Crack Broccoli

So this was good.  I'm not sure it was "crack-worthy" as I've never done crack.  Also D forgot the cheese.  But Broccoli with almonds...it's very good.  He was eh about it, but I think he is tired of broccoli.  Me, I liked it a lot.

We had with Chicken and Mushrooms.  We would have again.

Crack Broccoli

Photo by ALB

YIELD: 3 - 4 SERVINGS
PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES
COOK TIME: 20 MINUTES
TOTAL TIME: 30 MINUTES

Ingredients
1 and ½ pounds broccoli crowns (roughly 2 heads)
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil (used 1 1/4 TBSP)
4 garlic cloves, pressed
large pinch of dried red pepper flakes
½ teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons raw, sliced almonds (with or without skin)
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 – 3 tablespoons freshly grated aged pecorino cheese (didn't use)
zest of half a lemon

Directions
Preheat the oven to 475 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil. Trim any dry, tough ends of the broccoli crowns, leaving roughly 2-inches of stalk attached. Slice the broccoli into ½-inch-thick steaks, starting in the center of each broccoli crown and working out to the edges, reserving any small or medium florets that fall off for roasting. Slice any large remaining florets in half lengthwise.

In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, pressed garlic, and red pepper flakes. Add the broccoli steaks and toss gently until evenly coated. Arrange the broccoli, cut-side down, on the lined sheet pan, setting them apart slightly. Sprinkle with salt.

Roast the broccoli for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven, flip the broccoli, and sprinkle the almond slices evenly across the sheet pan. Roast for an additional 8 to 10 minutes, or until the broccoli is caramelized and tender, and the almond slices are toasted and golden.

Transfer the broccoli to a platter, toss gently with the lemon juice and top with the grated cheese. Garnish with fresh lemon zest. Serve hot or at room temperature.

2 Smart Points (my additions/subtractions at 4 servings)

Chicken with Mushrooms

This was pretty good. Very simple and very fast which means it was excellent.
On top of that, it uses ingredients we usually have in the house.

We had with Crack Broccoli and pasta.

Chicken with Mushrooms

Photo by ALB

Chicken cutlets are sauteed with button mushrooms for a quick and delicious one-skillet meal.
PREP: 25 MINS
TOTAL TIME: 25 MINS
SERVINGS: 4
SOURCE: EVERYDAY FOOD, SEPTEMBER 2012

Ingredients
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 pounds chicken cutlets
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, chopped
1 pound button mushrooms, trimmed and quartered
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Directions
Place flour in a shallow dish. Season chicken with salt and pepper, then coat with flour, shaking off excess.

In a large skillet, heat oil and 1 tablespoon butter over medium-high. In batches, cook chicken until browned and cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and tent loosely with foil.

Reduce heat to medium, add thyme, mushrooms, and remaining 2 tablespoons butter, and cook until softened, 6 minutes.

Add wine and broth and cook, stirring, until reduced by half, 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Return chicken to pan along with any accumulated juices; top with parsley.

9 Smart Points (my additions/subtractions at 4 servings)

One Pan Healthy Sausage and Veggies

So I saw this on Pinterest (shocking).  It looked easy, and it had red peppers (D loves them, I'm kind of eh...like green better). But it also had green beans and broccoli so WIN!

Smoked Sausage in the all pork variety comes in 12-16oz portions, so give 3 oz to your 3 dogs.  They will love you.

It was pretty tasty. More so the next day.  And it was really easy to clean up.

Would have again.

One Pan Healthy Sausage and Veggies

Photo by ALB

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 30 mins
Total Time: 40 mins
 Servings: 4 if served with rice/quinoa (or if not)

Original Author: Chelsea 

Ingredients 
2 cups (~1 small) red potato
3/4ths pound green beans
1 large head of broccoli (~ 1 and 1/2 cups)
1 and 1/2 cups chopped bell peppers (2 large or 6-7 mini sweet bell peppers)
9 ounces smoked sausage
6 tablespoons olive oil (you only need 3)
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Serve with: fresh parsley, quinoa/rice, lots of 4 TBSP freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Line a large sheet pan with foil or parchment paper.

Prep the veggies: chop the red potatoes (pretty small pieces here so they will be tender in time), trim the green beans and halve, chop the broccoli, chop the peppers into thick squares, and coin the sausage in thick slices.

Place all the veggies and sausage on a sheet pan. Pour the olive oil and all the spices on top. Toss to evenly coat all the veggies and meat.

Bake 15 minutes, remove from the oven and flip/stir all the veggies around. Return to the oven and bake for another 10-15 minutes or until vegetables are crisp tender and sausage is browned.

If desired, sprinkle freshly grated Parmesan cheese over the veggies and sausage as soon as they come out of the oven.

