Egg Roll Noodle Bowl

I showed this recipe to D and he said yes.  It looked pretty easy to make (I would have bought shredded coleslaw mix to make it easier but he used the food processor).  The portions were huge!  It needed a little bit of soy sauce and chile garlic sauce, but doesn't everything?  Would have again


Egg Roll Noodle Bowl

Photo by ALB

Amended from Taste of Home

TOTAL TIME:
Prep/Total Time: 30 min
YIELD:4 servings

Ingredients
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1/2 pound ground pork (used 1 pound)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon pepper
6 cups shredded cabbage (about 1 small head)
2 large carrots, shredded (about 2 cups)
4 ounces rice noodles (used 8 oz)
3 green onions, thinly sliced
Additional soy sauce, optional

Directions
1. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat; cook and crumble pork until browned, 4-6 minutes. Stir in soy sauce, garlic and seasonings. Add cabbage and carrots; cook 4-6 minutes longer or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally.

2. Cook rice noodles according to package directions; drain and immediately add to pork mixture, tossing to combine. Sprinkle with green onions. If desired, serve with additional soy sauce.

Yield: 4 servings (1-1/2 cups)

Nutritional Facts (from Taste of Home with no changes)
1-1/2 cups: 302 calories, 12g fat (4g saturated fat), 38mg cholesterol, 652mg sodium, 33g carbohydrate (2g sugars, 4g fiber), 14g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2 medium-fat meat, 2 vegetable, 1-1/2 starch, 1/2 fat.

11 Smart Points (my additions/subtractions at 5 servings of 1-1/2 Cups) 

North-African Spiced Chicken with Roasted Cauliflower

I got this recipe from M, who happened to post it on Facebook one night, while I was scrolling through.  Actually, she posted all the ingredients and I asked her for the recipe.
Anyway she took a picture of the recipe and D made it.

We agreed with M, that it needed more spice.  But for how easy D said it was, we could have again.  The original recipe called for carrots, but carrots on their own are gross so we used cauliflower.

North-African Spiced Chicken with Roasted Cauliflower

Photo by ALB

Ingredients
1 TBSP Ancho chile powder
2 teaspoons ground caraway seeds
2 teaspoons ground coriander seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin seeds
1 teaspoon coarse black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 TBSP extra-virgin olive oil
4 chicken hindquarters (1.5 pounds)
1 head of cauliflower
Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves

Preparation
Preheat oven to 400.

Combine spices through salt and rub evenly over the chicken

Heat a large oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the olive oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the skillet.  Add the chicken and cook until browned, turning, once, about 10 minutes.

Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside on a plate. Add the cauliflower and 1- 2 TBSP of lemon juice to the skillet, scraping up and browned bits stuck to the pan. Place the chicken in the skillet. Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast for about 30 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken is 180 and the cauliflower is just tender.

Drizzle the remaining lemon juice over the chicken and cauliflower. Sprinkle with the lemon zest and the cilantro just before serving.

Shrimp and Black Bean Tacos

These were very easy. That aside, they need some tweaking, but because they were easy, they will get it.

First we used white rice because that's what we had. Second, we combined the rice and beans.  We decided after the fact they needed some seasoning (see my additions for next time).

We had with a southwest salad.

Shrimp and Black Bean Tacos

Photo by ALB

YIELD Serves 4 (serving size: 2 tacos)

A little bit of the black bean liquid brings the chunky mash together. The mash also helps to hold all the filling in place.

Ingredients
2 teaspoons canola oil (didn't use)
3/4 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin, divided
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 (15-oz.) can unsalted black beans
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
8 (6-in.) corn tortillas
1 cup hot cooked brown rice (used 1 cup cooked white rice)
1/2 cup fresh pico de gallo
1/4 cup sliced green onions
1 ripe avocado, thinly sliced
Fresh cilantro leaves
(Next time, lime juice, 1/4 C cilantro, 1/2 tsp salt)

Preparation
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high. Add shrimp, 1 teaspoon cumin, and pepper; cook 5 minutes or until done, stirring occasionally. Remove shrimp from pan. Drain beans in a colander over a bowl, reserving 2 tablespoons liquid. Add beans (didn't do), reserved liquid (didn't do), 1/2 teaspoon cumin, and chili powder to pan; cook 3 minutes, mashing beans with a fork.

(Heated beans and added the Cup of rice mixing everything with the reserve liquid...add some lime juice, 1/4 C cilantro and 1/2 tsp salt next time).

Working with 1 tortilla at a time, heat tortillas over medium-high directly on the eye of a burner 15 seconds on each side (or microwave those suckers). Divide bean (and rice mixture), rice, shrimp, pico, onions, and avocado evenly among tortillas. Garnish with cilantro leaves; serve immediately.

