Crunchy Thai Noodles

So I have a bit of an obsession with Stir-fry style dishes and i've been trying alot of different recipies (from pinterest if course) here lately.  This is one I found on http://asmallsnippet.com I really liked it but I did play around with it a bit and came up with my own verson using her base.

Here it is

Crunchy Thai Noodles

Ingredients

• 1/2 box thin whole wheat spaghetti noodles
• 1 TBS crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/8 C. olive oil
• 1/2 C. sesame oil
• 2 cloves garlic, halved
• 6 TBS honey
• 6 TBS soy sauce
• 2 carrots
• 2 TBS basil
• 2 TBS crunchy natural peanut butter

Method

• Cook noodles according to package, drain and set aside
• Heat sesame oil, olive oil, red pepper flakes and garlic halfs in pan and cook over low-medium heat for 3 minutes (or untill garlic starts to brown)
• Remove from heat and strain out most of the pepper flakes and garlic halfs
• Let oil mix cool (about 20 minutes)
• Add honey and soy sauce and wisk together
• Stir in carrots, basil and peanut butter
• In seperate skillet heat 2 TBS oil (I use peanut) and saute noodle till they start to crisp
• Pout oil mix over noodles in saute pan and heat
• Serve garnished with peanuts

ENJOY!

Spicy Peanut Stir-Fry

This is one of my favorite vegan dishes, I have an extra container of the sauce in my fridge at all times, its that good! Its so easy to make and really curbs that craving for take out!

Spicy Peanut Stir-Fry
(Sauce recipe from The Enchanted Broccoli Forest, and then modified a bit by me :))

For the pasta:

1/2 lb. rice noodles
2 large heads of broccoli, cut into florets
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 TBSP canola peanut oil
2 TBSP tamari or soy sauce
1 tsp. freshly grated ginger

1/2 finely chopped scallion

For the sauce:

1/2 cup natural peanut butter
1/4-1/2 cup hot water
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 TBSP tamari or soy sauce
2 TBSP molasses
1/4-1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper (to taste)

In a large pot bring water to a boil. Cook noodles, drain, and set aside.
In a wok or pan over medium-high heat, add 1 TBSP oil once hot and coat sides and bottom on wok or pan. Add broccoli florets and give the pan a shake or a stir. Let cook 1-2 minutes. Add garlic and ginger, then pour in tamari and stir until mostly evaporated. Remove broccoli from pan while still bright green and slightly crisp. Set aside.

For the sauce:
In a small sauce pan over medium-low heat, add the peanut butter and 1/4 cup of the hot water, stirring to combine.
Mix in the rest of the ingredients, then add the remaining 1/4 cup water to thin the sauce to desired consistency.

Toss noodles and broccoli in the sauce, and garnish with chopped peanuts and scallions.

Serve.

Hope you enjoyed it!

Spinach Balls

I absolutely love spinach,I can pretty much put it into anything.... Lasagna, soups, spaghetti even shakes.  Its extremely good for you and literally help BOOST your metabolise.  I'm always trying to find new ways to include this green into our diet and tonight I took a recipe I found on The Curvy Carrot and modified it a bit to make into a healthy alternative to meatballs. I hope you enjoy these we made them for supper tonight and loved them. Let me know what you think :)

Ingredients

1T. EVOO

1T minced onion

1 teaspoon garlic powder

10-ounces package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

1 8-ounce bag of herb seasoned stuffing mix

2large eggs

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup low fat ricotta cheese

Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

Mix onion, garlic, spinach, stuffing, eggs, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper into large bowl

Form into balls

Heat EVOO in skillet on medium heat

Drop the Spinach balls into EVOO and cook till browned

I usually cook for 3-4 minutes on each side

Serve with Pasta and Marinara

Black Bean and Corn Quesadilla

Ive a girlfriend who whenever we go out together it seems like we always end up at one of those extremely corny looking but absolutely delisiouc Mexican restaurants.... and even though I tell myself "Just order off the kids menu and DON'T eat the chips and salsa" I almost always do.  So tonight I decided to try to make my own healthier Mexican fiesta....and this is what I came out with.

