Chicken Zucchini Fritters

I know it's been awhile since I've posted anything and I really need to get back into the routine of updating my food blog.  Life's been pretty hectic though and I miss cooking nice meals and being able to share them with people.  I also need to figure out a way to combine my two blogs, or at least share a link.  I've been better about posting to my fitness blog lately, which is LKNTraining.com

Now that I'm an ACSM certified personal trainer, and I'm almost through with my pregnancy, I really want to start focusing on the two things I love: how to eat healthy and workout.  I can't wait until my son Griffin is born, mostly because I really want to meet him, but also because I'm excited to challenge myself and see how long it takes to get back into the shape I was in Pre-pregnancy.  It's good to set goals for yourself!

One of those goals, is trying to stick to healthier decisions when it comes to food.  I won't say that I've been really bad lately, but I've definitely given into my sweet tooth a little more then I wanted to this pregnancy.  I'm trying to get back on track though, and the dinner I made last night was not only healthy, but absolutely delicious!  It didn't take too long to make either, so if you're short on time, this is a good recipe to keep on hand.  You can even prep it ahead of time, cover the meat mixture, and place it in the fridge until you're ready to cook it.

Chicken Zucchini Fritters

Ingredients:
2 medium zucchini's,  grated
Salt
1 lb. lean ground chicken or lean ground turkey
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/8 cup green onions, finely sliced
1 egg
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 oz. ricotta cheese (I use fat free)
Olive oil to sauté

Directions:
Place the grated zucchini into a colander and sprinkle with some salt.
Let sit for 10 minutes.

Once the 10 minutes is up, squeeze out the zucchini's.  (I find that it's helpful to use paper towel for this step.  You'll be amazed at just how much juice comes out of them.)
Now, place the drained zucchini into a large bowl

Next, add in the ground chicken or turkey, salt, pepper, green onions, egg, garlic, and the ricotta cheese.

Mix the ingredients together until well combined.  (You can do this with a spoon, but I find it easiest to use my clean hands)

After that, heat a large skillet over a medium heat and add in about 3-4 TBSP. of olive oil.
Take about a tablespoon of your mixture, or a little more, and place it into the palm of your hand until you form a little round patty about 1/4-1/2 inch thick.
Place the patty into the prepared skillet and cook for about 3 minutes on each side, or until it looks done.

Add more oil as needed.

This recipe will make about 15-20 fritters.  They're absolutely delicious served with a little cheese and some plain Greek yogurt instead of sour cream.  Enjoy!

Source: Slightly adapted from Natashas Kitchen

Zucchini Lasagna

I can't think of anything better to be doing right now than sitting here in my living room, with a warm cup of real Irish coffee (hey, it's Saturday and I've been good), typing my blog post, and listening to the rain outside.  I was so excited when I first woke up this morning because there was an actual thunderstorm going on, with lightening and everything.  It's the type of event that you very rarely see during the beginning of January, but I love a good thunderstorm; my dogs, not so much.

Today's recipe that I'll be sharing is for zucchini lasagna, which is my healthy alternative to regular lasagna, and is it every delicious!  In fact, I found the leftovers to be better than the day I originally made it, mostly because this extra time allowed the flavors to absorb better.  I also got to use my new mandolin slicer that I received as a Christmas gift!  New kitchen gadgets are the best, I just always have the challenge of finding a spot for them.  If you don't already have one yourself, and eat lots of vegetables, definitely look into getting one.  It easily cuts prep time in half and is amazing!

FYI - Zucchinis are kind of small at the grocery stores right now, so you may have to adjust how many you buy in order to make this recipe.  Just use your best judgment.

Zucchini Lasagna
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Ingredients:
1 lb. 99% fat free, lean ground turkey (or ground beef)
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup green bell pepper, chopped
½ a large yellow onion, chopped
2-3 zucchini’s thinly sliced
1 jar (24 oz.) pasta sauce (I used Prego Traditional)
2 Tsp. oregano
½ tsp. basil
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
1-2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees and spray a 9x13” baking dish with a non-stick cooking spray; set aside.

In a large skillet, over medium heat, brown the ground turkey.  Once ready, add in the garlic, green pepper, and onion and let sauté for 3-5 minutes.  

Next, stir in the pasta sauce, oregano, and basil and let the mixture come to a light boil.  Once ready, remove the sauce from the heat, sprinkle in the Parmesan cheese, and stir around.

To assemble:
Place a thin layer of the sauce mixture into the bottom of the baking dish.  Layer zucchinis over the sauce and sprinkle with some mozzarella cheese.  Feel free to sprinkle on some more Parmesan cheese, if you so desire.  After that, just repeat the layers.  Hint: I made sure to save some sauce for the top layer, that way it helped cook the last row of zucchini.

Bake the lasagna for 15 minutes, covered with aluminum foil.  After that, remove the foil, increase the temperature to 350 degrees, and allow it to cook for another 15 minutes.

