Days 24, 25 & 26: Broccoli, Bacon & Brussels Sprouts!

This week has flown by us! We had school activities, busy work schedules and winter weather to navigate! We ate out twice this week. Those meals were not under 500 calories so I tried to balance out with our at home meals. On Wednesday, I tried my hand at a GF chicken and broccoli Stromboli. I used GF Bisquik and my crust came out not so pretty because I'm still a novice at handling such soft dough. I tried to roll it out and fold it like a firmer wheat flour dough an it crumbled so I must confess that I just lumped everything on he baking sheet and pressed it together. My friend, Lisa, called it rustica while I called it a hot mess! She has more experience with GF dough and gave me a great pointer of treating it like a double crust pie. Roll out half the dough between piece of parchment and then lay it on your baking sheet, remove the op layer of parchment and add you desired filling. Repeat the rolling process and gently lay the dough layer over your filling and then crimp and seal the two dough layers together. Thanks, Lisa! I can't wait to try that technique!

Last night, I made a really simple meal of baked cod, potatoes and Brussels sprouts! The whole meal took less than 45 minutes from start to table. My seven year old wasn't sure of the meal because it didn't look like fish sticks and fries, but he did grudgingly eat all of his potatoes an fish.

After a long week, we've decided this will be a lay around and read, watch basketball and basically do nothing day! It will be a two simple meal day. This morning, I made breakfast burritos and tonight before the big game, nachos! The big game is IU vs, Michigan of course! The burrito recipe makes enough for 8 servings so we have enough for breakfast tomorrow!

I want to take a moment to give kudos to my husband. He has lost 2 lbs this week! Way to go, Honey!!

GF Chicken and Broccoli Stromboli:
(Serves 4)

GF pizza crust prepared per package instructions
1 pound cooked chicken, diced
1 head of broccoli
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

Break up the broccoli into florets. Steam the broccoli florets over boiling water for 6-8 minutes. Set aside and let cool. Roll out dough per the instructions above. Top with chicken, broccoli and cheese. Cover with remaining dough. Bake in a 400* oven for 20 minutes.

Baked Cod:
(Serves 4; 282 calories per serving)

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 medium onions, very thinly sliced
1 cup dry white wine
1 1/4 pounds cod, cut into 4 pieces
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper


Preheat oven to 400*. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook, stirring often, until just starting to soften, 5 to 7 minutes. Add wine, increase heat to high and cook, stirring often, until the wine is slightly reduced, 2 to 4 minutes.
Place cod on the onions and sprinkle with thyme, salt and pepper. Cover the pan tightly with foil; transfer to the oven and bake for 12 . Uncover and bake until the fish is opaque in the center, about 10 minutes more.

Crispy Baked Potatoes:
(Serves 4; 220 calories per serving)

4-5 potatoes (equal sized)
1 grated garlic clove or 1/4 to 1/2 tsp garlic powder
chicken or vegetable broth
tiny cubes butter
minced parsley
pepper and salt

Use an ovenproof dish. Place the peeled and washed (even-sized) potatoes in there and make sure they fit snuggly together. Add the grated garlic or powder to the broth and heat it for a minute to get the flavors going. Pour hot broth in there until there’s about 1 inch of broth in the dish and sprinkle a little salt and pepper on top of the potatoes. Place a tiny slice of butter on top of each potato. Bake for 35 minutes at 350*.


Bacon and Bleu Brussels Sprouts:
(Serves 4; 166 calories per serving)

4 slices uncooked bacon, diced
1 bunch green onions, diced
4 cups Brussels sprouts, halved
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup blue cheese crumbles

Cook the bacon pieces over medium-high heat, stirring frequently until just beginning to crisp. Add in the green onions and stir to incorporate before adding in the Brussels sprouts*. Sprinkle lightly with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until Brussels sprouts are golden brown around the edges and on the flat side. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of water over the top and stir until the water is absorbed into a natural sauce. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the blue cheese.

Breakfast Burritos:
(Serves 8; 345 calories per serving)

8 tortillas
6 slices of bacon, diced
1 bell pepper, seeded and diced
3 potatoes, diced
4 oz mushrooms, sliced
8 eggs
1 cup pepper jack cheese, shredded
1 tsp onion powder
Salt and pepper

Wrap tortillas in foil and warm in a 350* oven for 10 minutes. Cook bacon over medium heat until crispy. Remove and drain. Add the bell pepper to the hot skillet and cook for 1-2 minutes and then add the mushrooms and diced potatoes. Cook for 10 minutes stirring frequently. Add crumbled bacon back to the skillet. In a separate bowl, mix together the eggs, cheese and spices. Add egg mixture to the skillet. Stir gently while the mixture is cooking. Eggs will take 6-8 minutes to come together. Scoop skillet mixture onto the warm tortillas and fold them closed. Wrap in foil if they are going to be eaten on the go!

