Chicken in Roasted Garlic Cashew Cream Sauce

 

So today was a draining day...just a lot going on and it was mentally draining...but I still worked out with P90 and made a really good dinner.

Speaking of dinner, my recipe tonight was thanks to Clean Eating Magazine...Chicken in Roasted Cashew Cream Sauce.  Something great about a simple clean meal. You have to prepare for this one since you have to soak the cashews overnight to become soft.  This has been on my menu for a few weeks but never got cooked since I kept forgetting to soak them.

Chicken in Roasted Garlic Cashew Cream Sauce
Serves 5
21 Day Fix Containers: 1R, 1G, 1B

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 cup raw unsalted cashews (6B)

Olive oil cooking spray 

1 head garlic (whole) plus 2 cloves garlic, minced, divided 

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice 

1 1/2 tsp olive oil, divided (1 1/2 tsp)

5 5-oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts (5R)

Pinch sea salt 

1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper 

1 large shallot, finely chopped 

5 cups broccoli florets (5G)

INSTRUCTIONS:

Place cashews in a bowl and cover with cold water. Cover and refrigerate overnight. 

Preheat oven to 350°F. Cut a 10-inch square of foil and mist with cooking spray. Slice 1⁄4-inch from top of head of garlic. Place cut side up on foil and wrap tightly. Place on a baking sheet and roast for 1 hour. Set aside to cool. (Or there's my cheater way since I HATE peeling whole cloves of garlic, I buy them already done and put them in my foil).

When garlic is cool enough to handle, squeeze cloves out of peel into a blender; discard peels (or dump them like I did since they were already peeled). Drain cashews and add to blender along with lemon juice and 1 cup cold water. Begin blending on low speed, gradually increasing to high, until mixture is smooth, 1 to 2 minutes.

In a large nonstick skillet on medium-high, heat 1 tsp oil. Season chicken evenly with salt and pepper. Cook, turning halfway, until browned on both sides and cooked through, 8 to 12 minutes. Remove from skillet to a plate and cover to keep warm.

Heat remaining 1/2 tsp oil in skillet. Add shallot and broccoli (I quickly steamed my broccoli 1st, man I love steamer bags) and sauté for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until shallot is browned and softened. Add remaining minced garlic and sauté for 1 more minute. Remove to plate with chicken.

Add cashew mixture to same skillet and cook, stirring constantly, until warmed through and slightly thickened, about 1 minute (mine thickened a lot and I had to add more water to it). Serve over chicken and broccoli. Season with additional pepper.

 

Nutritional info according to MFP:
Calories: 345
Fat: 18
Carbs: 11
Fiber: 2
Protein: 35

 

VERDICT: Well 1 of my 3 kids liked the sauce and hubby and I like it.  I will make it again...it really did do a nice job and add a good flavor.  I was concerned but it worked.  Make sure you have a good blender so it's not gritty, I have a vitamix and it worked perfect.

Baked Meatball Parmigiana~21 Day Fix Friendly

Baked Meatball Parmigiana

Okay who doesn't like a little italian food...I LOVE it but it isn't always diet friendly.  

So tonight's dinner is a treat...Meatballs (sure you may not be able to see those yummy meatballs in that sauce but they are there)!  I even made a double batch of this and froze it for a friend who is having surgery soon so her family will have a yummy meal and she won't have to worry about it.

Baked Meatball Parmesan
Serves 9
21 day fix containers: 1R, 1B, 1/2P

1 lb extra lean ground beef (4R)
1 lb extra lean ground pork (4R)
4 cloves of garlic
chopped parsley
1/2 cup whole wheat bread crumbs (I make my own) (2Y)
3/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese (3B)
2 eggs (1R)
sea salt & pepper to taste
5 cups organic marinara sauce (5P)
1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese (6B)

Heat oven to 400
In a large mixing bowl mix meats, parsley, bread crumbs, parmesan cheese & eggs.  Form into 2 oz meatballs (I got 18 out of the mix) and place in your baking dish (I used a 9x13 glass baking dish sprayed with cooking spray).  Bake for 20 minutes.

