Saturday, October 17, 2015

Steak Strips Stirfry


Today’s recipe is all about convenience! A stirfry is a great idea when you have a mishmash of vegetables that might either be going bad soon or left over from another meal. The ingredients I used are the ones that I had in my fridge, so feel free to add in or leave out anything. Be creative with this, remember cooking is supposed to be fun!

Now on to the nutritional value per serving:

-        Brown rice – 107 cal
-        Onion – 16 cal
-        Green bell pepper – 7 cal
-        Tomato – 6 cal
-        Steak strips – 116 cal
-        Broccoli – 14 cal
-        Carrots-  14 cal
-        Olive oil-  39 cal
-        Sweet and Sour stirfry sauce – 80 cal
-        Seasoning (salt, pepper, basil, parsley flakes, garlic) – 17 cal

Total Calories: 416 cal per serving
 
Now on to the recipe:
1. First begin cooking rice according to package instructions. For some products rice may cook for up to 40 minutes, for others it may be less. For my rice I cooked it on low heat for 35-40 minutes.
2.  Chop up onion, green bell pepper and tomatoes.    
 
3. Add in frozen vegetables to cook first. If you are not using frozen vegetables you can skip this step.
4. Once vegetables are partially thawed, drain any excess water from the skillet.
5. Add 1 Tbsp of olive oil into the skillet.
6. Add the chopped onion, green bell peppers and tomatoes and cook on medium heat for about 15 minutes.
 
7. Meanwhile, cook the steak strips (or whatever type of meat) over medium heat in a separate skillet for about 10 minutes or until you can’t see any more red!
 
8. Once the steak is fully cooked drain any grease into the sink.
 
9. Add the steak to the skillet of vegetables.
 
10. Let cook together on medium heat for about 5 minutes.
11. Don’t forget to check on your rice!
 
12. Finally add 1/2 cup of the Sweet and Sour stirfry sauce (or any sauce of your choice) to the skillet.
13. Let cook for another 5 minutes.
14. Once sauce if fully heated take off medium heat.
15. Serve by putting a spoonful of rice onto the plate and then smother the rice with the vegetable and steak stirfry!

 
 
 Leave a comment below and let meknow how this recipe turned out for you! Pros and cons graciously accepted :)
 
Steak Stirfry
Serving Size: 4
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20-40 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Ingredients:
-        1 cup Brown rice
-        ½ Onion
-        1 Green Bell Pepper
-        1 cup Steak Strips
-        1 medium tomat
-        1 cup broccoli (frozen or fresh)
-        1/2 cup carrots (frozen or fresh)
-        1 Tbsp Olive oil
-        1/2 cup Sweet and Sour stirfry sauce
-        Basil
-        Parsley Flakes
-        Garlic
-        Salt
-        Pepper
 
Directions:

1. First begin cooking rice according to package instructions. For some products rice may cook for up to 40 minutes, for others it may be less. For my rice I cooked it on low heat for 35-40 minutes.

2.  Chop up onion, green bell pepper and tomatoes.    

3. Add in frozen vegetables to cook first. If you are not using frozen vegetables you can skip this step.

4. Once vegetables are partially thawed, drain any excess water from the skillet.

5. Add 1 Tbsp of olive oil into the skillet.

6. Add the chopped onion, green bell peppers and tomatoes and cook on medium heat for about 15 minutes.

7. Meanwhile, cook the steak strips (or whatever type of meat) over medium heat in a separate skillet for about 10 minutes or until you can’t see any more red!

8. Once the steak is fully cooked drain any grease into the sink.

9. Add the steak to the skillet of vegetables.

10. Let cook together on medium heat for about 5 minutes.

11. Don’t forget to check on your rice!

12. Finally add 1/2 cup of the Sweet and Sour stirfry sauce (or any sauce of your choice) to the skillet.

13. Let cook for another 5 minutes.

14. Once sauce if fully heated take off medium heat.

15. Serve by putting a spoonful of rice onto the plate and then smother the rice with the vegetable and steak stirfry!

Enjoy!
 
 
 

 
 

Wednesday, October 7, 2015

Seasoned Chicken Crockpot Recipe

Hello! Today the recipe I have for you is a crockpot recipe! I love to use my crockpot when I have a super busy day and wont have the time to make dinner when I get back. There’s nothing better than coming back and have a meal hot and ready waiting for me!