NUTRITION INFORMATION (from CL)
Calories: 408; Fat: 11 g; Sat fat: 1 g; Mono fat: 4.9 g; Poly fat: 2.2 g; Protein: 22 g; Carbohydrate: 61 g; Fiber: 11 g;Cholesterol: 107 mg; Iron: 2 mg; Sodium: 323 mg; Calcium: 138 mg; Sugars: 4 g

10 Smart Points (my additions/subtractions)

Cooking Light, DECEMBER 2016

BBQ Beef-Stuffed Potatoes

D and I decided to make this.  We typically make 1 crockpot meal a week.  We both thought the potatoes in the crockpot was weird, so D was going to microwave them. However I was home so I baked them in the oven.

The result was pretty good. The BBQ won't win any contest, but again, another comfort food that is perfect and ready when you get home.  Working from home, the smell will make you hungry all day.

We cut the recipe to 4. It made big portions. (Even though I baked the potatoes, I still used the salt and oil, so I counted it for my nutritional purposes

BBQ Beef-Stuffed Potatoes

Photo by ALB

ACTIVE TIME: 15 mins; TOTAL TIME: 8 hrs, 15 mins
YIELD: Serves 6 (we got 4)

Be sure to wrap the potatoes in parchment paper; foil can add a metallic taste to the dish. (we baked out potatoes in the oven an hour before eating).

Ingredients
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted tomato paste
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1 1/4 teaspoons black pepper, divided
1 1/2 pounds boneless chuck roast, trimmed
1 1/2 cups vertically sliced red onion
Cooking spray
6 (4-oz.) russet potatoes (used 4)
2 teaspoons olive oil (used 1 TBSP)
3 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (about 3/4 cup)
6 tablespoons light sour cream
1/4 cup sliced green onions

Preparation
Combine brown sugar, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and 3/4 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl; rub generously over roast.

Place red onion slices in bottom of a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker coated with cooking spray; top with roast.

Rub potatoes with oil, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Wrap each potato in parchment paper; arrange on top of roast. (didn't do)

Cover and cook on LOW 8 hours or until tender. (baked potatoes in the oven for 1 hour with no type of wrap (with the salt and oil) or in the microwave)

Unwrap potatoes; split lengthwise, cutting to but not through the other side. Shred roast with 2 forks, and stir to combine with onion mixture.

Top each potato with 1/2 cup beef mixture, 2 tablespoons cheese, 1 tablespoon sour cream, 2 teaspoons green onions, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

NUTRITION INFORMATION (as written from CL, 6 Servings)
Calories: 385; Fat: 12.7 g; Sat fat: 6.1 g; Mono fat: 4.9 g; Poly fat: 0.7 g; Protein: 32 g; Carbohydrate: 37 g; Fiber: 3 g; Cholesterol: 92 mg; Iron: 4 mg; Sodium: 687 mg; Calcium: 173 mg; Sugars: 12 g

16 Smart Points (4 servings, my calculation)

Cooking Light, DECEMBER 2016

Chicken and Butternut Gnocchi

I got the January Cooking Light, and D and I found some good recipes in it.

This was one.  First, the sage really tied it together. It's not an herb we use a lot, but is a comfort food herb, if that makes sense.  Second, the portions were a decent size.

I think it was easy to make.  I didn't hear D make too many comments from the kitchen.  I would have again.  He said the flavor picked up the next day. I thought it lost a little. Either way, we both cleaned our plates.

D didn't think it needed chicken broth, so he didn't use it.  He also didn't use the oil.

Chicken and Butternut Gnocchi

Photo by ALB

ACTIVE TIME: 15 mins; TOTAL TIME: 30 mins
YIELD: Serves 4 (serving size: about 1 1/4 cups)

Prepared gnocchi doesn't require boiling; it can go right in the pan.

Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided (didn't use)
4 (6-oz.) skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1-in. pieces
3 cups (1/2-in.) cubed peeled butternut squash
1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
1 (12-oz.) pkg. whole-wheat gnocchi (used 16 oz Italian gnocchi)
3/4 cup unsalted chicken stock (such as Swanson) (didn't use once, used the other time)
2 tablespoons prepared refrigerated pesto
2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage
1/2 teaspoon chopped garlic
5 ounces baby spinach, chopped
1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (about 1/4 cup)

Preparation
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add chicken; cook 5 minutes or until browned. Place chicken in a bowl.

Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in pan over medium. Add squash and onion; cook 8 minutes. Add squash mixture to chicken. Add gnocchi to pan; cook 2 minutes. Add chicken mixture, stock, pesto, sage, garlic, and spinach to pan; cook 1 minute. Top with cheese.

NUTRITION INFORMATION (from CL)
Calories: 526; Fat: 19.3 g; Sat fat: 4.5 g; Mono fat: 9.7 g;  Poly fat: 2.6 g; Protein: 43 g; Carbohydrate: 44 g; Fiber: 9 g; Cholesterol: 165 mg; Iron: 6 mg; Sodium: 748 mg; Calcium: 202 mg; Sugars: 4 g

11 Smart Points (based on my additions/subtractions)
It's 11 SP with no fat chicken broth, as well.

Cooking Light, DECEMBER 2016