Week 2 Healthy Eating

Ah the infamous week 2! It brought both pain, tears and laughter. Apparently I gave myself shin splints as I didn’t have the correct shoes to run in. Without an extra $60+ lying around I had to grin and bear it. Icing my leg after each run, resting with my foot up and later in the week I got smart and bought the old ICY HOT to rub on! Oh boy did I smell “old”. I ended up borrowing the money from my dad to get the shoes I need because the pain became unbearable. Quite frankly I didn’t deserve the pain I was in and due to the fact I was trying so hard to lose this weight, it seemed unfair, so I bit the bullet and asked my dad if he wanted to contribute to the Monica get fit fund! LOL

Right away I could tell the shoes helped. Until I had gotten them I had stopped running and just walked as fast as I could. I still had to ice when I got home, but as the days went by the pain became bearable again. I upped my workout this week to 2 times a day, equaling close to 2 miles each workout. You know you are dedicated when you push through the pain and “just do it” day in and day out. My kids looked at me and wondered why in the world I would put myself through the torment. I think one day they will get it, but they don’t see me as I see myself. I hope I have inspired them as interestingly I have inspired myself. I just want my kids to look up to me and see all that I am doing is to become a better version of me.

This week in food I made sure to measure-measure-measure. Remember last week I only lost 2#? I was NOT going to live through that again. Someone told me, and I know it’s true, that losing 1=2# a week is normal and the way you should lose weight. I am too impatient for that. I do all this work, I want results! HA! So this week as I said I was going to make sure I lost more than 2#. Although that same person told me to go find something that weighed 2# and pick it up to see just how heavy it really was. You know what? She was right, 2# is not light! I felt better after that.

BBQ Chicken Wrap: (in photo above)

1 10″ large jalapeno cheddar tortilla

4.5 oz. boneless skinless chicken breast, cooked and diced

1/4 cup baby spinach, washed

3 tsp. shredded mozzarella cheese

28 grams of asparagus, cooked but still firm

1.5 tbs your favorite barbecue sauce (I use Bullseye, be careful on the sugar content)

Add all ingredients to tortilla and roll up. I had a side of shelled edamame beans (super great source of protein) the BBQ Chicken Wrap comes in at 450 Calories and 11 grams of fat!

I again ate my Luna bars trying various flavors. so far the Chocolate Peppermint Stick and Chocolate Dipped Coconut are my favorite and I highly recommend them. I have even given them to my kids as a treat and they LOVE them! 

Music motivation this week:

P.O.D. – Here Comes the Boom

Since one of my weaknesses is sweets, I made a yummy version of banana bread that will set your heart a fluttering! Mocha Cappuccino Banana Bread Bites, only 92 calories!! Curbs that sweet tooth after just 1! Freeze them and take out as needed or store in an airtight container. 

When Monday rolled around, I was so excited to step on that scale…the result…4# that means I am down 6#!!!! WOO-HOO!!! I knew I could do this, what a confidence booster! I do not go to the gym, I do not take diet pills, I do eat REAL butter AND had chocolate and lost 4#, SUCCESS= ME!

If I can do this, ANYONE, can do this! Did you have an amazing feat this week? Tell me about it in the comments I’d love to hear about it!

Photo taken from the Spark People Pinterest page

 

Missed week 1? Check it out here:

• Week 1 Healthy Eating

Chicken Bacon Ranch Mac-N-Cheese – It’s not too late for dinner plans!

Nothing says comfort quite like home-made mac-n-cheese. I never could resist cheese nor the crunchy browned goodness on top of a casserole. Putting the two together is sheer bliss in my book. Besides the boxed mac-n-cheese is nowhere near what mac-n-cheese should be. I have never purchased powdered cheese so why would I use it in a meal for my kids? Last time I looked cheese was something that was fresh!

This is a great go to meal, it comes together quickly and the aroma of cheese and bacon fill your home with deliciousness. Once you bite into the crunchy bacon topped, oozy gooey cheesy pasta you will be digging in for more!