Enjoy with rice or quinoa and fresh parsley if desired.

13 Smart Points (my additions/subtractions at 4 servings)

Tuscan Chicken with White Beans and Kale

I really like the taste of this.  D hated making it.  So much so, he left out some ingredients.  The only reason I noticed he did, was because the original picture from CL had red in it and ours did not.
He said there were way too many ingredients.  So we probably won't have again, which is a shame because I really liked it.  He added the tomatoes for left overs.  It still tasted good.

Tuscan Chicken with White Beans and Kale

Photo by ALB

ACTIVE TIME: 22 mins
TOTAL TIME: 22 mins
YIELD: Serves 4 (serving size: 4 oz. chicken and 1 1/2 cups bean mixture)

This rustic chicken supper is a one-dish meal through and through: It all comes together in one skillet and includes the main (chicken), starch (creamy cannellini beans), and side (braised kale and tomatoes). It also couldn’t be faster or easier to throw together—just 22 minutes from start to finish. You can use either lacinato kale, the kind with dark, bumpy leaves, or curly kale for this dish; just make sure to remove the stems as they won’t have time to break down before the dish is done. Swap the chicken for boneless center-cut pork chops on another night.

Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil (used Cooking Spray)
4 (6-oz.) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup chopped yellow onion
1 cup chopped carrot
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
5 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup dry white wine
8 ounces lacinato kale, stemmed and thinly sliced (about 1 bunch) (used 2 bunches of Kale, no idea what kind)
1 cup unsalted chicken stock (such as Swanson)
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
2 (15-oz.) cans unsalted cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15-oz.) can unsalted diced tomatoes, drained
1 tablespoon unsalted tomato paste

Preparation
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Sprinkle chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Add chicken to pan; cook 4 minutes on each side (chicken will not be cooked through). Remove chicken from pan.

Add onion, carrot, thyme, and garlic to pan; sauté 5 minutes. Add wine; cook 2 minutes. Add kale; cook 3 minutes or until wilted. Stir in remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, stock, and remaining ingredients; bring to a simmer. Add chicken; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 4 minutes or until done.

NUTRITION INFORMATION
Calories: 516; Fat: 13.7 g; Sat Fat: 2 g; Mono Fat: 6.6 g; Poly Fat: 1.6 g; Protein: 52 g; Carbohydrate: 43 g; Fiber: 12 g; Cholesterol: 124 mg; Iron: 5 mg; Sodium: 609 mg; Calcium: 179 mg; Sugars: 8 g; Est. Added Sugars: 0 g

Cooking Light, JANUARY 2017

9 Smart Points (my additions/subtractions at 4 servings)

TURKEY (or Beef) TACO SPAGHETTI SQUASH BOATS

I'm not sure how I feel about these.  I never had spaghetti squash before this.  So D and I tried it.  While not bad, they aren't the end-all-be-all either.  They tasted like yellow squash in string form.  So I can't imagine putting spaghetti sauce and parm cheese on it and faking anyone out.  Actually, I'm kind of grossed out by that .

However, considering we have had zucchini with queso fresco, and squash and zucchini with jalapenos, adding a "Mexican" flair to spaghetti squash wasn't creepy.

The taste of the filling was very good.  However, it tasted like taco meat on top of squash.  If I want to save calories/points, I think I would just put the filling on a 1-pt tortilla and call it a day. The other thing is tacos in my mind are typically cheap.  The squash alone was over $9, so I was kind of stuck on that.

We had with black beans.  I don't think we'll have again. Not horrid, just the price point was off for me.

TURKEY (or Beef) TACO SPAGHETTI SQUASH BOATS

Photo by ALB

Yield: 6 servings, Serving Size: 1 boat (we had 4 servings)
TOTAL TIME: 1 hour
Adapted from Skinny Taste

INGREDIENTS
3 small spaghetti squash (24 oz each) (we used 2 squashes)
olive oil spray
1 lb 93% ground turkey (used 96%/4% ground beef)
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 small onion, minced
2 tbsp bell pepper, minced
1/2 cup water
4 oz can tomato sauce
3/4 cup part-skim shredded Mexican cheese blend

For the Pico De Gallo: (bought fresh from the store)
1 cup chopped tomato
1/4 cup chopped scallion
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 jalapeno, minced
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 400F degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (or two if they don’t fit). Cut the squash in half lengthwise, and use a spoon to scrape out the seeds and soft yellow strands. Spray the inside of the squash with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Place the squash facedown on the baking sheet and bake for 50 minutes or until the flesh easily pierces with a fork.

Meanwhile, brown turkey in a large skillet breaking it into smaller pieces as it cooks. When no longer pink add dry seasoning and mix well. Add the onion, pepper, water and tomato sauce and cover. Simmer on low for about 20 minutes.