Black Bean and Corn Quesadilla

Ingredients

whole wheat tortilla shells

1 cup black beans

1/2 cup corn

1/2 cup reduced fat cheddar cheese

juice from 1/2 of a lemon

1 teaspoon of cilantro

pinch of salt

Directions

Mix together all ingredients except tortilla shells

Lightly spray skillet with EVOO cooking spray

Once pan is at a medium high heat place 1 tortilla shell into it

Take 1/3 cup of black bean mix and spread on tortilla

Top with another tortilla shell and very lightlyspray with cooking spray

Cooking until browned on both sides

Enjoy with fresh Perfect Guacamole and all the toppings you prefer

323Calories Per Serving

Juicy Lucy: Chicken style

Can you say perfect cookout weather? This past week I have been wanting nothing but to throw some hamburgers on the grill, mix up some Strawberry Lemonade and sit on the deck. So tonight we did :) one of my favorite hamburgers is a juicy lucy, they are perfection on a plate (seriously).  So I got to thinking "Why not make a Chicken version?" Tonight was my first attempt and it turned out delicious,  even the Hubby who won't touch my healthy burgers, scarfed one down.

Apple Chicken Juicy Lucy 

Ingredients

1lb. Ground chicken

1 Medium apple (peeled, seeded and shredded)

1/3 C. Bacon (cooked and chopped)

1T. Garlic and herb seasoning

1T. minced onions

4 T. Crumbled lowfat blue cheese

Directions

In Bowl mix chicken, bacon, seasonings, onions and apple

Divide mixture into 8 parts

Take one part of mix and mold into hamburger

Put 1 T. blue cheese into center of hamburger and place another of the 8 mixture parts on top

Seal the edges by finger pressing them together

Grill or pan fry till center is no longer pink

top with favorite toppings and whole wheat bun. Great paired with Oven Roasted EVOO Fries :)

Calories

Without bun 211

I usually use a whole wheat bun, around 100 calories

No Harm Chicken Parmesan

Delicious as it may be, restaurant Chicken Parmesan is a high calorie, fat-filled meal. And since most plates of the stuff include a mountain of spaghetti, these dinners can easily have over a thousand calories. So why not try a lighter, homemade version? Its super satisifying and delicious.  So the next time you go out for Italian food, skip the Parmesan and get your fill of the stuff at home with this recipie. (On a side note Ruby Tuesday's version has 1,654 calories...wow!)

 

 

No Harm Chicken Parmesan

 

Ingredients

 

2 C. Panko breading

1T. Garlic salt

1T. Minced onions

1T. Chives

1T. Oregano

1T. Parsley

1T. Basil

1/2 C. Fresh grated parmesan cheese

2 Chicken breast (cut into strips)

1 Box whole wheat pasta noodles

1 Jar organic pasta sauce

 

 

Directions

 

In medium size container mix Panko, seasoinings and parmesan cheese. Slice Chicken breast into strips, trim fat and place in gallon size ziplock bag.  Pour Panko mixture into bag with Chicken and shake till coated. Srpay cooking sheet with EVOO cooking spray and lay chicken on it.  Cook in oven for 35 minutes and 350 degrees, turning half way through baking time.

 





While Chicken is cooking warm up spaghetti sauce and cook noodles

Making your own pasta sauce would be best but I cheated and bought organic sauce, I really like the Meijers and Target (Archer Farms) brand best.

Once chicken, spaghetti and sauce is ready plate and enjoy :)

serving size

2-3 chicken strips

1/2 c. sauce

1 c. whole wheat noodles

Calories

297

 

 

 

 

Spicy Coconut Chicken

Ingredients

• 2 boneless skinless chicken breast cut into strips
• 1 cup panko breading
• 1/2 cup coconut flakes
• 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon cayneen pepper

Directions

In a large bowl mix the chicken breast, red pepper flakes, and cayane pepper. Cover and set in fridge for 30 minutes.

In a skillet on low heat toast the coconut flakes till slightely golden, add to a mixing bowl with the panko breading.

After chicken has sat toss thoughally in the panko coconut mix

Spray a cooking sheet with cooking spray and add chicken

cooke at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes

Dipping Sauce

• 6oz plain green yourt
• 3/4 cup pineapple
• 1 Tablespoon coconut water

Blend all ingredients (if you dont have a food processor or blender just cut the pineapple into small pieces) Chill till ready to eat

Whip up a quick veggie as a side and you have a meal :)

Servings

3 strips of chicken and 2 Tablespoons of pineapple dipping sauce

342 Calories