My kids ask for this at least once a week. I have to restrict them, so I make a second smaller batch that I freeze. Let me tell you the frozen one is almost better than the fresh. 

INGREDIENTS

• 16  ounces  uncooked elbow macaroni
• 1/2 lb sliced smoked bacon of your choice
• 3 chicken breasts, skinned boned and diced into bite sized pieces
• 3  tablespoon  butter
• 3  tablespoon  all-purpose flour
• 3 cups milk
• 1/3  cup  condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
• 2.5 cups shredded cheese, 1 cup jack, 1 cup pepper jack, 1/2 cup sharp cheddar (or whatever your favs are!)
• 2 tbs powdered ranch
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt
• Cooking spray

DIRECTIONS

Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente.

Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp. I cut it up before cooking using my handy kitchen shears into bite sized pieces, then drain on paper towel and set aside. Reserving drippings in pan.

Add chicken to drippings in pan, sprinkle with pepper and a little salt (remember the bacon is salty) sauté for 10 minutes or until done.

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat; sprinkle flour evenly into pan. Cook 2 minutes to get the flour taste out, stirring constantly with a whisk. Combine milk and soup in a bowl with a whisk; gradually add milk mixture to saucepan, stirring with a whisk, then add ranch powder.

Bring to a boil; cook 2 minutes or until thick. Remove from heat and add cheese. Once cheese is all melted into sauce, stir in pasta and most of the chicken and most of the bacon. (Reserve a little of each to sprinkle on top)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Spoon mixture into a greased 9 x 11″ glass baking dish, and an 8 x 8″ glass baking dish. (Or if you have a super large one use that. I freeze the small one for later.) Sprinkle evenly with reserved bacon and chicken.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until heated through. DO NOT BROIL IN GLASS DISH, IT WILL BREAK ON YOU.

Serve with a side salad or vegetable to round out the meal.

My concoction of cheeses

Ready for the oven

Just out of the oven

Finished!

Sweet Heat Grilled Chicken Tacos with Pineapple Salsa

I don’t really care if it is winter, spring, summer or fall, I am down for the BBQ any time any day. That is what is nice about California where I live, I have the liberty to do so. So, now that fall is officially almost here I don’t let that deter me from que’ing 😀 Last night was Taco Tuesday at our house and instead of the traditional tacos we normally have, I switched it up…NOTE TO SELF: make more next time! I came across a yummy recipe from Elle’s New England Kitchen and tweaked it to our (my) liking. It came out great and everyone wanted more.

MARINADE

4 whole boneless, skinless chicken breasts, butterflied and pricked with fork several times all over breast
1/2 cup olive oil
juice of 2 limes + zest
2.5 tsp adobo sauce + 1 chipotle chili sliced
1.5 tsp cumin
2 pinches cinnamon (no one will ever know it is in there!)
1 tsp onion flakes
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp pepper
3 tbsp honey

Add all marinade ingredients to a ziplock  bag except the chicken. Mix all ingredients until well blended. Add chicken breasts and close the bag really well. Mix everything together to get a nice even coat on the chicken. Place in refrigerator to marinate overnight or as long as possible to soak up all the flavors this sweet and spicy sauce offers. I started my marination in the early afternoon for an evening dinner it was very tasty! My only regret was I didn’t do it over night! A great tip from Elle’s New England Kitchen, which I absolutely LOVED was to make this and freeze it. When it is un-thawing it is soaking up all the marinade as well!! 

Remove chicken from refrigerator 30 minutes prior to barbecuing and allow it to come close to room temperature. While doing this you can prepare the salsa which is a…take your thumb and middle finger and…SNAP, SNAP, SNAP!

PINEAPPLE SALSA
1/2 fresh pineapple, diced 
1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro
1/4 of a large red onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 lime juiced + zest

Combine all ingredients well and let sit in refrigerator at least 30 minutes to chill and merry all ingredients.

Barbecue chicken until cooked thoroughly. I use the bag of marinate to coat chicken as I cook it to jeep it juicy! I just snip the tip off at the bottom corner and marinate while I cook. Discard any remaining marinade as it can not be re-used.