Chicken is a great source of lean, low fat protein. It is packed with nearly 43 grams of protein. It is said to lighten up your mood because it has high levels of tryptophan in it. Tryptophan is an amino acid that helps to increase the serotonin levels in your brain. So if you’re ever feeling a little down, this meal is the perfect one for you!

Now for the nutritional value:
1 medium chicken breast: 141 calories
1 medium potato:124 calories
1/2  cup fresh Green Beans: 22 calories
1/4 Cup carrots: 14
1 Tbsp Seasoning (Olive oil, oregano, salt, pepper, garlic): 91 calories
TOTAL: 392 calories
 

Recipe time!
Cut the potatoes into quarters and half the chicken. (for easier serving purpose)

 
Place the chicken into the center of the crockpot or slow cooker.
Add in the green beans on one side, carrots  one the other and pile the potatoes in as well.
 
In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, oregano, salt, pepper and garlic.
 
Pour the seasoning mixture over the green beans, chicken and potatoes.
Cover and cook on high for 4 hours, or on low for 7-8. Try not to open the lid in order to keep the steam inside the cooker.
 
Serve and enjoy!
Seasoned Chicken Crockpot Recipe
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time 4-8 hours (depending on level of heat)
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
 
4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
2 cups fresh green beans
4 medium diced russet potatoes
1 cup carrots
¼ cup olive oil
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
Directions:
 
1. Place the chicken into the center of the crockpot or slow cooker.
2. Add in the green beans on one side, and pile the potatoes on the other side.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, oregano, salt, pepper and garlic.
4. Pour the seasoning mixture over the green beans, chicken and potatoes.
5. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours, or on low for 7-8. Try not to open the lid in order to keep the steam inside the cooker.
6. Serve and enjoy!
 

 

Saturday, September 26, 2015

Ground Turkey and Sweet Potato Skillet



 
This is a brand new recipe I tried and I must say it turned out pretty good! I found it from Primavera Kitchen. There are some awesome recipe's on this site so you should definetly check it out!
This recipe is a gluten free recipe that incorporates ground turkey, sweet potatoes, yellow bell peppers and onions. The colors within this dish are so warm and welcoming, making it a perfect dish to make during the fall season.
Here is the nutritional value of this dish based on 1 serving (however the recipe is based on 4):

1 oz Ground Turkey: 65 calories
1/2 cup Sweet Potato (with skin): 113 calories
1 cup Yellow Bell Pepper:  40 calories
1/2 cup Onion: 46 calories
Seasoning(salt/pepper/garlic): 8 calories  
1/2 Tbs. Olive Oil:  60 calories
1 oz Mozzarella Cheese: 86 calories  

Total Calories: 418 calories

Fun Fact about this meal:

Empty calories: 55 cal (21% of recommended daily limit)
Empty calories are calories that come from foods that have no nutritional value. This meal has an extremely low empty calorie level because it is made up mostly of nutrient packed vegetables. You want to try and avoid any meals that are high in empty calories because they have no nutritional value to you whatsoever. Your best options for finding a nutrient rich meal will usually be filled with at least half fruits and vegetables.

Now to the recipe!
(You can see the full recipe at the end of this post)


 

Preheat the oven 400 F. 
 
First, dice sweet potato, onion and yellow bell peppers. Set aside.

Add 1 tsp. of olive oil into a skillet. In my recipe I used a large pot because I do not have a big enough skillet. Either works!
 

Add the uncooked ground turkey and garlic into the pan. Cook the turkey for about 10 minutes or until you do not see any more red meat.
 

Continue to keep heat on medium throughout.

Next add in the diced yellow peppers and onion. Cook until the onion is camelized (starts to turn brown).

Finally add in the diced sweet potatoes and cover. Stir occasionally. Let cook until the sweet potatoes are tender.
 

Add salt and pepper to taste and let cook on medium heat.

Once sweet potatoes are tender, transfer food to a baking dish. If you are using a skillet that can go in the oven as well, then there is no need to transfer.
 
Spread evenly and sprinkle mozzarella cheese over the top.
 

Put in the oven for just enough time for the cheese to melt.

Once the cheese is melted, take out dish. I paired it with green beans, but you can either eat it just as is or incorporate one of your favorite vegetables on the side. Enjoy!
 
