Shocktop chicken with ginger & orange longrain rice with broccoli-cauliflower medley

You will need:
2-4 chicken breast
1 shocktop beer (blue moon works too)
1 navel orange (juice and zest)
1 cup long grain wild rice (instant works fine)
1/2 cup all purpose flour
Salt and pepper
1/2 broccoli (frozen)
1/2 cauliflower (frozen)
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

Marinate chicken an hour or so before cooking.)(this is not critical but will add flavor)
Cover chicken in liquid so all breasts are submerged in beer. Save remainingg beer for cooking.

Zest the bottom of the orange so zest marks do not show

Slice three round wedges from top of orange and set aside
Scoop inside of orange out with spoon and save juice so you have a shell for rice to sit in.

In pot cook rice as directed. Once rice is near being cooked add in juice from orange, grated zest and ginger and cover to cook for a few minutes until juice is cooked into rice. Turn off heat and let stand.

Remove chicken from beer marinade and salt and pepper to taste.

Season flour with salt and pepper and pat light coat onto chicken breast on both sides. Do not dredge just pat lightly.

Add to heated pan with olive oil and let brown on both sides. When chicken is cooked add remainder of beer to pan, sand clear it will bubble and become foamy. Stir constantly until bubbles simmer away.

Add broccoli and cauliflower to pan

Turn heat down and let chicken simmer, flip after a few mintues to ensure beer flavor is on both side of each breast. Cover chicken and veggies until veggies come warm throughout.

Plate chicken with sliced oranges, rice and vegetable medley.

Shrimp tacos!

I used:

Fat free flour torillas

cupcake tray

1/2 cup corn

1/2 black beans (rinsed & drained)

1/2 cilantro (or to taste)

1/2 red onion diced

1/2 tomatoes diced

8 ounces shrimp ( I used small)

1/2 packet taco season

juice of half a lime

Preheat oven to 375

I used a 4-5 inch salad bowl upside down and cut around to trim flour tortillas.

Microwave for 10 seconds to make them soft so you can easily conform them into the cupcake tray.

Bake for 10 minutes or until lightly browned

In a non stick skillet on low with cooking spray add corn, onion, black beans and a house seasoning. (I used adobo).

Do not cook veggies this is only to warm them through.

Add lime juice

Set aside an cool. add torn cilantro just before serving to keep from wilting.

In a non stick skillet on medium with cooking spray add shrimp.

After 2-3 minutes add taco season and mix gently. Let cook for additional 2-3 minutes.

Let shrimp cool and dice.

Add shrimp to corn and black bean mixture and dish into taco bowls.

For salsa:

I pureed tomatoes, one garlic clove, 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, 1/4 red onion, salt & pepper

Pan seared salmon fillet over orzo pasta salad with grape tomatoes, cucumber and fresh diced mozzarella

Confetti meatloaf(carrot, zucchini, squash) with spaghetti & parmesan/veggie marinara...

I used:
1.50 pound lean ground sirloin (7%)
1 carrot chopped finely
1 zucchini chopped finely
1 large or 2 small yellow squash finely chopped
1 medium white onion diced
2 cloves of garlic
2 tablespoons ketchup
adobo season (to taste)
1/2 cup italian breadcrumbs
2 eggs beaten

Preheat oven to 375

In a non stick skillet on medium heat add a light drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

Add onion, carrots, zucchini, garlic and squash.

Saute for 5-7 minutes

In a large mixing bowl combine sirloin, adobo season to taste,egg, breadcrumbs and cooked veggies

On a foil lined baking sheet form mixture into a loaf shape and pat firmly into shape.

Bake for 40-45 minutes.

Let cool before slicing (approx. 15-20 minutes)

Steak & Fries~ London broil in a merlot sauce with cipollini onions & portabella mushrooms with baked sweet potato fries

1 pound-1 ½ London broil (I had the butcher break the package and cut the meat in half since there is just two of us, 1 ½ pound was about four servings )

3 sweet potatoes peeled and sliced (the thinner you slice then the faster they will cook and the crispier they will be as well)

2 large portabella mushroom caps (or small will work great too) wipe with a damp towel or cloth-don’t wash or run under water!

4-5 cipollini onions (or any sweet or white onion is fine)

¼ cup all purpose flour

Salt and Pepper

1 cup red wine

2 tablespoons olive oil

Cooking spray

1 garlic clove minced

Steak seasoning of your choice (I used Badia Sazon)

Pre heat oven to 425

Line a baking sheet with foil

Peel and slice sweet potato into thick wedges (or skinny if you refer) and toss in a bowl with one tablespoon olive oil(cooking spray works too) and steak seasoning and lay wedges onto pan and cook for 30 minutes rotate at 15 minutes.

