Chicken Pot Pie

I adapted this recipe from one that I found online. I can't find my original source anymore, but I think I've changed enough about it to make it my own. I like putting the filling in a 9x13 pan and putting little crusts on top...they are really cute made with my Pampered Chef biscuit cutter/presser (love that gadget for so many uses!)

Simple, yet thick and warm, this is perfect for warming up the family on a cold night.

Chicken Pot Pie

3 carrots, chopped
2 large stalks celery, chopped (include chopped leaves for even more flavor)
4 red potatoes, chopped (skin on or off, your preference)
5 c. chicken stock
4 T. butter
1 large onion, diced
4 T. flour
2 c. chopped chicken or turkey, cooked
1/4 c. milk
1 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
Pie crust: store bought, or make your own (I used this recipe)

Preheat oven to 425.

In a large pot, bring the stock to a boil and add the carrots, celery and potatoes. Simmer for about 15 minutes, or until veggies are tender. Remove veggies with a slotted spoon and pour stock into a separate pan to save for later step.

Melt butter in the pot. Add onion and cook for 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add flour and stir constantly to make a roux. Cook for another five minutes, or until the roux begins to smell toasty and darken a little bit in color. Slowly stream in reserved stock while stirring to make the sauce (it will get nice and thick). Cook and stir for another three minutes then turn off heat and slowly stream in the milk. Stir in salt and pepper, then add cooked veggies and the chicken or turkey.

Pour pot pie filling into a large casserole that holds at least two quarts (or divide into individual pies if you want). Roll out the pie crust and cover the pie, pinching the edges closed and cutting slits on top to let out steam (if using a 9x13 pan with little crust circles, you won't have to worry about pinching or slitting anything ;) ).

Bake for 10 minutes, then cover with foil and bake for 25 more minutes.

Goes well in the summer, too, if you serve it with some refreshing watermelon! :)
My boys LOVE pot pie!

Moo Goo Gai Pan

We love our Chinese takeout, and I know full well that it is terrible for us! This recipe tastes so much like takeout, but it is definitely healthier. We used fresh peas from the garden, which was an added bonus! I'll be using this recipe a lot, using various veggies I have on hand.

*Could become a vegetarian or vegan meal if I took out the chicken. Use marinated tofu or tempeh if desired, or just extra veggies!

Moo Goo Gai Pan 
teamgulley via

www.lowfatlifestyle.com 

12 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (omit if going vegetarian)
1/2 cup chicken broth (use veg. broth if going vegetarian)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine or dry white wine
4 teaspoons cornstarch (I used arrowroot powder)
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon cooking oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium carrots or one cup, thinly bias sliced
8 ounces whole small fresh mushrooms or 3 cups sliced
2 cups fresh pea pods or one 6-ounce pkg. frozen & thawed
1/2 of an 8-ounce can sliced water chestnuts, drained (I used whole can)
3 cups hot cooked rice (used mix of barley and brown rice, yum!)

Cut chicken into thin bite-size strips. For sauce, in a small bowl stir together the chicken broth, soy sauce, rice wine or white wine, cornstarch, and sugar. Set aside.

Pour cooking oil into a wok or large skillet. (Add more oil as necessary during cooking.) Preheat over medium-high heat. Stir-fry garlic in hot oil for 15 seconds. Add carrots; stir-fry for 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and, if using, fresh pea pods; stir-fry about 1 minute more or until carrots and pea pods are crisp-tender. Remove the vegetables from the wok.

Add the chicken to the hot wok. Stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes or until no pink remains. Push the chicken from the center of the wok. Stir sauce. Add the sauce to the center of the wok. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly.

Return the cooked vegetables to the wok. Add water chestnuts and, if using, thawed pea pods. Stir all ingredients together to coat with sauce. Cook and stir about 1 minute more or until heated through. Serve immediately over hot cooked rice.