 
Ground Turkey and Sweet Potato Skillet
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Total time: 35 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients:
 
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1Lb extra lean ground turkey
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 medium onion, diced
1 whole yellow bell pepper, diced
1 medium sweet potato, diced
Salt and Pepper
½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
 
Preparations:
Preheat the oven 400 F
First, dice sweet potato, onion and yellow bell peppers. Set aside.
Add 1 tsp. of olive oil into a skillet. In my recipe I used a large pot because I do not have a big enough skillet. Either works!
Add the uncooked ground turkey and garlic into the pan. Cook the turkey for about 10 minutes or until you do not see any more red meat.
Continue to keep heat on medium throughout.
Next add in the diced yellow peppers and onion. Cook until the onion is camelized (starts to tur brown).
Finally add in the diced sweet potatoes and cover. Stir occasionally. Let cook until the sweet potatoes are tender.
Add salt and pepper to taste and let cook on medium heat.
Once sweet potatoes are tender, transfer food to a baking dish. If you are using a skillet that can go in the oven as well, then there is no need to transfer.
Spread evenly and sprinkle mozzarella cheese over the top.
Put in the oven for just enough time for the cheese to melt.
Once the cheese is melted, take out dish and enjoy!

Friday, September 18, 2015

Pork Chops with Green Beans and Potatoes

Hello everyone! I am back today with a brand new recipe I recently tried. And I must say, it was a HUGE hit with my family. As a fellow foodie, I am always watching the cooking shows on the food network trying to get ideas of new recipes to try. This one was actually inspired by a recipe I saw on the Rachael Ray Show.

Pork chops can often be a difficult meat to cook, but with this recipe not only were my pork chops flavorful, but also tender and cooked just right! The best part about this recipe is that you can cook the pork chops, potatoes and green beans all in ONE pan at the SAME time! Nothing like an easy, delicious, healthy recipe to serve on a busy weeknight.

Another great aspect of this recipe is it's a well-balanced meal. You get a protein, starch and a vegetable which are essential to eating a nutrient rich diet. This meal has many types of nutritional benefits as well. The red peppers provide you with nearly 3 grams of fiber. The pork chops fulfill recommended amounts of B vitamins and protein. While the green beans are filled with several vitamins and minerals including Vitamin K.

Here is the nutritional information for this dish based on 1 serving:

1 pork chop (bone in) - 187 calories
1 medium potato, baked, no peel with seasoning - 121 cal
1 cup, fresh green beans - 44 cal
1 cup red bell pepper - 38 cal
Seasoning (including lemon juice, paprika, salt, pepper, garlic) - 15 cal

TOTAL CALORIES: 405 cal

Now let's get to the recipe!

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 475°F.

Wash and prepare potatoes, green beans and bell pepper. In this recipe I used russet potatoes, but you can use any kind! You could also use frozen green beans instead of fresh.



In a large bowl or baking pan, mix together 3 tablespoons olive oil, the juice of a freshly squeezed lemon, thyme, paprika and garlic. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

 
Add the pork chops to the marinade and turn to coat.
 
 
On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss the green beans, red peppers and potatoes with 3 Tbs of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

 
 
Spread in an even layer.
 
 
Nestle the pork chops among the vegetables.
 
 
Bake the pork chops in the over at 425°F for 25 minutes. The chops should be just cooked through and the vegetables should be tender.

 
 Once finished, let sit for about 5 minutes and then it is ready to serve! Enjoy!!!
 
 
 
 

Roasted Pork Chops with Green Beans and Potatoes

Yield: 4 servings

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 25-30 minutes           
 

Ingredients:
 

6 Tablespoons of olive oil (divided)
1 lemon (juice)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
1 Tbsp paprika
4 cloves garlic, grated
Salt and pepper to taste
4 pork chops (Bone in or boneless)
1 12oz bag of green beans (fresh or frozen)
4 medium russet potatoes (can use any type), cut into wedges
1 red bell pepper
 

Preparation:
 

Preheat oven to 475°F.
 

Wash and prepare potatoes, green beans and bell pepper. In this recipe I used russet potatoes but you can use any kind!

 
In a large bowl or baking pan mix together 3 tablespoons olive oil, the juice of a freshly squeezed lemon, thyme, paprika and garlic. Season with salt and pepper to taste.        

 
Add the pork chops to the marinade and turn to coat.

 
On a large, rimmed baking sheet toss the green beans, potatoes and red peppers with 3 Tablespoons of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

 
Spread in an even layer.

 
Nestle the pork chops among the vegetables.

 
Bake the pork chops in the over at 425°F for 25 minutes. The chops should be just cooked through and the vegetables should be tender.
 

Once finished, let set for about 5 minutes and then it is ready to serve! Enjoy!!!