A great strategy to feed > 6 people without much hands-on time is Crockpot meals.  While surfing the blogosphere, I came across Nicole’s recipe for Slow Cooked Pork Carnitas and immediately knew this would be a dish that Cory, Kiley, and Travis (my brother-in-law) would love.  I got over my phobia of leaving cooking food unattended during the day while I am at work and made this delicious meal last week. 

Slow Cooked Pork Carnitas (Mexican Pulled Pork) adapted from Prevention RD

3.5 pound Boneless Center Cut Pork Loin, lean, all fat removed

6 cloves Garlic, cut into slivers

Cumin, to taste

Garlic Powder, to taste

1 can of Low-sodium Chicken Broth

1 small can of Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce***

2 Bay Leaves

Salt & Pepper, to taste

1. Season pork with salt and pepper.  In a medium pan on medium-high heat, brown pork on all sides (about 10 minutes).  Remove from heat and allow to cool.
2. With a knife, cut small holes into pork and insert garlic slivers.  Season pork generously with cumin and garlic powder on all sides.
3. Pour chicken broth in the Crockpot, add bay leaves and chipotle peppers.  Place pork in Crockpot and cover.  Cook low for 10-12 hours.
4. After cooking, shred pork, remove bay leaves, stir, and let it cook another 15-30 minutes.

I served the Mexican pulled pork over corn tortillas with fresh salsa, guacamole, and fat-free Greek yogurt.  The long cook time is necessary when you use leaner cuts like pork loin. 

***I must warn you… one must really, really, really like spicy food if you plan on following this exact recipe.  I mean so spicy that “you better have a glass of water immediately available after each bite” spicy!!!  Nicole isn’t kidding when she said she likes spicy foods!  I would recommend using less chipotle peppers and adobo sauce if you don’t absolutely love SPICY foods.

What is your favorite slow cooked meal?

Do you enjoy really, really spicy food?

Thanks for stopping by!  Till next time

Kasey

The other night, I used up the leftover rotisserie chicken to make chicken quesadillas.

Chicken Quesadillas

Ingredients

-grilled chicken, shredded (I used ~8 ounces of rotisserie chicken)

-1/4 tsp. garlic powder

-1/4 tsp. onion powder

-1/4 tsp. chili powder

-1/4 tsp. paprika

-1/4 tsp. black pepper

-1/4 tsp. oregano

-1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

-whole wheat tortillas

-salsa

-low-fat shredded cheese

-olive oil cooking spray (I used a Misto)

Directions

-Season shredded chicken with garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, paprika, black pepper, oregano, and red pepper flakes.

-To assemble the quesadillas, first layer the tortilla with salsa.  I used Whole Food’s Black Bean & Corn Salsa which was perfect for quesadillas!

-Next, layer on the shredded, seasoned chicken.

-Then, layer on the low-fat shredded cheese.

-Top each with another tortilla.  Spray olive oil onto a heated skillet and cook each quesadilla on medium for about 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown and crispy.

Let cool and cut each quesadilla into 4 slices. I served with guacamole and salsa.

It turned out delicious and was very quick to prepare!

Have you ever made quesadillas at home?

What’s your favorite Mexican dish?

In other wellness news, I have finally persuaded Cory to practice yoga with me at home.  He had been mentioning for the last few months that he wanted to try it out for the benefit of stretching and core strengthening.  So far, we have done a couple beginner videos from On Demand.  We are planning on trying a more challenging routine this week!

Hope everyone is having an awesome weekend!    

Kasey

Also, I have photography class this evening.  My biggest milestone in the world of photography is that I have learned to shoot everything in Manual Mode without flash (including all the pictures in this post) by controlling the ISO, aperture, and shutter speed depending on the lighting situation.

(Photo taken for my first Photography Assignment)

The other day, I had a package of spinach whose days were numbered.  I decided to make  homemade pesto with spinach (instead of basil).

Ingredients

1 package spinach

3/4 cup almonds

1/3 cup parmesan cheese, grated

4 cloves garlic, peeled

3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 tsp lemon zest

salt & pepper, to taste

First, toast almonds over medium heat on a dry skillet (about 3-5 minutes).

In a food processor or blender, blend the spinach, almonds, cheese, garlic, broth, oil, lemon juice, and lemon zest until smooth.  Season with salt & pepper to taste.

I served a couple tablespoons mixed with whole wheat pasta with grated parmesan as a topping.  Turned out great!!!