Combine the ingredients for the quick pico de gallo in a medium bowl. Set aside in the refrigerator until ready to eat.

Once the squash is cool enough to handle, use a fork to scrape the inside so the strands appear. Spoon scant 1/2 cup meat inside each squash bowl. Top each with 2 tbsp cheese and transfer them to the oven and bake another 5 minutes, until the cheese is melted. Remove from the oven, top with pico de gallo and serve immediately!

5 Smart Points (my additions/subtractions at 4 servings)

Carne Asada Bowls

As always with a chopped salad we got 3 really huge servings.  D isn't a fan of leftover salad, so that's why.

Anyway, this was really good. He grilled the steak, and the rest came together.  We didn't have a side, but the salad was so huge, why would we?

Will have again.

Carne Asada Bowls

Photo by ALB

Serves: 4 (we got 3)

Ingredients
Cooking spray
1 (12-oz.) flank steak (used 1 lb)
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided
2 teaspoons olive oil (used cooking spray)
3/4 cup chopped white onion
1/2 cup unsalted chicken stock (such as Swanson)
1 (15-oz.) can unsalted pinto beans, rinsed and drained
3 cups chopped romaine lettuce
1 1/2 cups chopped tomato
1 ounce tortilla chips (used baked tortilla chips)
1 ripe avocado, thinly sliced
1 1/2 ounces queso fresco, crumbled (about 1/3 cup)
4 lime wedges (didn't use)

Preparation
Heat a large skillet over medium-high. Coat pan with cooking spray. (D heated the grill). Sprinkle steak with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add steak to pan; cook 5 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. (D did this, but on the grill). Place steak on a cutting board; let stand 5 minutes. Cut across the grain into slices; cut slices into 3/4-inch pieces.

Add oil to pan (used cooking spray); swirl. Add onion; sauté 2 minutes. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt, stock, and beans to pan; bring to a boil. Cook 4 minutes, scraping pan to loosen browned bits.

Divide lettuce among 4 shallow bowls. Top evenly with bean mixture, steak, tomato, tortilla chips, and avocado. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and queso fresco.

Serve with lime wedges.

NUTRITION INFORMATION
Calories: 369; Fat: 15.1 g; Sat Fat: 3.6 g; Mono Fat: 6.9 g; Poly Fat: 1 g; Protein: 28 g; Carbohydrate: 31 g; Fiber: 10 g; Cholesterol: 56 mg; Iron: 4 mg; Sodium: 486 mg; Calcium: 133 mg; Sugars: 4 g; Est. Added Sugars: 0 g

Cooking Light, JANUARY 2017

12 Smart Points (my additions/subtractions at 3 servings)

French Onion Chicken

So I assume D loves French Onion Soup, as he orders it all the time in restaurants.  His favorite protein is chicken, so when I saw this recipe, I figured he would be all for it, and I was correct.

He made it.  He thought it was a little weird you make chicken with beef broth, but didn't complain.  The result was huge portions, and a very flavorful dish.  We didn't have a side (the pasta was the side).

We will have again.

French Onion Chicken

Photo by ALB

Prep time: 20 mins
Cook time: 40 mins
Total time: 1 hour

Chunks of tender chicken tossed in a thick french onion gravy loaded with sautéed Vidalia onions and melted Swiss cheese.

Adapted from Mother Thyme
Serves: 4-6 (we got 6)

Ingredients
10oz uncooked penne
2 pounds Vidalia onions (or other sweet onion), peeled and sliced
Cooking Spray
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon dried thyme
2 cups beef broth
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup shredded Italian 5-blend cheese
1 baguette, sliced

Instructions
Prepare pasta according to directions on the box.

Meanwhile, spray cooking spray in a large oven safe skillet over medium heat.

Add onions and stir. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt.

Cook onions, stirring occasionally to avoid burning until onions are tender and slightly caramelized, about 20 minutes.

Stir in balsamic vinegar and cook for another 1-2 minutes.

Place cooked onions in a small dish and set aside.

Return skillet to stove over medium heat and add more cooking spray.

Season chicken with salt, pepper and thyme.

Add chicken and cook until all sides are brown and cooked thoroughly. Remove chicken from skillet.

Increase temperature to high. Add in beef broth and deglaze skillet. Reduce temperature back to medium. Gradually whisk in flour and butter until broth is thicken. Season with a pinch of salt, pepper and thyme.

Stir in cooked chicken and onions until combined with beef gravy.

Sprinkle with cheese and place in a 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes until cheese in melted and bubbly.

Sprinkle with a pinch of thyme if desired.  Mix with Pasta.

Serving Size: 1.5 Cups

11 Smart Points (my additions/subtractions at 6 servings)