After fried are cooked turn oven to broiler (I used low)

Season beef with steak season of your choice

In a bowl mix flour with salt, pepper and a little steak season and pat the seasoned flour lightly onto beef on all sides. This will form a crust on the outside of the beef.

Brush or spray with cooking spray the tops and bottoms of the mushrooms

In a non stick pan on medium heat add olive oil and then add onions and mushrooms cap side down…let cook until onions have a brown color..remove onions and mushrooms and set aside not to overcook.

To same pan add red wine and minced garlic let the wine come to a bubble add salt and pepper to taste (will vary depending on what type of wine you select)

With caution take the beef using tongs and begin to sear all the side of the beef in wine,( it will spatter a bit so be careful) you may have to keep adding wine for each side so have the bottle handy
Once all sides are brown move beef to broiling pan (slotted for juices to run out of the bottom).

Depending on how thick your beef is will depend on how close to place beef on rack to broiler. The beef package will have directions as well. My cut was thick(about 3 inches) so I put my broiler rack on the second highest shelf having the meat be 3-4 inches away from the broiler. Broil for 17-18 minutes with door open don’t forget! I rotated the beef a few times to ensure equal coloring on the outer edges. If you like you meat cooked medium well leave the beef in for a few minutes longer. * Don’t leave broiler unattended

Remove beef and let stand for 15 minutes so the juices can redistribute (if you slice the beef right away all the delicious juice will run out on your cutting board)

Slice into medallions or at an angle (serrated knife works well) and serve with mushrooms, onions and steak fries

lean sirloin & spinach lasagna rolls

I used:

1 box lasagna noodles

1 pound ground lean sirloin (or ground turkey or chicken)

1 jar tomato sauce (or homemde if you have it)

1 small white/yellow onion diced

1 clove garlic diced

1 cup low fat skim ricotta

2 cup thawed chopped spinach

salt, pepper

Cook and season meat in a non stick skillet with one tablespoon of olive oil or cooking spray.Cook until meat is browned. Set aside to cool

Mix ricotta, spinach and meat in a bowl

Take softened noodles and lay flat add a spoonful of meat mixture onto noodles and roll up. , lay seam side down.

Place in baking dish and cover with tomato sauce and warm in oven on 350 for 10-15 minutes.

Tonight is seared seabass topped with sweet baby carrots and a romano & scallion polenta cake with asparagus and fresh lemon

Chicken thighs with goat cheese, tomatoes & fresh basil

You will need

1– 1.25 skinless chicken thighs
** Chicken breast can be used for this recipe as well**

1 pint of cherry tomatoes (can use canned if you don’t have fresh)

14 ounce can diced tomatoes (drained)-any kind will work, with garlic , onion, or chilies(or use a large can if omitting the fresh tomatoes)

¼ cup goat cheese (you can use more, I used 1.4 to keep the fat content down)

4-5 leaves fresh basil (tear or chiffonade )

1 small yellow onion diced

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ cup chicken broth

1 garlic clove (or one table spoon of minced garlic)

½ cup all purpose flour with one table spoon of season salt of choice

Have salt, pepper, or your favorite house season salt

Salt and pepper (or house season) the chicken thighs evenly

In a non stick pan add olive oil and also coat pan with cooking spray and turn on heat to medium, after pan is warm tip pan to coat evenly as possible with olive oil in pan.
Add onion and garlic and let cook until onions start to have a translucent color. Have chicken stock on hand if at any time the pan become dry add a splash of chicken broth

Dust chicken with a light coat of seasoned flour and place in pan. When brown crust starts to form flip thighs and brown on opposite side (add chicken stock to prevent thighs from sticking to the pan and this will add flavor to crust forming on outside of chicken)

Add can of tomatoes, and fresh cherry tomatoes to pan when on the first turn of chicken thighs, salt and pepper tomatoes to taste and let thighs brown

Cover pan and check every few minutes, when cherry tomatoes have burst turn down the heat to low and add goat cheese then put lid back on until cheese just starts to melt

Plate the chicken thighs then add fresh basil and serve

Japanese rice balls-with my healthy spin~

I used:

1 lb of thin cut lean pork chops
3 scallions stalks
1/4 red onion
1 grated garlic clove
1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
1 tablespoon soy sauce (low sodium)
1 egg
salt and pepper (to taste)
1/2 cup chicken broth or stock
1 cup white rice

Soak white rice in water for about 15-30 mintues then drain and set aside.

I ground up the pork in the food processor but you can ask you butcher to do it for you if you don't have a processor.

Mix onion, beaten egg, pork, ginger, soy sauce and garlic in a bowl

Form golf all sized balls then dip into rice to completely cover them.

In a non stick skillet with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil or cooking spray on medium-high high heat, place all the meatballs in the pan. Pour chicken stock (or water if you don't have chicken stock) and QUICKLY place the lid on the pan inorder to keep the steam in.