Lower heat to 375

Pour your marinara sauce over the meatballs and add your mozzarella cheese.  Cover with foil and bake for another 20 minutes.

Uncover and continue baking for another 20 minutes until the cheese is nice and melted and bubbly (you can also broil for a few if you want).

Serve with a side of pasta (or in my case zoodles) and a nice salad...my family loved garlic bread also.

Verdict: AMAZING!!! who says italian food can't be diet friendly

Enjoy your family time and make an extra batch for the freezer for when you don't want to cook again

Steak with Red Wine Reduction Sauce

Serves 4
21 DF Containers: 1R, 1tsp, 1/4Y

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil (3tsp)

2 (8-ounce) top sirloin steaks, trimmed (4R)

3/8 teaspoon sea salt, divided 

3/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided 

3 tablespoons minced shallots

2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme

1/2 cup full-bodied red wine (I used a red blend) (1Y treat)

1/2 cup unsalted beef stock 

1 1/2 teaspoons organic butter (1 1/2tsp)

1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Directions

1. Heat a large skillet over high heat. Add oil; swirl to coat. Sprinkle steaks evenly with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add steaks to pan; cook 4 minutes on each side or until desired temp (we like a nice medium rare and remember it will still cook while it rests). Remove steaks from pan. Let stand 5 minutes.

2. Reduce heat to medium-high. Add shallots and thyme to pan; sauté 1 minute or until lightly browned. Add wine; cook 2 1/2 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates. Add stock; cook 3 minutes or until liquid is reduced by half and mixture is slightly thickened. Remove pan from heat. Add remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, butter, and mustard; stir with a whisk.

3. Cut steak across the grain into thin slices; serve with sauce. 

I served this with potatoes that I seasoned with a little olive oil and garlic herb and roasted and also some roasted asparagus.  This came out perfect and tasted so yummy.  Make sure to trim your steaks of all visible fat to keep it healthy.  My family ate this up as usual when I serve steak and potatoes (we will do it a few times a month but that's it usually)...never any leftovers at this house.

Balsamic Fig Pork Tenderloin

Balsamic Fig Pork Tenderloin

So tonight's dinner is complements of Skinnytaste.com and saying that I really didn't have to do any changing of the recipe except for how many it served.  

Fig Balsamic Pork Tenderloin 
Servings: 8 
21 Day Fix Containers: 1R

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 lb pork tenderloins (9R)
• sea salt, to taste
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup Trader Joe's fig butter
• parsley for garnish

 Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375

Season the pork with salt and garlic powder and put on a baking sheet.

Mix the balsamic vinegar and the fig butter in a bowl.  Nicely brush the pork with all the mixture.

Roast in the oven for about 25 - 30 minutes or until the internal temp is 145.

Let it rest for 10 - 15 minutes before slicing (don't want to lose any of that wonderful juices now do you...)

Sprinkle with parsley if desired

Unstuffed Cabbage Roll Casserole

Unstuffed Cabbage Roll Casserole

 
Serves 6
21 Day Fix Containers: 1 1/2R, 1Y, 1/2G, 1/2P, 1/2B

Ingredients

• 1 lbs. extra lean ground beef (4R)
• 1.25 lb of lean ground turkey (5R)
• Sea salt and pepper
• 1 cup whole grain brown rice, uncooked (6Y)
• 4 cups roughly chopped cabbage (4G)
• 1 8 oz. can tomato sauce (1P)
• 2 cups of water
• 1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes, undrained (1.5P)
• 1 cup shredded cheese of choice (4B)

Instructions

1. Season and brown ground beef and turkey. Drain off any grease you may have (I usually rinse under warm water to get all the fat off).
2. Add rice, cabbage, tomato sauce, 2 cups of water and diced tomatoes with all the juices. Stir.
3. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium low and cover to simmer for about 20 to 30 minutes or until rice is done and cabbage is soft (please do not lift lid before 20 minutes is up or else you let all the steam out and the rice needs it to cook properly)
4. Once cooked, top with cheese and cover with lid to melt a few minutes.