Per serving: 439 calories, 7g fat, 54mg cholesterol, 685mg sodium, 62g carbohydrate, 29g protein

Thai Turkey Tacos

I was shocked when my pickiest child, Simon, ate two of these. He is a sworn onion and green pepper hater. Yet, when chopped up and cooked in this Asian-inspired taco filling, he didn't even seem to notice. Score! I modified the recipe a little bit from the original, which I found on babycenter. I always buy ground turkey in the 20 oz packages, so I cooked up a whole package, took half of the cooked turkey and put it in a container in the freezer for later, and then continued on with the scrumptious recipe! I cheated and used ground ginger and powdered garlic, but you could use a teaspoon or two of fresh grated ginger and 1 or 2 cloves of minced garlic if you feel like taking the time.

Thai Turkey Tacos 
 em&baby#2

10 oz ground turkey
1/4 t. ground ginger
1/2 t. garlic powder
1 can chopped water chestnuts (optional; I made it without the first time and almost liked that better)
1/2 c. chopped red or green pepper
1/2 small onion, cut into thirds, then sliced
1 c. coleslaw mix with carrots (I used 1 c. thinly sliced green cabbage)
Cilantro for garnish

Thai Cooking Sauce
Combine:
1 tsp sesame oil
1 Tablespoons of soy sauce
1 Tablespoons of lime juice (I didn't have a lime so this got omitted)
1 Tablespoon of honey
 1/4 tsp of crushed red pepper

Heat a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add turkey; cook, crumble and stir until meat is no longer pink.  Add ginger, garlic, onion, pepper, water chestnuts and slaw mix; stir-fry with meat for 2-3 minutes until vegetables are wilted. Add Thai cooking sauce, stirring constantly to blend all ingredients, about one minute. Serve on warm tortillas and garnish with cilantro. Can serve on lettuce wraps too. 

Tuna Melts

I have made this recipe countless times! Everyone loves these and they are fantastic with fresh-from-the-garden tomatoes. So simple, and so good.

Tuna Melt

Source: Eatingwell.com
4 servings | Active Time: 10 minutes | Total Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 5-ounce cans chunk light tuna (see Tip), drained
• 1 medium shallot, minced (2 tablespoons)
• 2 tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon minced flat-leaf parsley
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• Dash of hot sauce
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 4 slices whole-wheat bread, toasted
• 2 tomatoes, sliced
• 1/2 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

Preparation

1. Preheat broiler.
2. Combine tuna, shallot, mayonnaise, lemon juice, parsley, salt, hot sauce and pepper in a medium bowl. Spread 1/4 cup of the tuna mixture on each slice of toast; top with tomato slices and 2 tablespoons cheese. Place sandwiches on a baking sheet and broil until the cheese is bubbling and golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes.

Nutrition

Per serving : 209 Calories; 7 g Fat; 4 g Sat; 2 g Mono; 29 mg Cholesterol; 17 g Carbohydrates; 18 g Protein; 3 g Fiber; 497 mg Sodium; 355 mg Potassium

1 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 1 starch, 1/2 vegetable, 3 lean meat, 1/2 high-fat meat

Tips & Notes

• Tip: Look for sustainable seafood, such as U.S.-caught chunk light tuna, preferably certified by the Marine Stewardship Council.

Apricot Lentil Soup

I had been wanting to try this soup for months, and finally got dried apricots specifically for this recipe. I just happened to have some last minute fresh tomatoes from the garden which I peeled using the boiling-water-to-ice water method. I am absolutely in LOVE with this soup! The bits of apricot add little explosions of flavor. Just amazing!

*note: the quality of stock you use will impact the flavor of your soup. One of my batches turned out a little less flavorful because the veggie broth was a bit weak. Easy fix: Add a T. of miso paste to the pot of finished soup. Yum!