Day 22 of the Under 500 Calorie Challenge: Chicken Tortilla Soup

Today is Day 22 of the Under 500 calorie challenge! I can't believe it has been 3 weeks! I was another pound down for a total of 4.5 lbs! I've been cooking 4-5 nights each week and eating out the other days. This weekend, we had pizza on Friday night and Saturday night was a great Chicken Salsa Fresca at On the Border along with a skinny margarita, Yum! My inspiration recipe for tonight was a slow cooker recipe. This may sound silly, but I didn't have time to do the slow cooker method as it called for cooking at 4 hours on high which would have meant dinner at 9pm. The recipe also called for the use of a rotisserie chicken, but I'm not a big fan of the mess of taking off the skin and getting the meat of the bone. Instead, last night I cooked a package of skinless, boneless chicken breasts. I placed the chicken in a shallow baking dish with a cup of chicken broth. I cover the dish with foil and baked it for 30 minutes at 350*. I then just stored the meat in the refridge overnight and shredded it this afternoon before adding it to the soup pot.

Chicken Tortilla Soup:
(Serves 16, 507 calories per serving)

1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, diced
3 14oz cans of low sodium chicken broth
2 28 oz cans of mild enchilada sauce
2 cans of Rotel Diced Tomatoes and Green Chilies
1 cup reduced fat sour cream
2 packages of Spanish rice
3 tbsp cumin
4 cups shredded chicken breast
Cilantro and shredded cheddar cheese for garnish

Cook spanish rice according to package directions. In a large stockpot, heat olive oil and sauté the diced onion and garlic until softened about 5 minutes. Stir in the broth, enchilada sauce, diced tomatoes and cream. Add the cumin blend all together. Add the shredded chicken and Spanish rice. Let simmer on low for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Garnish with fresh cilantro and a tablespoon of cheddar cheese if desired.

Day 18: GF Italian Chicken

Today, I had fully intended to make a slow cooker chicken dish that I had repinned from a neighbor, but this morning, I realized that I had forgotten to get the chicken out of the freezer! I didn't want to waste the ingredients that I had planned to use so I tweaked the original recipe by adding some oil and wine for a stove to oven cooking method. This meal only took an hour from start to finish and even with the tweaks, I managed to keep it at 504 calories per serving!

GF Italian Chicken:

2 tbsp saffron oil
2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast
2 large carrots, cut into ½-inch slices
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped (1 cup)
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms (3 oz)
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tbsp Italian seasoning
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 cup red wine
1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes, undrained
1 pkg uncooked GF penne pasta (16oz)
Parmesan cheese, to garnish
Chopped fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley, to garnish

Preheat the oven to 350*. In an ovenproof stockpot heat the saffron oil at medium. Sear the chicken 1-2 minutes on each side and then set aside on a plate. Add the garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes. Add the carrot, bell pepper and mushrooms and cook another 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently. After the vegetables are softened, add the wine and bing o a boil. Let the liquid reduce and add the seasoning, salt and pepper. After 5 minutes, add the crushed tomatoes and combine. Place the chicken back into the pot and cover with the sauce mixture. Cover the pot and place into the hot oven for 25 minutes. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Mix the pasta, sauce and chicken all together. Serve with Parmesan and parsley if desired.

Hitting the Sauce on Day 17: Pad Thai

I've been trying to work a couple of meatless meals in each week so tonight I made Pad Thai. I've never made pad Thai, but have eaten it on a few occasions. I came across a delicious looking recipe on Pinterest that didn't look too complicated! As you can see by the pre cooking picture there are several ingredients, but most go into the sauce. I found all the ingredients at my local grocery store which is how all my recipes are as I don't want to be running all over town looking for a specialty item!

I doubled everything from the original recipe except the chili sauce! I wanted to make sure it wasn't too hot for my boys. My oldest thought it was good, but the 7 year old was praying for a hot dog! He did manage to eat a couple of bites.

Simple Pad Thai(Serves 6; 391 calories per serving)

14 ounces pad Thai noodles
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
4 eggs
6 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoons sambal oelek (or sriracha)
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
4 tablespoons canola oil
4 tablespoons brown sugar
2 cup fresh bean sprouts or a 14oz can of sprouts
2 cup cilantro
6 green onions, sliced
1 cup chopped peanuts

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Remove from heat and add the noodles. Let sit roughly 10 minutes, or until soft. Drain and rinse under cool water. Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium. Crack the eggs and scramble until set, 2 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside. In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, fish sauce, sambal oelek, lime juice, canola oil and brown sugar. Whisk until emulsified. Back in the large skillet, combine the noodles, Thai dressing, bean sprouts, scrambled eggs, cilantro and scallions. Toss until combined. Serve garnished with peanuts!