I stored the rest of the pesto in a mason jar to use throughout the week for different things such as a sandwich/wrap spread and pizza/pasta toppings.

I bought a few mason jars over the holidays and I’m in love!!!  I’ve been using them to store foods that I buy from the bulk bins at Whole Foods such as nuts and grains.  Cory likes to use them as drinking glasses.

Do you have any storage tips in your kitchen?

What’s you favorite pasta topping?

Hope everyone is having a great week and staying warm

Kasey

I decided to put our broiler into use the other day and treat Cory to hamburgers.  I’m very cautious about how often I cook red meat each week because high consumption of red meat increases the risk of heart disease.  Because Cory is a beef lover, I usually cook extra lean beef once a week.

Mini Broiled Burgers

1 pound 95% lean ground beef

1 egg, well beaten

3-4 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

1/4 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs

1/2 cup onion, finely chopped

1. Heat broiler with rack in top position.  Mix all ingredients very well (works best when you use your hands to mix).  Divide beef into 8 balls and press lightly to form patties.

2. Broil patties for about 8-10 minutes (less if you would like medium-rare burgers).

Nutrition Info:  1 burger (~2 ounces)-  Calories: 119, Fat: 4.6g, Saturate Fat: 1.7g, Sodium: 77 mg, Fiber: 0.5g, Protein: 16g

I topped our mini burgers with low-fat cheddar cheese and served on whole wheat dinner rolls with a spinach, red bell pepper, and artichoke salad as a side.  It was delicious!

The husband was happy

Do you find yourself broiling more during the winter months?

Have you ever saved yourself some calories and fat by cooking your own burger vs a takeout burger?

Kasey

Seriously, where have I been and why am I just discovering this fab little magazine?  Maybe I’m totally head over heels because the first issue I received from my new subscription is “The Light Issue” which is filled with healthy recipes and meal ideas.  Nonetheless, I look forward to the upcoming issues for meal planning inspiration!

Speaking of inspiration, the first recipe I decided to try was the Parmesan Chicken which involved chicken crusted with panko breadcrumbs and grated Parmesan.

I was inspired to use the same crust to make zucchini fries as a side dish. 

The ingredients are quite simple:

-3 zucchinis, chopped into strips

-1/4 cup whole wheat panko breadcrumbs

-2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan

-2 teaspoons olive oil

-salt & pepper to taste

Directions:  Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Mix together panko and Parmesan.  Toss chopped zucchini with 1 teaspoon of olive oil in baking dish and arrange in a single layer.  Sprinkle panko mixture over the zucchini.  Drizzle remaining teaspoon of olive oil over the zucchini. 

Cook on upper rack of oven ~20 minutes.

The Zucchini Fries were Cory and I’s favorite part of the meal!  Along with the chicken and zucchini, I served a mixed bulgur and herb salad which I absolutely loved and Cory thought was too strong in dill.  The bulgur recipe was also compliments of Martha!

Have you ever eaten baked zucchini fries?

What gives you dinner time inspiration?

Hope everyone is having a great week so far!  Thanks for reading.

Kasey

Banana Bread  inspired by Hungry Girl 

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups whole-wheat pastry flour

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 3 bananas)

2 eggs

1/2 cup no-sugar-added applesauce

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. almond extract

1/2 Tbsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. salt

1 dash allspice

Optional Topping: chopped walnuts

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine both types of flour, white sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and allspice (all dry ingredients).  In a separate bowl, mix together the mashed bananas, eggs, applesauce, vanilla extract, and almond extract (all wet ingredients). Add this mixture to the bowl with the dry ingredients, and stir until just blended. Spoon batter into a large loaf pan (about 9″ X 5″) sprayed with nonstick spray. Sprinkle chopped walnuts on top (Optional).  Bake for about 50-55 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. Makes about 10 servings.

Nutritional Information-

1/10th of the loaf (without walnuts)-  Calories: 208, Fat: 1.5g, Fiber: 4g, Protein: 4g

1/10th of the loaf (with walnuts)-  Calories: 227, Fat: 3.5g, Fiber: 4.2g, Protein: 4.5g

The banana bread was delicious and flavorful!  Not to mention, it’s so much healthier than the average store bought banana bread.  Using applesauce in place of butter helps to save a ton of calories from fat!

Are you a fan of banana bread?

What are your plans this weekend?

Cory and I have a busy weekend full of football game parties!

Have great weekend.

