.  I wanted to make sure he didn't bother tonight.  If you have read my post on American Chop Suey, you know I don't eat it.  My husband texted me and asked if I could let him know when I was on my way, at this point I knew he would be cooking something for me, and I was right! 

He made me an egg sandwich, but not your typical egg sandwich.  There is no bread in this sandwich, the eggs are the bread, and in between them is the kielbasa, tomatoes and taco cheese for a bit of heat. Topped with salt and pepper to finish.  A simple, quick and most importantly, delicious sandwich, without all the carbs of bread! It was so good I had him make me another, might just be a new favorite!

Crispy Spicy Chicken Bits - Baked

So this recipe all started when my husband brought home a new dipping sauce he found by Miracle Whip.  He came home and showed me the SMOKIN' BACON RANCH dipping sauce by Miracle Whip and asked if I could make something to dip in it.  Of course the first thing that came to mind was chicken.  Seeing how the sauce is incredibly unhealthy for you I wanted to make the crunchy chicken pieces as healthy as I could.  I decided to use panko and bake them instead of frying.

1 package of chicken breast tenderloins, cut into bite-sized pieces

1 c. panko bread crumbs

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. onion powder

1 tsp. paprika

1/2 tsp. salt 

1/2 tsp. pepper

olive oil cooking spray

3 tbsp hot chili pineapple grilling sauce

2 egg whites

First, mix the bread crumbs and spices together in a small bowl.

In a separate bowl, mix together the hot chili pineapple sauce and egg whites.

Dip the chicken into the egg white mixture, then place the chicken into the breading mixture.  Place the chicken bits on the olive oil sprayed baking pan and spray the tops of the pieces with the olive oil cooking spray as well.

Bake in a 350 degree oven (I popped them in the toaster oven) for 15 minutes.  Then broil on high for the last 5 minute to brown the tops.

Optional:  Serve the Crispy Spicy Chicken Bits with the SMOKIN' BACON RANCH dipping sauce by Miracle Whip! Enjoy!

Corn Chowder Makeover!

I am not one for depriving myself, I have learned if you do you will just end up eating too much when you actually let yourself indulge.  My mom happened to buy me a new cookbook the other day.  America's Test Kitchen Comfort Meals Makeover.  They teach you how to recreate all of your favorites with half the calories and fat, they even throw in some restaurant favorites as well!  I have only tried two so far, and both have been excellent.  I did make a few changes to them but mainly cut some ingredients out, so the calorie and fat count most likely stayed the same or went down even more.  

I LOVE corn chowder, but when you think chowder you automatically think fattening.  Well this recipe helps you cut the fat from  27g to 12g and calories from 310 to 180 while still tasting delish!  The key, more broth and 1% milk and less cream.  

1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 slice of bacon, chopped fine

1/2 sweet onion
2 minced Garlic Cloves

1 tsp. dried Thyme
 3 tbsp Flour

3 cups low sodium, low fat chicken broth

1/2 cup 1% milk

2 cans of baby white corn

1lb baby red potatoes

1 Bay leave

1/2 cup half and half

1 Tbsp Unsalted Butter

Salt

Pepper

First heat the EVOO in a large soup pan until shimmering.  Add bacon and cook until crisp.  Stir in the onion and cook until softened.  Stir in garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds). Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute.

Slowly whisk in the broth and milk, scraping up any brown bits.  Stir in the potatoes and bay leaf.  Bring to simmer, partially covered, and cook until potatoes are tender.

Lastly, stir in the 1/2 and 1/2, butter and corn.  Simmer gently until corn is tender yet still slightly crunchy (about 5 minutes). Remove the bay leaf, stir in parsely and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve and Enjoy!

Reduced Fat Lemon Squares

Reduced Fat Lemon Squares

Crust

• 1 Package low fat/fat free Graham Crackers (crushed)
• 1 tablespoon lemon Zest
• ½ teaspoon Baking Powder
• ¼ teaspoon Salt
• 1 tablespoon almond milk
• 4 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter chilled (cut into ½ inch pieces)

Place all of the above in the food processor and pulse until combined

Bake at 350 in an 8 inch pan for 20 minutes and cool for 15

Filling 

(this is a double recipe for filling since I didn't find it to be enough, feel free to cut the below in half for traditional bars)

·         1 cup (5 1/4 ounces) granulated sugar

·         2 large egg plus 2 large egg white

·         4 tablespoons all-purpose flour

·         1/4 teaspoon salt

·         2 tablespoon grated lemon zest plus 12 tablespoons juice (about 3 lemons)

·         2 tablespoon confectioners' sugar to sprinkle on top

Whisk Sugar, Eggs, flour and salt in bowl until smooth.  Stir in lemon juice and zest.

Pour over cooled crust and bake 15-20 minutes at 325degrees until set

Cool in pan on wire rack for 1 hour or until completely cooled

Dust with confectioners’ sugar

By far the best Lemon bars I have had AND only 3g fat per 2 inch square!