Stress, food, and some great recipes to try

Stress and food, need I say more? For me they seem to go hand in hand and it is not a good combination for me being I am trying to lose weight. When I am stressed I love to cook and eat all my favorite comfort foods that I remember from growing up, the problem with these foods is that they are full of calories and high in fat.

I love to cook and cooking is a way for me to relieve stress, I just send the girls downstairs and turn up the tunes. Lately though while trying to lose weight cooking has become boring to me, I think it is the one ingredient cooking (Leigh Peele) that is doing it to me. To those who are not into cooking, I think one ingredient cooking while trying to lose weight is a wonderful idea, it is quick and straight forward, but to me it has gotten boring not only to me but to my kids. I try different spices to mix things up and it works great, but I miss some of my favorite dishes as does my kids. I am getting tired of hearing, "Oh, chicken again!" So, the following cookbook a friend let me borrow has given me a great idea, it is called NOW eat THIS! 150 of America's Favorite Comfort Foods All Under 350 Calories by Rocco DiSpirito. It is a great cookbook full of stuff we love to eat. I have tried two recipes, Meat Loaf with Portobello Mushrooms and Grilled Chicken Parmigiano, they both went over well and will be made again. I try to plan my meal plans 2 weeks in advance, so my new goal is to try and make the comfort foods I love a bit healthier.

I just read a great review of this book on Diets in Review.com. I have not tried the recipes that are listed on this site, Rocco’s Brownies and Flash-Fried Finger-Lickin’ Chicken but I will soon along with the Mac n' Cheese recipe he has in there. Until then I will leave you with the Meat Loaf recipe in hopes you will follow the links and try all these tasty recipes and go buy the book for even more. If these recipes are not what you are looking at trying I found some more sample recipe in the Google Books section.


For this recipe I could not find Ian's All-Natural Panko breadcrumbs, so I used other whole wheat ones. I also added 1-2 teaspoons of crushed red pepper flakes in it to give it a bit of a kick, it turned out great and does not add any additional calories.


Meatloaf with Portobello Mushrooms
Serves 4
Per serving: Fat 8.9g, calories 212, protein 21g, carbs 11g, cholesterol 55mg, fiber 2g, sodium 400mg
From Now Eat This!

Ingredients:

4 ounces portobello mushrooms, roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves
1/3 cup egg substitute
1/3 cup reduced-sugar ketchup, such as Heinz
12 ounces 93% lean ground beef
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (try and use fresh, dried just does not taste the same!)
1/2 cup whole-wheat panko breadcrumbs, such as Ian's All-Natural
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil and set it aside.

Place the mushrooms in a food processor, and pulse until they are very finely chopped; scrape them into a large mixing bowl. Add the garlic cloves to the food processor and pulse until they are finely chopped. Add the egg substitute and 1 Tablespoon of the ketchup, and puree until the garlic is smooth. Scrape the garlic mixture into the bowl containing the mushrooms.

Add the beef, parsley, and panko to the bowl. Add the salt and season with pepper to taste. Using your hands, gently mix the ingredients until they are just combined.

On the prepared baking sheet, form the meat mixture into an 8x4x1 1/2 inch loaf. Brush the remaining ketchup over the loaf. Bake until the meatloaf is cooked through, 18-20 minutes.

Allow the meatloaf to rest for 5 minutes before slicing.


Source: DiSpirito, R., (2010). Now eat this!. New York:Ballantine Trade Paperback Original.

Turkey & Veggie Meatloaf Minis inspired by Hungry Girl

So, I have tried yet another recipe from Hungry Girl's cookbook, Hungry Girl 1-2-3: The Easiest, Most Delicious, Guilt-Free Recipes on the Planet by Lisa Lillien. It is the Turkey & Veggie Meatloaf Minis. They were fabulous!! Everyone in my house loved them and wants them again sometime. If you do not have this cookbook, you need to go out and buy it! There are so many wonderful recipes in there and so far my family has loved all the ones I have made. There is so much more in there I am going to try! Amazon has it on sale I saw when I was perusing their site, if anyone is interested.

This is another recipe that I had to do some substitution with. I did not have everything on hand, but I so noted what I changed by bolding it. Along with this I made some mashed potatoes and a bag of sugar snap stir fry veggies that I added some fresh zucchini and some of the left over broccoli slaw to. YUM, YUM is all I have to say!



Ingredients:

1 small onion ( I used 1T dried onion)

1/4 cup plus 3 tbsp. ketchup, divided

1 1/4 lbs. raw lean ground turkey (I used 1lb ground turkey)

3 cups bagged dry broccoli slaw, roughly chopped (I used my Pampered Chef Food Chopper to chop it into small pieces, the only way my daughter will eat it)

1/2 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute (1/2 C is equal to 2 whole eggs) (like Egg Beaters Original) (I used 3 egg whites)

1/2 cup quick-cooking oats

2 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. salt

Pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Using a box grater, grate onion into a large bowl (If I would have had an onion I would have used my Chopper for this as well). Add 1/4 cup ketchup and all other ingredients. Stir until thoroughly mixed.