Blackberry Frozen Yogurt

Yesterday, my friend Sherry liked this recipe on Facebook and it looked o good I had to try it! I didn't own an ice cream maker so I went out and bought one yesterday afternoon! This recipe only has 3 ingredients!! Blackberry Frozen Yogurt (Serves 12, 197 calories per serving) 3 cups blackberries 3 cups Greek yogurt 1 can sweetened condensed milk In a blender, puree the blackberries with the sweetened condensed milk. In a medium bowl mix the puree with the yogurt cheese. Pour the mixture in to your ice-cream maker and follow the manufacturer's directions. Original recipe on Kitchen Corners

Day 15: Sea Scallops with Saffron Sauce

We made it to Day 15 of the 500 Calorie or Under Challenge! Day 13, I was on an overnight mom escape with a friend. yesterday, we had Qdoba for dinner which I figured was a better fast food option. Tonight's meal was quick too! It only took 30 minutes from start to table. I made seared sea scallops with a saffron sauce served over brown rice. Asparagus is in season so that was our vegetable. I just lay the asparagus on a baking sheet and sprinkle with 1-2 tbp of olive oil and salt & pepper to taste. Cook for 20 minutes in a 350* oven turning halfway through. The scallops was another recipe that I found on Pinterest! We love the nutty flavor that the saffron sauce brought to the scallops. My husband hasn't been on a scale lately, but says his clothes feel looser and I'm officially down a pound this week for a two week total of 3.5 pounds!

Seared Sea Scallops with Saffron Sauce:
(Serves 4, 278 calories per serving)

12 sea scallops
6 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup cooking sherry or dry white wine
2 tbsp heavy cream
1/4 tsp saffron threads

Into a nonstick pan, melt 2 tablespoons butter and olive oil. Add scallops. Season tops with salt and sear well on both sides. Careful to turn only once {you don't want scallops to tear} Remove scallops from pan and keep warm. Add wine to hot pan and de-glaze pan. Reduce temperature to medium - low and allow wine to reduce by half. Add cream, remaining butter and allow to combine. Once butter has combined, add saffron threads. Stir well to combine. Return scallops to pan. Turn to coat. Serve immediately.

Day 12 of the Under 500 Calorie Challenge: Herb Roasted Flank Steak

Yesterday was Day 12 of my challenge, Day 11 was a splurge day! I had a ranch bacon burger with fries when we ate out. My husband had a club sandwich and all the bread and mayo did not sit well with him so last night, I went back to my basic formula of meat, veggie, starch. I had a beautiful piece of flank steak in the freezer, but instead of grilling it, I seared it on the stove top and finished it off in the oven. The recipe that was my springboard was from Cooking Light and is only 167 calories per 3oz serving! I was a little worried because I usually do flank steak in an overnight marinade to tenderize it, but this meat was very tender too! I didn't have beef broth or garlic cloves so I improvised with chicken broth and garlic powder with little effect on the overall taste. The rest of the meal was sugar snap peas which are 40 calories per 2/3 cup serving and mashed potatoes which were 130 calories per serving for a total of 337 calories for our dinner last night!

Herb Roasted Flank Steak:
(Serves 6)

Ingredients

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
2 teaspoon parsley flakes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon grated lemon rind
2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 (1 1/2-pound) flank steak, trimmed
1/2 cup dry red wine
1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium beef broth

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°.
Combine first 6 ingredients in a small bowl; set aside.
Sprinkle salt and pepper over steak. Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray ( I used a cast iron skillet so I didn't coat with spray). Add steak to pan; cook 3 minute on each side or until browned. Add wine and broth; cook 1 minute. Spread herb mixture over steak; place pan in oven. Bake at 400° for 10 minutes for rare or until desired degree of doneness (I cooked the steak for 15 minutes) Let stand 10 minutes before cutting steak diagonally across the grain into thin slices. Serve with pan sauce. Garnish with fresh thyme sprigs, if desired.

Nutritional Information:
Amount per serving
Calories: 167
Calories from fat: 38%
Fat: 7g
Protein: 23.9g
Carbohydrate: 0.5g
Fiber: 0.1g
Cholesterol: 37mg
Iron: 1.6mg
Sodium: 266mg
Calcium: 21mg