Source: Adapted from 30 hand made days

30 Day Paleo Challenge: Day 22

The month of April already seems to be flying by, which is honestly fine with me, because that means summer will be here before we know it!  Random side note:  I love summer, and in fact, it already kind of feels like summer outside.  At least down here in the South, the weather's been absolutely beautiful!  Now, I know that some of you are probably thinking I'm crazy, it's only April 14th, but I have a very busy week ahead of me, and time always seems to disappear whenever that happens.  I promise to try my best though, to continue to update my blog throughout the week, especially seeing my challenge is beginning to wind down.  Unfortunately though, I have school during the day, and in the evenings I'll be working on a wedding cake for my friend Juliene, so my free time will be pretty sparse.  Juliene's wedding is this upcoming weekend and I'm so excited for her and Jesse.

I first met Juliene not too long after Jeff and I moved down to North Carolina.  At the time, she was roommates with my team member, Mark, who taught science.  Over the years, I discovered that Juliene herself loves to bake, so when she asked me if I'd make the cake for her wedding, I felt truly honored.  By now, some of you who read my blog, already know that if I had to choose between baking and cooking, I'd choose baking in a heartbeat.  I absolutely love making savory sweets for people!  I'm usually pretty good too, about not eating what I make, but I am known to take small samples during the process, just to make sure everything tastes the way it should, and that it's edible.  However, due to my challenge, I'm going to have to rely solely on my wonderful taste tester and husband, Jeff.  I foresee a very good week is in his future!

Anyway........getting back on topic and back to my challenge.......Last night I made myself Turkey Zucchini Boats, and already have plans to modify the recipe in the future.  This is not because they weren't delicious, but mostly due to the fact that there are a multitude of toppings and combinations that I want to try out.  However, here's how I made them last night:

Turkey Zucchini Boats
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Makes 2 boats (single serving)

Ingredients:
1 large zucchini
8-10 oz. lean ground turkey (I cooked a pound so I would have leftovers for a salad later)
1 small onion chopped
½ Tbsp. chili powder
½ Tbsp. cumin
¼ tsp. garlic powder
½ packet taco seasoning (Or a whole packet if cooking a pound)
Salsa (as much as desired)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

While the oven is preheating, cut the zucchini in half lengthwise, then, using a melon baller, hollow out the middles.  Save the hollowed out portion of the zucchini for later use.  Now, place the zucchini face down in a pot of boiling water for 1 minute.  Remove the halves and place into a shallow baking dish that’s been lightly coated with olive oil (I use the spray). 

In a medium to large skillet lightly brown the ground turkey along with the onion.  As the turkey is cooking, add in the chili powder, cumin, and garlic powder.  Once the turkey has browned, and any excess grease has been drained, add in the taco seasoning and follow the directions from the packet.

Once the meat is ready, pour the desired amount (only if cooking extra, otherwise place it all) into a medium size bowl.  Add in the desired amount of salsa, and the chopped up, hollowed out, zucchini pieces.  Stir around until well combined.

Next, scoop the meat mixture into the prepared zucchini boats filling them as full as you would like.  Garnish the boats with a little extra salsa, cover with aluminum foil, and then place the baking dish in the oven.  Let them bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the zucchini is cooked through.

Remove from the oven and serve warm!

(I think these would be great topped with a Mexican sauce and some cheddar cheese.  The only reason I didn’t do it myself was due to eating Paleo)

 

Inspired by: Skinny Taste

 

My Menu for Day 22:

 

Breakfast: 3 egg whites + 1 whole egg, 3 slices Canadian bacon

Lunch: Salad - 2 cups spinach, 3 strawberries (cut) 7 small blackberries, 1/2 a pear, 3 oz. shredded chicken, 2 oz. ham, 1/2 Tbsp. chopped pecans, and a dash of balsamic vinegar

Snack: 100 calorie almonds

Dinner: Leftover Turkey Zucchini Boat

 

 

Slow Cooker Hawaiian Turkey Meatballs

I love when I happen to find, or create, a recipe that's quick, easy to make, and inexpensive!  This meal is exactly that!  The recipe itself only requires 4 major ingredients, plus a few additional ones, that you probably already have around the house.  Prep time involves cutting the peppers into chunks and that's all.  After that is done, you just place all the ingredients into the slow cooker (crock pot) and let cook for 3-4 hours.  Your job is done!  It's that easy.

I chose to serve this over a bed of brown rice, and it turned out great!

Slow Cooker Hawaiian Turkey Meatballs
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Ingredients:

32 oz. package of precooked, frozen turkey meatballs

13.5 oz. can of pineapple chunks (set juice aside)
1 large green pepper, cut in chunks
1 cup light brown sugar (I like to use Splenda)
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
2/3 cup of vinegar
2 Tbsp. reduced sodium soy sauce

Directions:

Place the meatballs in the bottom of a slow cooker (crock pot) then add in the pineapple chunks and green peppers.

In a small bowl whisk together the pineapple juice, light brown sugar, cornstarch, vinegar, and soy sauce.  Once combined, pour the sauce over the ingredients in the slow cooker.  Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours or until the meatballs are cooked through.  Take lid off and stir occasionally throughout the cooking process.

Serve over a bed of warm brown rice!

