Southwest Meatball Skillet – YUM!

Hello, hello!

Are you presently under attack by Mother Nature?

I’m just waiting for the storm to get here.

We’re right on the bubble of “it’s going to turn to rain” and “it’s going to knock power out, limbs out of trees, and make your life miserable.”

Um, I’m sure you can guess what I’m hoping for.

So, yesterday, I did not run when I got home.

I helped unload and stack 1/3 cord of wood from my sailor’s truck!

Hooray! Warmth!

And, that was pretty good exercise, too.

I’m cutting myself some slack on the running right now.

I love running and I don’t want to NOT like it because I’m forcing myself to do it.

Besides, it’s flipping cold outside.

Okay, enough about the weather. It’s about time I shared a new recipe with you!

I’m all about making things as easy as possible now that I’m back at work and this recipe from my Clean Eating cookbook was definitely easy!

And, super delicious!

Turkey meatballs nestled in a bed of black beans, corn, and tomatoes.

Add a green veggie or salad if you want to pretend like you’re really healthy. Or hungry. Like me. 🙂

Southwest Meatball Skillet
makes 4 servings

1 lb ground turkey breast
2 large egg whites
1/4 cup whole-wheat bread crumbs
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
2 tsp olive oil
1 cup frozen yellow or white corn
1 15-oz BPA-free can low-sodium black beans, drained and rinsed well
2 cups diced vine-ripened tomatoes
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1. In a large bowl, combine turkey, egg whites, bread crumbs, salt and pepper and mix well. Shape into 16 meatballs, each about the size of a golf ball.

2. In a large skillet, heat oil on medium-high. Add meatballs and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, turning frequently, until browned on all sides. Add corn, beans, tomatoes, broth, lime juice and cumin and mix well. Reduce heat to medium, partially cover and cook for an additional 3 to 5 minutes, until meatballs are cooked through. Stir in cilantro and serve.

3. OM. NOM. NOM.

Talk to me: Meatballs – love em or leave em?

– jennifer

Stuffed Potatoes with Roasted Veggies

Hello, hello!

Can you believe it’ll be a whole new year in just 2 days!?!

I have BIG plans and goals for 2014. BIG!

I can’t wait to share them with you!

Okay, honestly, it’s not like I’m going to wait long. Tomorrow’s the day!

Can you wait until tomorrow?

I’m not sure I can – I’m so excited and PUMPED about them!

I’d share them today but I have something tastier to share with you. 🙂

Remember that little “gift to myself” I bought when I was out doing last minute Christmas shopping?

Well, I have been totally LOVING it.

And, *sneak preview alert*, it’s helped shape part of my plans for 2014. 🙂

There are some really delicious recipes in this book!

OH! That reminds me! This book came with 2 trial issues of Clean Eating Magazine! Hang on a second – I have to run the card out to the mailbox so I can take advantage!! BRB!

Okay. I’m back. Thanks for waiting. Phew! So glad I remembered to do that!

Anyhow, I found a recipe in there for stuffed potatoes with roasted veggies.

Um, yeah. So TOTALLY making that.

And I did!

With a few small tweaks, of course. Because, you know, that’s how I roll.

Actually, one was because my grocery store was lacking.

The other  two were by choice.

The recipe calls for Yukon Gold potatoes.

I love Yukon Gold potatoes. LOVE. Alas, my grocery store did not have any. 😦

So, I used Russets. A fair substitute but the cooking time/process changes a little. I set my crockpot to high per the recipe and, while the veggies cooked perfectly, the potatoes did not finish. I had to microwave them for about 9 minutes afterwards. Which is fine. Frustrating, but fine. So, just be aware of that if you use Russets instead of Yukon Golds.

The recipe calls for yellow onion. I chose to use red onion instead. I thought the flavor of the red onion would be better. I also increased the cayenne pepper to 1/2 teaspoon. It just seemed to be the right thing to do. And honestly, don’t tell the peeps at Clean Eating, but I think I was right. It was amazing!

And, I served it with a side of bacon. Because, well, it’s bacon!

Bacon. Is. Awesome.

Stuffed Potatoes with Roasted Veggies
Makes 4 servings

Olive oil cooking spray
1 green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 red onion, cut into 8 wedges
1 cup frozen corn kernels
1 carrot, scrubbed well and thinly sliced
¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 6-ounce Yukon gold potatoes, scrubbed well
¼ cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ teaspoon each sea salt and coarsely ground black pepper
½ cup shredded low-fat sharp cheddar cheese
¼ cup crumbled low-fat bleu cheese

1. Coat a 6-qt slow cooker with cooking spray. Add bell pepper, onion, corn, carrot, cayenne, and oil; stir to combine. Using a fork, pierce potato in several spots, wrap in foil and place over top of pepper-corn mixture. Cover and cook until potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork, 3 hours on high or 6 hours on low.