Remove from que and let sit on a platter covered with foil until ready to serve. This keeps it warm and keeps all yummy sweet heat juices inside.

Let’s talk tortillas. There are lots of tortillas out in the market. It is ultimately up to you what you choose. the while flour vs. corn debate is yours alone. All I can say is I am a CORN kinda girl when it comes to my tacos. To put a lower fat spin on mine, instead of frying them up (which I LOVE) I brush each side of one with extra virgin olive oil and brown for a few minutes on each side in a skillet.

Now, you are looking at this tortilla and saying…UM that is NOT corn! Well you would be wrong if you were gambling folks! This awesome tortilla is corn AND wheat. I can’t believe I haven’t seen these before, but this is a blue corn, wheat and flax-seed tortilla! YOUR WELCOME!

I heat the tortillas to order. In other words, I don’t cook them ahead of time and let sit. I think the best way to enjoy a taco is warm with a nice crispy tortilla at the base of the all goodies. You can serve these tacos with rice or beans or whatever Mexican side dish tickles your fancy. Assembly wise I just add some chicken in the tortilla, top with pineapple salsa, drench the whole thing with 1 slice of lime and a sprig of cilantro.

Featured on Foodie Friends Friday!

 

Honey Glazed Chicken Bites

My “honey” and I love Chinese food. Specifically orange chicken or sweet & sour chicken. It takes a toll on your pocketbook if you are buying for a large family, not to mention who knows what they put into it. We decided to buy bulk at our local >cough< warehouse spot. I say cough, because these days people have been talking negatively about them. We need these Costco‘s in our life right now, so we shop there and love it. Anyway they have this really nummy orange chicken, but it simply, again, isn’t enough for us all, yes even at Costco there is something NOT big enough for us :D. I decided to try my hand at recreating something at home that would satisfy the craving, but with a twist. (1) Using something sweet for the sauce & (2) not making it spicy so my younger kids would eat it. You will love the texture of this batter as it is really light and delicate, unlike a traditional deep-fried, well, anything really. You can eat it plain or add the honey sauce.

Chicken needs to marinate for about 30-45 minutes

Fry chicken in batches so you don’t overcrowd pan and to keep oil temperature the same

Making the honey sauce

Toasting sesame seeds

INGREDIENTS

1 ½ lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1” chunks
Vegetable Oil for deep-frying

BATTER INGREDIENTS
4 tablespoons cornstarch
¼ cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ cup water
½ teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 egg white
SAUCE INGREDIENTS
1 ½ tablespoons coconut oil
2 teaspoon ginger, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
½ cup water
1 teaspoon cornstarch, mixed with 1 teaspoon water
Handful of toasted sesame seeds (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Mix all batter ingredients together until combined then add chicken and stir to coat all chicken, cover and marinate for 30-45 minutes in refrigerator.
2. Heat deep fryer or large pot of vegetable oil to 350 degrees F.
3. Once oil is ready, fry chicken in batches to maintain oil temperature and avoid overcrowding. Chicken bites should cook about 5 minutes to completion. Drain on a paper towel. Continue until chicken is all cooked.

Sauce:

1. Add coconut oil, ginger and garlic to fry pan or wok and heat for about 3 minutes until aromatic.
2. Add salt, honey, vinegar, and water and mix well.
3. Combine 1 teaspoon of water with 1 teaspoon of cornstarch and add to the sauce.
4. Simmer for about 5 minutes and sauce has thickened. Add sesame seeds on top if using.
5. Serve over the top of my Coconut Rice.

Smooth & Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Soup

For those of us on the West Coast, I know it is entirely TOO HOT to be talking soup, but here’s the deal…you are going to NEED this recipe come Fall and Winter. Seriously, not want it, NEED it. I think last year I made this so many times we almost turned into enchilada soup! My entire family likes this and that is not an easy feat to accomplish. Again, this was in my early days of picture taking and blogging, so you will need to excuse the pics and TRUST me on the delectable taste of this soup!