Source: Six Sisters' Stuff

Petite Turkey Lasagnas

Holy moly, are these little lasagnas ever scrumptious and addicting!!!

Lasagna happens to be one of my favorite dishes, but I hate how full of empty calories and carbs. it can be.  That's why I decided I needed to find a good alternative that would remain just as tasty and fulfilling.  "Mission accomplished!!!"

Today I'm going to share a recipe with you that's not only quick and easy to follow, but it's perfect if you're trying to eat healthy and watch your portion size, even if you're not, it's worth a try.  Another nice thing about this particular recipe is the fact that it does not require pasta.  Instead, you make these tasty little cups using only a few wonton wrappers, which helps save on carbs.  You can also be as creative as you would like and add additional ingredients to satisfy your taste requirements.  Next time I might try adding some chopped up baby spinach.

Petite Turkey Lasagnas
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Servings: 12

Ingredients:
1 lb. lean ground turkey (I use 99% fat free)
¼ tsp. salt, divided
¼ tsp. pepper
½ cup chopped onion
15 oz. can tomato sauce
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 tsp. dried oregano, divided
½ tsp. dried basil
1 ½ cups part-skim ricotta cheese
24 small square wonton wrappers
1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and coat a 12-cup muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray.  Set aside.

Add the turkey, onions, salt and pepper to a large skillet, set over a medium heat, and sauté the ingredients together.  Make sure to crumble the turkey as it is cooking.  Once the turkey is cooked through, add in the garlic and continue to sauté for 30 seconds or so.

Next, add into the skillet the tomato sauce, and 2 tsp. of the oregano.  Stir around until the turkey crumbles are well coated in the sauce.  Allow the mixture to come to a gentle boil and then reduce the heat to low and let simmer for 10 minutes.  Once ready, remove the skillet from the heat.

While the turkey mixture is simmering, in a medium size bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, 1 tsp. oregano, ½ tsp. basil, and a dash of salt and pepper.  Stir the ingredients together until well combined, and then set aside.

To assemble:

Firmly press one wonton wrapper into the bottom of each prepared muffin cup, making sure to press up the sides as well. 

Using half of the ricotta cheese mixture, divide it evenly among the muffin cups, making sure to gently press down onto the wonton wrappers.  Next, using half of the turkey mixture, place it evenly in the muffin cups on top of the ricotta cheese.  Sprinkle with some of the mozzarella cheese.

Gently press another wonton wrapper on top of the mozzarella cheese and repeat the same process as before. 

Bake the lasagnas for about 10 minutes, or until the cheese appears melted.  Once the cheese has that just melted appearance, turn the broiler on and broil the lasagnas for another 2 minutes or so, to get the cheese to bubble and turn that nice golden brown.  Keep your eye on them during this process so that they don’t burn.

Remove the pan from the oven and allow it to cool for about 5-10 minutes.  Garnish with with a little fresh parsley and enjoy! 

Helpful Hint: Remove the petite lasagnas from the pan using a spoon.

Source: Adapted from Can You Stay for Supper?

Turkey Stuffed Red Peppers

The other day, while I was busy making my way around the grocery store, I happened to notice some fantastic looking red peppers.  I couldn't help but hear them calling my name, so without thinking too much about it, I purchased a few.  At the time, I figured that even if I didn't incorporate them into a meal, I'd at least cut them up to have as a healthy snack, with some hummus.

When I arrived home though, and looked in the freezer, I noticed I had some ground turkey.  I immediately decided that I would use the turkey to make stuffed red peppers, because it's something I've been wanting to try for awhile now.  Here's the result!  

Turkey Stuffed Red Peppers           
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Ingredients:

2 tsp. olive oil
1-1 ½ lb. 99% fat free ground turkey
1 small onion, finely chopped                                                  
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp. oregano
¼ cup fresh baby spinach, chopped (I find it easiest to rip into small pieces)
¾ (24 oz. jar) Prego Roasted Garlic Parmesan
Dash of black pepper
Dash of garlic powder
4-6 red peppers cut in half and seeded
Kraft shredded Parmesan cheese
Mozzarella cheese

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  In a medium or large skillet, over medium heat, add the olive oil and the onion.  Continue to sauté the onion until it becomes translucent in appearance, this will take about 3-4 minutes.  Next, add in the garlic and stir around until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  After that, add in the ground turkey and sprinkle with the oregano.  Continue by browning the turkey, making sure to periodically stir around while it cooks.

While the turkey is browning, cut the red peppers in half and seed them.  Set aside.

Once the turkey is no longer pink, drain any excess juices, then add in the chopped spinach, dash of pepper, dash of garlic powder, and the Prego Roasted Garlic Parmesan (I also added in a little Parmesan cheese here).  Stir the ingredients together, until well combined, and then allow the mixture to simmer for 10 minutes.

Once ready, scoop the mixture into the hollowed out red peppers and sprinkle some mozzarella and Parmesan cheese on top.  Place the stuffed peppers onto a baking sheet and place in the oven for about 15-20 minutes, or until the cheese begins to turn a nice golden brown and the peppers look soft.

Serve warm!

Source: Bowl of Creativity original