2. Remove potatoes and set aside for 5 to 10 minutes. Add parsley, garlic, salt, and black pepper to pepper-corn mixture and stir to combine.

LOVE the colors in this dish!

3. In a small bowl, add cheddar and bleu cheese and toss gently until well blended. Remove potatoes from foil and cut each in half lengthwise.

4. Fluff potato flesh with a fork and top with cheese mixture and roasted veggies.

5. Om. Nom. Nom.

Nutrition per stuffed potato:
Calories 275; Fat 7g (saturated 2g, monounsatured 3g, polyunsaturated 1g); Carbs 45g (fiber 5g, sugar 5g); Protein 10.5g; Sodium 230mg

Question: What’s your favorite way to top a potato?

– jennifer

Grilled Chicken Cutlets with Zucchini, Corn & Cherry Tomato Sauce

Hello!

Happy Wednesday!

I just have to say – my shoulders are SO SORE from yesterday’s workout.

HOLY. OW.

But, like I said yesterday, I’d totally do it all over again.

Anyway, I absolutely must share a recipe with you.

MUST!

I made this for dinner last night.  I seriously felt like the luckiest person in the world.

So. Flippin. Good.

It’s a Rachael Ray 30-minute meal recipe which means it’ll take you about 45 minutes unless you have a whole kitchen staff hiding behind you ready to chop things the minute the cameras are turned off.

Seriously, I have no idea how she makes things happen in a 30-minute show unless stuff is just cooked enough to look cooked.

Regardless of her witchery, this one is totally worth it!

I paired it with some roasted Yukon Gold taters (Thing 2 took over that part for me) but you could totally do sweet taters if you want.

As a matter of fact, that’s what I have in my lunch today.

Jealous?  You should be.

Om. Nom. Nom.

Grilled Chicken Cutlets with Zucchini, Corn & Cherry Tomato Sauce
serves 4

1 lemon, zested and 1/2 juiced
4 cloves garlic, grated (or pressed, if it’s easier)
5-6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon thyme leaves, chopped
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (6-8 ounces each)
Salt and pepper
2 ears corn, kernels cut from the cob (I used about 3/4 cup of frozen corn kernels)
2 small or 1 medium zucchini – halved lengthwise, seeded and diced
1 bunch scallions, whites sliced and greens reserved for another use
1 small red chile pepper, such as Fresno, seeded and finely chopped, or about 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 tablespoons butter
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1 cup loosely packed fresh herbs, such as mint, parsley, tarragon or basil, chopped
4 cups baby arugala (I used arugula/baby spinach blend)
fresh parmesan or peccorino romano cheese, shaved into curls with a vegetable peeler, for garnish

1. In a shallow dish, combine the lemon zest and juice with half the garlic, 3-4 tablespoons of the olive oil and the thyme. *Note, if you didn’t pay attention and used ALL the garlic, it’s okay. In fact, it’s fabulous! Just grab a couple of extra cloves for later when you need more. 🙂

2. Preheat an outdoor grill or indoor grill pan to medium-high (or use your ginormous cast iron skillet).

3. Butterfly the chicken pieces by cutting into them horizontally without going all the way through, open like a book, and then pound into thin cutlets; season with salt and pepper. Turn them in the lemon-thyme marinade. Let stand. *Unless you have a meat tenderizer, the best way is to place the chicken breast between two pieces of wax paper and use a rolling pin.  You could use a mallet, if you don’t have a rolling pin. Just make sure you wash it first.

4. Meanwhile, in a large skillet (see #2), heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the corn and lightly brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the zucchini, scallion whites, chile pepper, and the remaining garlic to the corn; season. Cook to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the butter and stir to melt, creating a creamy sauce. Remove the zucchini-corm sauce fron the heat and toss with the tomatoes and herbs. *I added the tomatoes to the pan for about 2 minutes to give them a little sear and soften them a little. I thought it was excellent!

5. Grill the chicken 3 to 4 minutes on each side, then transfer to plates.

6. Top each chicken cutlet with a cup of the baby arugula/spinach and some of the warm zucchini-corn sauce. Top with the parmesan curls.

7. NOM!

Questions:

1. Do you own a meat tenderizer? Do you know what one looks like?

2. Are you down with leftovers for lunch the next day or do you save them for a dinner later in the week?

3. What do you think I should do with the other half of the lemon?

– jennifer