INGREDIENTS

1 lb. skinless boneless chicken
2 T. Extra Virgil Olive Oil
1 whole sweet onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic (microplanned)
2 qt. chicken stock
1.5 cups masa harina
3 cups water divided
2 c. enchilada sauce
2 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese (go for sharp every time you will be glad you did!)
2 t. chili powder
1 t. ground cumin

DIRECTIONS

First off for convenience I use a store made rotisserie chicken for my soup. If you want to go completely homemade, use 4 chicken breasts and bake them in oven until done. Let cool and then cut into bite sized pieces.

1. In  your stock pot, cook onion in olive oil for a few minutes then add, garlic until fragrant, (about 1-2 minutes on medium) do not burn garlic or it will be bitter and you will have to start over. 
2. Add chicken stock.
3. In a bowl whisk together masa harina and 2.5 cups water until it becomes thick and is well blended.
4. Pour masa mixture into pot with additional water, enchilada sauce, chili powder, and cumin and chicken. (I am using the rotisserie chicken so I just shred it and drop in stock)  
5. Bring to boil. At this stage I drop the temperature to low and cook for however long necessary. You can make it all afternoon or crank the heat up and eat within 30-40 minutes. If you are cooking for a long time, do not add cheese until closer to eating time. If you are eating within a relatively short amount of time (30-40 minutes) add cheese now. 
6. When ready to serve, garnish with shredded jack cheese, sour cream, chives and homemade tortilla strips (see recipe below). 

Tortilla Strips
4 Corn Tortillas
1 c. Vegetable Oil
Salt

DIRECTIONS
Add oil to small fry pan and heat on medium high. While waiting for oil to heat up cut tortillas into strips. Line your counter with 3 layers of paper towel to drain tortilla strips on when finished. When oil is hot add 8-10  tortilla strips at a time to oil and fry for 3-5 minutes. Set on paper towel and add salt. 

 

Stuffed Poblano Pepper

Brightly green inspiring herbs and veggies for this sweet heat dish! I love the Spring when all the yummy vegetables and herbs are surfacing and ready for us to eat and experiment with. This recipe was inspired by so many of them. This main dish goes well with Cilantro Lime-Pepper Rice and Cilantro Corn Bread Muffins.

INGREDIENTS

5 large poblano peppers 
2 chicken breasts, diced
1/2 – 1 cup Sweet Heat Chefs Signature Sauce
4 T olive oil 
1 cup corn (fresh is best, but canned is fine, too)
1 can Dei Fratelli tomatoes 
Handful fresh cilantro, chopped 
salt and freshly ground black pepper 
1 cup jack cheese shredded 

DIRECTIONS

1. Place poblano peppers on a sheet pan and place under preheated broiler. Drizzle with olive oil and toss coating all sides.  Blacken all sides, then remove to a heat resistant safe bowl and cover with saran wrap; let sit for around 10-15 minutes.  This process is known as “sweating”. This sweats the skin so it is easily removed. Remove one pepper from bowl at a time and carefully remove blackened skin.  Cut a slit lengthwise down each pepper and carefully remove seeds (don’t worry about getting every last seed, just get the bulk of them).
2. Marinate diced chicken breasts in Sweet Heat Chefs Signature Sauce for at least 10 minutes, but for an hour is desirable.  Preheat olive oil in skillet over medium-high heat and add chicken breasts cooking thoroughly.
3. Add black beans, corn, tomatoes and cilantro, salt and pepper to chicken mixing thoroughly and heat through.
4. Stuff each pepper with chicken mixture until completely full.  Top each pepper with jack cheese, and bake for 7 – 10 minutes in preheated 350 degree oven until heated through and cheese is melted.

Oiled poblano peppers before being chared

Poblano peppers after being broiled to char skins

Charred poblano peppers being sweated

Poblano pepper after skin and seed removal

Chicken cooking in sauce

Poblano before going under broiler

Poblano Pepper after broiler

Finished Stuffed Poblano Pepper, Cilantro Cornbread Muffins & Cilantro Lime-Pepper Rice.