Line 9 cups of a 12-cup muffin pan with baking cups and/or spray with nonstick spray (I used nonstick olive oil spray). Evenly distribute turkey-veggie mixture among the muffin cups, and top each with 1 tsp. ketchup. (With my mix, I filled all 12 cups and did not use the full tsp of ketchup on top.)

Bake in the oven for 30 - 35 minutes (with my oven it took 40-45 minutes to bake), until firm with lightly browned edges. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!!!

MAKES 9 SERVINGS (12 servings for me)

PER SERVING (1 mini meatloaf): 142 calories, 5.25g fat, 494mg sodium, 9g carbs, 1.5g fiber, 4g sugars, 14g protein -- POINTS® value 3* (This is only accurate if you make it as is, I used what I had on hand and figured it to be a little less than that. I need to figure it out exactly, but I am guessing with my substitutions as noted the mini’s to be around 110-120 calories. I am not sure yet, but I will get around to figuring it out.)

http://www.hungry-girl.com/girls/biteoutdetails.php?isid=2022

Shamrock Smoothie

This is a very flavorful, healthy smoothie! I will have to post a picture next time I make it.



Ingredients:

1 peeled banana
1 cup frozen green grapes
1 peeled Kiwi
1 cup washed baby spinach
8 oz lime yogurt
1/4 cup limeade

Blender Directions:

Put the frozen ingredients, kiwi and Spinach into the blender.

Add the yogurt and limeade

Blend until smooth

Serve

Number Of Servings:3



http://kidsblogs.nationalgeographic.com/littlekids/images/shamrock-smoothie-enlarged.jpg

Black Bean, Rice, & Chicken Burrito

This is something else that went very well in our house. It is very filling and tastes great.

Ingredients:

3 chicken breast, boneless, skinless, cooked and shredded
options for seasoning for chicken: taco seasoning OR garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and red pepper
1 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups of rice, cooked according to package
salsa of your choice
taco sauce of your choice
2 C cheddar cheese or taco blend cheese
Chi-Chi's Flour tortillas, burrito size


Direction:

Heat 1 T of olive oil in pan, sprinkle each side of chicken with seasoning of your chice. Cook chicken 5-10 min or until done. Cool for a bit and then pull apart so it is shredded.

Put black beans in a microwave safe container and cook on high for 2-3 minutes.

Place Tortilla on a plate and spoon a layer of rice, beans, salsa and/or taco sauce, chicken, and cheese. Feel free to layer however you want. Roll up into a burrito.

Baked Chicken with Lemon and Garlic

I served this with broccoi and cheese and penne rigate with some of the sauce spooned over the pasta. Everyone loved it, but next time Ryan requested I use thin spaghetti.



Ingredients:

12 to 18 small white onions, peeled*
**I did not have any onions, so I used Westpac Seasoning Blend that I had in the freezer, it has onions,celery, red peppers, green peppers, and parsley in it. It can be found in the freezer section at the grocery store. I also used my chopper to chop it into finer pieces. Olivia does not like big chunks.**

1 fryer chicken, about 3 1/2 to 4 pounds
**I used 4 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts**

1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup chicken broth
5 cloves garlic, minced
Juice of 2 lemons, about 5 to 7 tablespoons
1 teaspoon dried tarragon (or use dried leaf thyme)
Salt, pepper, and paprika


Preparation:

*If using fresh onions, cut an X on the root end, boil for 3 minutes then cool in ice water and slip skins off.

Spray a 13x9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray or olive oil. Heat oven to 375°.

Quarter the chicken, if using a fryer chicken. Wash chicken and pat dry.

Combine wine, broth, garlic, lemon juice, and tarragon or thyme and onions; pour over chicken.
**There will be more than enough liquid, spoon some of this over your noodles.**

Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and paprika. Bake for 15 minutes. Baste and return to bake for 15 to 25 minutes longer, or until chicken is cooked through and browned.

Oven-Baked Salmon with Herbs

I got this recipe from About.com and it is great! The fish stays extremely moist. There are a couple things I did different than the recipe calls for. I will note it in the steps as I did them.


I served it with brown rice and green beans with almonds. We eat these beans all of the time, they are our favorite. I think it would also go well with snap peas or broccoli.


(By Laura Dolson, About.com)

This cooking technique is something of a miracle. The fish bakes at a low heat right on the platter you will serve it on. No pans to wash! You will know it is done when the fish flakes, but it doesn't change color as much because it keeps its moisture -- no more dried-out fish! And it is so flavorful!