Kasey

Chicken Tortilla Soup- inspired by Rachael Ray

3 cups low sodium chicken broth

1 lb skinless, boneless chicken breast

1 can fire roasted tomatoes

2 bay leaves

1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 onion, chopped

4 garlic cloves, chopped

corn tortilla chips

low-fat shredded cheddar cheese

Bring broth to a boil and add chicken; cook 6-7 minutes with bay leaves.

While chicken cooks, heat olive oil in a medium soup pot over medium-high heat.  Add onions and garlic to the skillet and cook five minutes; stir in tomatoes.

Remove chicken from stock, dice and then add to soup.  Then add broth to the soup.

To serve, place a pile of crushed tortilla chips in the bottom of each soup bowl. Cover with cheese.

Then ladle the hot soup down over the crushed chips and cheese and enjoy.  I also garnished with lime, crushed chips, and more cheese! Delicious…

I’m hoping Cory starts feeling better before all of our Christmas get-togethers this weekend! 

I’m off to finishing some baking for our work Holiday Party tomorrow.

Hope everyone is having a great holiday week

Kasey

Chicken & Veggie Kebabs- adapted from Prevention RD

2 tsp grated lemon rind

1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

2 tsp garlic, minced

1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp onion powder

1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1″ pieces

1 red bell pepper, cut into 1″ pieces

4 ounces mushrooms, whole

1/2 sweet onion, cut into wedges

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1″ pieces 4 Skewers

Olive oil Cooking spray

Directions:

Preheat broiler (500° F).

Combine rind, lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper, paprika, onion powder, and oil.  Toss with bell peppers, mushrooms, chicken, and onion.

Thread vegetables and chicken onto 4 skewers. Place skewers on a broiler pan coated with olive oil cooking spray. Broil 12 minutes or until chicken is done, turning occasionally. Serves four.

We served the chicken and veggies inside toasted whole wheat pitas spread with hummus.

It was delicious and so quick to prepare.  The Lopez household will definitely be seeing this dish again!

What is your favorite grilled or broiled veggie?

Have you finished your holiday shopping?

I’m about 90% finished shopping just a couple things left that I must buy!

Till next time

Kasey

There was karaoke and a ton of delicious food!

Yes, one of my friends has on a Christmas hat with feathers! 

I was very happy to prove my husband wrong (who believes no one likes goat cheese) by making the most popular appetizer of the evening- Goat Cheese Crostinis!  The serving platter was empty by the end of the party.

Ingredients

~5 ounces of goat cheese

2 tbsp chives, finely chopped

salt & pepper to taste

~1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese

~24 small toasted crostini slices or crackers

Mix the goat cheese and chives. Add salt & pepper to taste.

Spread about 1/2 Tablespoon of the goat cheese mixture onto each crostini or cracker and then top with shredded parmesan cheese.

So easy and delicious!  Compared to cow’s milk products like cream cheese, goat cheese is lower in fat, calories and cholesterol.  It also provides more calcium than cream cheese.  Many people at the party thought the appetizer was made with cream cheese because of its rich and creamy flavor. 

Are you a fan of goat cheese? 

Have you finished your holiday shopping?!

Kasey

When my friend Aegina invited me over to see her new house, I had the perfect housewarming gift in mind- Molasses Cookies and a bottle of wine.  It was my first time cooking with molasses and I totally understood the saying “Slow as molasses” as I patiently waited while measuring out a quarter cup of molasses!

Molasses Cookies  (adapted from Eat Live Run)

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour

1 egg

1/4 cup molasses

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup granulated sugar

2 tsp baking soda

1 stick + 4 Tbsp melted Earth Balance

In a medium sized bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, ground ginger, pepper, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the melted Earth Balance, sugar, egg and molasses. Stir well to combine.

Add dry ingredients to wet and stir to form a sticky dough.

Wrap in wax paper and chill in the fridge for at least an hour before rolling out on a flour surface and punching with either cookie cutters or a glass.

Bake cookies on a lined sheet tray at 375 for eight minutes.

The cookies were chewy, spicy, and delicious!  They kinda reminded me of a chewy gingersnap.  I made a couple healthy modifications to the original recipe including switching from all purpose flour to whole wheat pastry flour and using Earth Balance instead of butter.

This recipe yielded about three dozen cookies so I had plenty to share with my friend and my coworkers.  Everyone loved them!  I must warn you though, it’s hard to eat just one!

What’s your favorite holiday cookie or dessert?

I actually have some more baking and cooking up my sleeve today for our friend’s Christmas party tonight!  Hope you have an awesome weekend

Kasey