Coconut Mango Chicken Bites

Inspired by my love of BITE sized food!

Picture from Kitchen Simplicity, gorgeous homemade wrappers!

INGREDIENTS
24 wonton wrappers
1 tsp coconut oil (or other cooking oil)
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed
1 Tbs grated fresh ginger (may sub 1 tsp dried ground)
2 cups cooked chicken, small dice
1/2 cup coconut milk
1 mango,  peeled and diced
1/2 c. pineapple, diced
Lime juice approximately 3 limes
salt to taste
Cilantro chopped

WON TON DIRECTIONS

1. To make the wonton cups. Take 1 wrapper and lay flat, take a second wrapper and put on top off center.
2. Press fresh wonton wrappers into muffin tins, pressing any folds firmly to the sides.
3. Bake at 350°F for 5 minutes, until golden. **WATCH THEM CLOSELY, THEY WILL BURN ON YOU** Set aside to cool.

FILLING DIRECTIONS

1. Heat about a teaspoon of oil in a skillet and sauté the onion for about 5 minutes, or until soft.
2. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for another minute.
3. Add the chicken and saute until browned.
4. Add coconut milk, lime juice and salt/pepper.
5. Cook, stirring often, until bubbly and thickened.
6. Cool slightly or chill before spooning into won ton cups.
7. In a small bowl combine mango, pineapple, cilantro, lime juice.
8. Add mango mixture and cilantro on top just before serving.
9. Serve over a bed of coconut rice and garnish with 1 lime slice

Thai Chicken and Spinach Wraps with Peanut Dipping Sauce

I want to thank Kimberly over at Badger Girl Learns To Cook for allowing me to share my love of cooking with her foodie friends. I want to thank my mom, Monica Mooney, the creator of Sweet Heat Chefs for encouraging me to begin cooking and sticking with it when I wanted to quit. 

My name is Jasmine, I am 12 years old. My love of food and cooking began when I was around 2. My mom had me up on the counter mixing cookie dough and adding ingredients to the bowl as she went. As I got older, chopping and slicing came into my repertoire, and a few nicks here and there I eventually learned my lesson on how to do it correctly. 

I would like to talk about some yummy Thai wraps that are so flexible you can change out the ingredients any way you like and make them to your own liking. That is the fun one can have with food. 

You know the saying, “don’t play with your food?” Well my mom always told me TO play with my food. I have 4 other siblings and I think we all enjoy cooking and or helping out in some way in the kitchen because of my mom’s encouragement in that way.  

Like a typical mom, as I know anyway, my mom is always trying to get her kids to eat more vegetables. I have to admit, at 12 years old I still don’t like too many vegetables. I know I should eat them and that they are good for me, I just can’t get past the taste of some of them (cauliflower being the WORST! Sorry mom I don’t like your roasted cauliflowerL) So, when my mom started putting spinach into different foods, I was rolling my eyes like the typical pre-teen. Yet when I tasted it…I actually liked it! Spinach is now one of my favorite vegetables and that is what inspired my Thai Chicken & Spinach Wraps making it a fun “Thaifusion” of flavor! 

FILLING INGREDIENTS

1 bundle Saifun noodles
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 thumb sized piece of ginger, grated
1 garlic clove, grated
4 chicken breasts cut in half and diced in smaller than bite sized pieces, or ½ lb ground chicken
Salt/pepper to taste
½ can bamboo shoots, diced
½ can water chestnuts, diced
1 cup shredded, carrot
2 tablespoons soy sauce, low sodium
2 teaspoons sesame seed oil
2 cups washed baby spinach leaves
12 rice paper wrappers

PEANUT DIPPING SAUCE INGREDIENTS

4 tablespoons soy sauce, low sodium
¼ cup hot water
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 thumb sized piece of ginger, grated
1 clove garlic, grated
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoons sesame seed oil
1 cup creamy or chunky peanut butter, your preference

DIRECTIONS FOR PEANUT SAUCE

Combine all ingredients, EXCEPT, the peanut butter and mix well. Using a whisk add in peanut butter and mix well. Refrigerate until the wraps are finished.