The Verdict: everyone but my daughter liked this, it was filling, large portions and hey only 1 pot to clean up...If you want more of a cheesy yummy goodness and want to use a full B container then up the cheese to 1 1/2 cups...SCORE

Chicken & Asparagus Lemon Stir Fry

So tonight for dinner is Chicken & Asparagus Lemon Stir Fry.  I have adapted this to make it more 21 Day Fix friendly from Skinnytaste.com.  With a few simple changes in ingredients this has become a fix friendly meal that everyone will love.

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Chicken & Asparagus Lemon Stir Fry
Serves 6
Fix containers (1R, 1/2G, 1/2tsp) 

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 pounds skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes (6R)
• Sea Salt, to taste
• 1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce or Tamar
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 tbsp olive oil, divided (3tsp)
• 30 asparagus spears, cut into 2-inch pieces (3G)
• 6 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• fresh black pepper, to taste

Directions: 

Season chopped up chicken with salt.  In a small bowl combine chicken broth & soy sauce.  In another small bowl combine cornstarch and water and mix well.

Heat a large wok or pan to medium high heat, add 1 tsp of olive oil, saute asparagus until tender crisp.  Add in the garlic and ginger and saute until golden brown.  Set aside.

In the same pan, increase the heat to high and add in the remaining olive oil.  Add in chicken and cook until it's golden brown and cooked all the way through.  Set aside.

Add the soy sauce mixture; bring to a boil and cook about 1-1/2 minutes. Add lemon juice and cornstarch mixture (you will have to stir this in the small bowl again to mix up the cornstarch again) and stir well, when it simmers return the chicken and asparagus to the wok and mix well, remove from heat and serve.
 
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This really was an easy meal to cook and came together fast (and if you are a busy mom like me you need fast meals). I served this simple stir fry with some brown rice & a salad on the side.

Verdict: everyone loved it and asked for me to make it again...SCORE! 

So if anyone is interested in a simple way to portion control and lose weight without counting calories, points or anything else leave a message...I would love to tell you about an amazing program I am doing called 21 Day Fix by Beachbody.com...it has helped me lose 3lbs and 8% body fat in 1 month!

Malibu Chicken Bundles

So tonight for dinner was another good recipe from the Comfort Food Diet Cookbook with a few of my own modifications...The family loved this so much we forgot to take a photo so I "borrowed" the photo from the Taste of Home's website where I am also noting the original recipe. So here is my altered version of this recipe.


Malibu Chicken Bundles
Serves 5


5 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
5 tbsp  Dijon mustard, divided (original recipe called for honey dijon)
5 thin slices deli ham
5 slices part skim mozzarella cheese (original recipe called for swiss)
1/2 can (8 ounces) unsweetened crushed pineapple, well drained
1/2 cups panko (Japanese) bread crumbs (original called for 1.5 cups)
1 cup whole wheat bread crumbs (original didn't call for this)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
SAUCE:
1 can (10-3/4 ounces) reduced-fat reduced-sodium condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1/4 cup fat free sour cream (original called for low fat)
1/8 teaspoon dried tarragon

Flatten chicken breasts to 1/4-in. thickness (or do what I do and just buy thin cut breasts). Spread 1 tablespoon mustard over each; layer with ham, cheese and pineapple. Fold chicken over pineapple; secure with toothpicks. Brush bundles with remaining mustard.

In a shallow bowl, combine the bread crumbs, salt and pepper. Roll bundles in bread crumb mixture; place in an 11-in. x 7-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 45-50 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 170°. Discard toothpicks.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine the sauce ingredients. Cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through. Serve with chicken.

VERDICT:  Very refreshing and elegant...you can even serve this to dinner guest and they would love it.  I will be making this again.  I served this with roasted yukon gold potatoes and asparagus cup on and tossed with olive oil & lots of seasoning!

Calories: 330
Fat: 9
Carbs: 18
Fiber: 2
Protein: 40
WW Points Plus: 8

NOTE: the original recipe had higher stats.  This is based off on the ingredients I used and the substitutes I used.