Cook for 15 minutes

After 10 mintues add the vegetables to pan and let steam for 5 minutes.

Check after 15 mintues to make sure the meat balls are cooked through.

Baked parmesan crusted porkloin with roasted baby artichokes & toasted pine nut couscous

Lobster, shrimp & scallops .....

Lobster, scallops, & shrimp atop black rice noodles over a puree of organic carrots and sweet peas with a pinch of fresh basil~

Teriyaki turkey meatballs with fresh ginger, chives & garlic over rice noodles with carrots and snap peas in a hoisin soy ginger sauce~

You will need:
1 pound ground turkey
1/2 cup bread crumbs
2 tablespoons hoisin (or more if needed)
3 tablespoon teriyaki sauce
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
4 tablespoons of water
3 tablespoosn soy sauce (or low sodium-that is what i used)
2 tablespoons fresh grated ginger
1 cup fresh sugar snap peas
1 cup shredded or sliced carrots
5 green onions or chives sliced
half a package of Asian noodles of your choice(follow instructions)

In a large mixing bowl add turkey, bread crumbs, chives, 1 of the tablespoons of ginger, 1 of the tablespoons of teriyaki and 1 tablespoons of soy sauce, and one tablespoon of sesame seeds (optional).

Mix until well combined and form golf ball sized meatballs

In a large non stick skillet drizzle one table spoon of olive oil and on medium heat place in the meatballs. Rotate to let all sides brown

After meatballs are browned they will have soaked up all the moisture in the pan. Add in one tablespoons of soy and one tablespoon teriyaki sauce with 4 tablespoons of water and cover immediatley. Let meatballs simmer for 10 mintues.

Either remove the meatballs or in a separate pan add carrots, snap peas and remaining ginger to the pan on low heat. You can use a drizzle of olive oil or pam spray. Add salt and pepper to taste.

After carrots and peas have cooked for about 5 minutes add hoisin sauce, remaining
teriyaki, soy and hoisin sauce and sautee for 5 mintues until all the vegtables are well coated with sauce. I added additional sesame seeds as well.

Plate noodles and place meatballs and vegetable mix on top and serve.

Mediterranean basa stew~

            with fresh fennel, onion, garlic, white beans & capers in a light tomato broth

Beef involtini with spinach, carrots & ricotta with rosemary, tarragon and romano red potatoes

You will need:

3/4- 1 pound thinly sliced sirloin (or beef of your choice)

4-6 red potatoes sliced thin

1/2 cup Thawed spinach

1/2 cup shredded carrots

1/4 cup grated romano cheese

1/2 cup skim low fat ricotta cheese

1/2 tablespoon rosemary

1/2 tablespoon tarragon

1/4 cup chicken broth

toothpicks

In a large mixing bowl mix together spinach, ricotta, carrots (I warm the ricotta in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds to help combine the mixture for easy spreading)

Season beef with salt and pepper (or seasons of your choice)

Place a large spoonful of mixture to one end of the meat and roll. Seal with toothpicks.

In a non stick skillet with one tablespoon of olive oil on medium heat place meat into pan and let all side brown by rotating.

After all side are browned turn heat off and cover. Let stand for 10 minutes.
For the potatoes:

In a small non stick pan with pam spray or olive oil add sliced potatoes

Let cook and begin to brown. add seasons of tarragon, rosemary, and cheese.

When the potatoes begin to brown they will try to stick to the pan, this is when you add the chicken broth. Turn the heat down and stir. Cover and let simmer until potatoes are tender (or to desired consistency)

Plate potatoes and meat rolls-remember to remove the toothpicks.

Lean sirloin chili with sweet jalapeno cornbread muffins~

I used:
1-2 lbs of lean ground beef or half beef (add half ground turkey if you want to make it even lower in fat option (depending on how many servings you need)
1 large white, yellow or sweet onion chopped coarsely
2-3 cloves of garlic minced
1 1/2-2 1/2 tbsp cumin (I like tons so use as much as you like)
2 1/2 (or to taste) chili powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups of water
1 15oz can tomato sauce
1 28 oz can chopped tomatoes (I use the ones with green chili's for a little extra spice)
1 14-16oz can red kidney beans -drained and rinsed

In a large non stick skillet or large pot with a drizzle of olive oil (the meat will give enough oils so don't add too much if fat content is an issue) add beef, onions then garlic a few minutes after the beef gets cooking (not to burn the garlic)
Break up meat but into too small of pieces to keep it chunky. Cook until the meat is browned.
Add cumin and chili powder and stir well but gently not break up the meat too much
Add tomato sauce, chopped tomatoes, beans and water ( I add the water in stages to be sure not have watery chili)
Bring mixture to a boil for a few minutes then lower heat and let simmer about 20-30 minutes stirring occasionally.
Taste and add seasons to taste
Serve with sour cream (or low fat sour cream on top)