Apricot Lentil Soup

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup dried apricots
1 1/2 cups red lentils
5 cups chicken or vegetable stock
3 roma (plum) tomatoes - peeled, seeded and chopped (or canned)
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Saute onion, garlic, and apricots in olive oil. Add lentils and stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes. Add tomatoes, cumin, thyme, and salt and pepper to taste, and simmer 10 minutes more. Add lemon juice. Puree 1/2 of the soup in a blender, then return to the pot. Serves about seven.

Quinoa Veggie Burgers

I made a batch of these to keep in the freezer for the nights the boys have hamburgers. I can just pull one out and heat it up, and eat it right along with the all my 'meatatarian' men. I fit in better that way. ;) They are also great for a grab and go lunch; warmed in the microwave when it's time to eat. I really love the texture and flavor of these tasty burgers!

A round cookie cutter is perfect for forming patties

Just scoop some of the mix in..

Smoosh it down really well with your finger tips (grease them up first if necessary)..

...and pull the cookie cutter away.

Perfectly shaped patties, ready to bake!

Quinoa Veggie Burgers

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup red quinoa
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 cup diced onion
• 2 cups finely chopped cremini or white button mushrooms
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 3/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 large egg
• 2/3 cup shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup whole pecans, toasted and finely chopped (see Tip)
• 1/3 cup quick-cooking rolled oats
• 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 8 small whole-wheat burger buns, toasted if desired

PREPARATION

1. Combine water and quinoa in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and set aside to cool.
2. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a baking sheet or line with parchment paper.
3. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until starting to soften, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms, garlic, marjoram and oregano; cook, stirring, until the mushrooms are tender, about 5 minutes. Let cool for about 5 minutes.
4. Beat egg in a medium bowl. Add the quinoa, mushroom mixture, cheese, pecans, oats and soy sauce; stir to combine. Scoop scant 1/2-cup portions of the mixture onto the baking sheet and shape into 8 patties, about 3 inches wide, leaving about 1 inch of space between each patty. (The mixture will be crumbly; patting it into burgers on the baking sheet makes it easier to work with. The burgers hold together very well once baked.)
5. Bake the burgers until crispy, 28 to 30 minutes. Serve on buns with your favorite garnishes.

TIPS & NOTES

• Make Ahead Tip: Individually wrap and freeze cooked burgers for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat in a skillet with a little oil.

• For the best flavor, toast nuts before adding to recipes. Spread whole nuts on a baking sheet and bake at 350°F, stirring once, until fragrant, 7 to 9 minutes. For chopped nuts, place in a small dry skillet and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant and lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes.

NUTRITION

Per serving (with bun): 280 calories; 12 g fat ( 2 g sat , 4 g mono ); 29 mg cholesterol; 35 g carbohydrates;4 g added sugars; 11 g protein; 6 g fiber; 320 mg sodium; 353 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Magnesium (19% daily value), Calcium (16% dv), Zinc (15% dv).

Applesauce Pancakes

These definitely go best with syrup, but just a little will do! Perhaps instead of syrup, you could use put some more applesauce on the side. A great way to use some of that home-canned applesauce. :)

Applesauce Pancakes (adapted from Health.com)

1/2 c. whole wheat flour
1/2 c. unbleached all-purpose flour
1 t. baking soda
1/8 t. salt
2 T. toasted wheat germ
1 c. buttermilk (I add 1 T. vinegar or lemon juice to a cup measure, then fill rest of way with milk)
1/4 c. unsweetened applesauce
2 T. honey
1 T. melted butter or coconut oil
1 large egg, lightly beaten

Combine first 4 ingredients in a medium bowl; make a well in center of mixture. Combine buttermilk and next 3 ingredients. Add buttermilk mixture to dry ingredients, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened.

Heat a nonstick griddle or nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat. For each pancake, pour 1/4 cup batter onto hot griddle, spreading to a 5-inch circle. Cook pancakes until tops are covered with bubbles and edges look cooked; turn pancakes, and cook other side.