DIRECTIONS FOR WRAPS

1.       Take Saifun noodles and place in heat resistant bowl. Heat up 2 cups boiling water. Pour boiling water over noodles and cover, set aside.

2.       Preheat skillet with 2 tablespoons coconut oil. Add garlic and ginger cooking only a few minutes so as not to burn garlic. Add chicken and salt/pepper. Cook a few minutes until pink is almost gone, then add soy sauce, carrot, bamboo shoots and water chestnuts. Cook until chicken is cooked thoroughly.  Remove from heat and set aside.

3.       Set out a bowl or pie dish (I used pie dish) large enough to fit 1 rice wrapper in it without bending. Fill with warm water.

4.       Take 1 rice wrapper, dip quickly in water making sure all of wrapper is wet, and place on a piece of wax paper that has been lightly sprayed with cooking spray.  The layers are as follows:

a.       Spinach

b.      Chicken mixture

c.       Saifun noodles

The noodles don’t need to be drained at all; I just grabbed them directly out of the water as I made my wraps.

5.       Roll the wraps as you would an eggroll and set aside on a plate.

The rice wrappers get softer and stickier as they sit. After you dip it in the water quickly it will not be soft, do not dip again in water and be sure to roll quickly to avoid a sticky mess!

6.       Continue with the remaining rice wrappers or until all filling mixture is used.

7.       Serve over coconut rice and a garnish with cilantro and the peanut dipping sauce.

Change-out ingredients

You can use pork, beef, shrimp, salmon (my favorite) and even ground turkey as the meat

You can use Napa cabbage or bok choy instead of spinach

You could add onion, shallots, mushrooms and even celery

Lime Chicken Soft Tacos

Picture submitted to Sweet Heat Chefs

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast meat – cubed 
1/8 cup red wine vinegar 
1 lime, juiced 
1 t. white sugar 
1/2 t. salt 
1/2 t. ground black pepper 
2 green onions, chopped 
2 cloves garlic, minced 
1 t. dried oregano 
10 (6 inch) flour tortillas 
1 tomato, diced 
1/4 c. shredded lettuce 
1/4 c. shredded Monterey Jack cheese 
1/2 c. salsa 
Sour cream

DIRECTIONS

1. Saute chicken in a medium saucepan over medium high heat for about 20 minutes.
2. Add vinegar, lime juice, sugar, salt, pepper, green onion, garlic and oregano. 
3. Simmer for an extra 10 minutes.  Warm tortillas. 
4. Serve lime chicken mixture in warm tortillas topped with tomato, lettuce, cheese, sour cream, cilantro, salsa or whatever you like on your tacos. 

Chicken Veggie Surprise

INGREDIENTS

4 chicken breasts, cut in bite sized chunks
2 cloves garlic (microplaned)
 4 T. Olive Oil
½ pound penne pasta or some small pasta that is your favorite
1 pkg. frozen spinach
¼ c. sundried tomatoes or fresh petite grape tomatoes (optional)
5 oz. grated Parmesan cheese (reserve ½ cup)
2 t. chopped dried rosemary
2 T. dried onion
Salt/Pepper for taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Unthaw frozen spinach.  Once unthawed you will need to squeeze all excess moisture from spinach and set aside until needed.
2. Cook chicken and garlic in olive oil until browned.
3. While chicken is cooking cook pasta until al dente.
4. When chicken is done, add spinach and tomatoes. Cook for  about 5 minutes.
5. While cooking mix together in small bowl; parmesan cheese, rosemary, dried onion, salt and pepper.
6. After pasta is done, drain (reserve 1 c  of pasta water) and add to chicken and vegetables in pan along with the parmesan mixture. Mix all ingredients together and heat through. If the dish is looking too “thick” add some of the pasta water you reserved, ¼ c. at a time and stir thoroughly before adding more until you have reached desired consistency.
7. Add the reserved parmesan cheese to top.