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:
• 1 salmon filet - about a pound
• 2 - 4 T fresh herbs, chopped (thyme or dill is nice, but anything you like is probably good)
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teasoon salt (a bit more if kosher, or if fish is skinned)
• 1 teaspoon oil, if that - you just need a very thin film

Preparation:

I first saw this technique used on this segment1 of Jacques Pepin's TV show "Fast Food My Way". He does his a bit fancier, by removing the skin. This is not necessary, unless you don't want the unsightly skin hanging around your elegant buffet. The meat lifts right off the skin after it is done. It is a good idea to run your hand over the filet and make sure there aren't a bunch of bones, but frankly I don't always do that either - I figure people can pick out their own bones. If you do pick out the bones, it makes it easier if you drape the filet over something convex like a bowl - they stick right out when you position this fish this way.

1. Heat the oven to 200 F. (not a typo)

2. Chop up the herb, and mix it with the salt and pepper. I happen to have lemon thyme in my garden, and it is my favorite for fish, but regular thyme or any herb you like works fine -- even parsley. If you want to use more, that's fine, and sometimes I mix in a a tablespoon or so of sesame seeds.

***(For the seasonings I used Garlic/Dill Seasoning, Thyme, Salt, & Pepper.)***


2. Smear the oil on an oven-proof serving platter, and put the fish on top. If the filet is skinned, put some salt and pepper on both sides, otherwise just put the fish skin side down and season the top. I usually run my oily hand from the platter-smearing over the fish so the seasoning will stick a bit better.

***(I did not put them on a serving platter, I do not have an oven proof one. I put them on a baking sheet lined with foil. I sprayed the foil with a Olive Oil cooking spray instead of rubbing oil on it.)***


3. Bake for about 40 to 45 minutes, until salmon flakes. You won't believe how good it is. I usually serve it with a sort of homemade tartar sauce mixing mayonnaise, lemon zest and juice, some of the same herb I used on the fish, capers, and a very small amount of hot sauce. I do it to taste, but I'll figure out a recipe soon and link it.

***(I cooked it for about an hour instead of the 45 min it calls for. The pieces of salmon I had were rather thick.)***


Nutritional Information: Figuring three servings per pound, each has zero carbs, 30 grams of protein, and 230 calories.

This About.com page has been optimized for print. To view this page in its original form, please visit: http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/maindishes/r/ovenbakedsalmon.htm
©2009 About.com, Inc., a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.

http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/maindishes/r/ovenbakedsalmon.htm

Sunday Night's Supper - Baked Tilapia 5.31.09

Baked Tilapia (6pcs)

I put some aluminum foil on a baking sheet, sprayed it with Pam, placed the fish pieces on it. I squeezed half a lemon over the pieces, drizzled garlic butter over it, sprinkled garlic powder & dill weed onto the pieces. I baked it at 450 for 12-14 min. Cooking time will vary depending on your fish. (Measure the thickest area of the fish and bake for 5 to 10 minutes per inch.)

White rice

Frozen broccoli with cheese and roasted potatoes. I think it was a green giant steamers.

Chicken Français

3/4 cup egg substitute
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
3 garlic cloves, minced
8 (4-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
Cooking spray
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup dry white wine
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Combine first 8 ingredients in a shallow dish.
Place each chicken breast half between 2 sheets of plastic wrap, and pound to 1/4-inch thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin. Dredge chicken in flour, and dip in the egg substitute mixture.
Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat. Add 4 chicken breast halves; cook 4 minutes on each side or until done. Remove chicken from pan; keep warm. Wipe the drippings from pan with a paper towel. Repeat the procedure with 1 1/2 teaspoons oil and the remaining chicken.
Melt butter in pan; add 1/4 cup wine and 3 tablespoons juice. Bring to a boil; cook for 10 seconds. Serve immediately over chicken.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 chicken breast half and 2 teaspoons sauce)

CALORIES 211 (30% from fat); FAT 7g (sat 3g,mono 2.7g,poly 0.7g); PROTEIN 30.3g; CHOLESTEROL 76mg; CALCIUM 70mg; SODIUM 269mg; FIBER 0.2g; IRON 1.6mg; CARBOHYDRATE 5g

http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=479083

Martha Condra, Cooking Light, JANUARY 2001

Lemon-Garlic Chicken

¼ C lemon juice
2 T molasses
2 t Worcestershire sauce
4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 lbs boneless chicken thighs
¼ t salt
¼ t black pepper
Lemon wedges
Parsley sprigs

1. Combine the first 4 ingredients in a nonreactive dish and add chicken. Cover and marinade in refrigerator 1 hr, turning occasionally

2. Preheat oven to 425

3. Remove chicken from dish, reserving marinade, and arrange in a shallow roasting pan coated with cooking spray. Pour reserved marinade over chicken and sprinkle with salt and pepper

4. Bake at 25 for 20 min basting occasionally with marinade. Bake without basting for 20 min more until chicken is done. Serve with lemon wedges and garnish with parsley if desired.