Light-er Chicken Pillows

I'm sad to say that we're back from vacation.  We went as a family down to Texas where my dad spoiled us rotten....I could really get used to that.  =)  We had a caterer for most of the weekend {the food was A-MAZING!} and got to see Taylor Swift in concert.  It was so fun and relaxing - it's really hard to step back into "real life."

Anyway....when Scott and I were first married, I had a few staples I turned to for dinner - things I had learned to make as a teenager, and the majority of them were not healthy.  Here's a lighter {and easier} twist on one of them.

Ingredients:

     1 tube refrigerated crescent roll dough {reduced fat}

     1 block reduced fat cream cheese

     1 large can chicken, drained {white meat}

     2-3 green onions, sliced

     1/4 cup bread crumbs

     Non-fat spray butter

     seasonings to taste {I like garlic salt & seasoned salt}

Instructions:

Leave cream cheese on counter to soften.  Mixed softened cream cheese with chicken, green onions and seasonings.  Separate crescent roll dough and flatten out slightly.  Put a spoonful of chicken mixture on each piece of dough.  Roll up and seal the ends.  Spray with non-fat butter and roll in bread crumbs.  Bake at 375 for 11-13 minutes.

This definitely isn't one of my healthiest recipes, but it is a bit lighter than the original and is super easy. Perfect for one of those "Oh, no - what are we having for dinner tonight?" nights....plus, it's a kid pleaser.  You've always got to have a few of those stashed in your back pocket.

*Nutritional comparison: {per serving}

     Original recipe - 308 calories, 23g fat, 15g carbs, 11g protein, <1g fiber

     Lighter recipe - 228 calories, 11g fat, 16g carbs, 11g protein, <1g fiber

Bourbon Chicken {Hold the Bourbon}

One quick post before I head out of town again....

Is it just me, or is this time of year crazy?!  School is wrapping up and the kids have a million projects, SOL testing, end of year picnics, etc.  It'll be nice to slip away with the fam for a nice long weekend, but once again....the STRESS!!!  I've always found it amusing that whenever we go anywhere I end up packing 5 people {the kiddos + me} and Scott only has to pack himself.  It's not that he wouldn't do it {he's actually offered} I'm just a little too Type A for that.  Oh, well.

Anyway.... the other night, my oldest son requested bourbon chicken.  You know, the kind you get at the mall food court.  It really is delicious, so I set out to find an easy recipe a while back and ended up with a pretty good one.

Ingredients:

2 lbsboneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces

1 tbsp olive oil

1 garlic clove, crushed

1/4 tsp ginger

3/4 tspcrushed red pepper flakes {I used 1/8 tsp}

1/4 cup apple juice

1/3 cuplight brown sugar {I used Splenda brown sugar blend and followed                directions on package}

2 tbsp ketchup

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1/2 cupwater

1/3 cup soy sauce {I used reduced sodium}

1 tbsp cornstarch {for a thicker sauce} Instructions:

1. Heat oil in a large skillet.

2. Add chicken pieces and cook until lightly browned.

3. Remove chicken.

4. Add remaining ingredients, heating over medium heat until well blended and dissolved.

5. Add chicken and bring to a hard boil.

6. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes uncovered.

7. Serve over hot rice.

This is also great over cauliflower rice.  I've tried it with boneless, skinless chicken thighs as well.  Those places at the food court use thigh meat, so the first couple times I made it, I did too - keeping it more authentic.  This last time, I used chicken breast and it was just as tasty {and more healthy!}.

You can find the original recipe here.  

Girls' Weekend in Charleston!

I've been MIA for a little while....sorry!  I went out of town with some girlfriends over the weekend and the rest of the week was spent getting ready to leave.  It takes a lot of work to get your house squared away and arrangements made for four kids.  Sometimes I wonder if the stress is worth it....yes, it definitely is!!! Especially when you have the greatest friends in the world like I do!

I'd never been to Charleston before and now I'm dying to go back!  It's such a clean, beautiful, historical city.  I loved the southern charm and the amazing food!

Here's a glimpse of what we ate....

Our first stop was Hominy Grill {a recommendation we found online}.  It was a great way to start our trip.  It was southern, classy and had delicious food.  Instead of bringing you bread, they bring out boiled peanuts {something I'd never tried}.  They were actually quite good and strangely addicting.  I definitely ate my fair share! Next we tried the fried green tomatoes....yum!  For my main course, I chose the crab cakes with a side of grits and collard greens {when in Charleston....}.  My sister-in-law and I actually split our dishes - I got half of her mahi mahi and she got one of my crab cakes.  I would definitely go back to this place!

For lunch the next day {after our walking tour of the city} we went to a fun place called Poogan's Porch.  My neighbor had just been to Charleston and told me I had to go there....she was right!  Each room in the house was set up as its own separate dining room.  Again, classy and full of southern charm.  I could really get used to this place.  They brought us homemade biscuits which were "melt-in-your-mouth" delicious with honey butter.  It doesn't get much better than that!  But wait....one of my friends ordered the pimento cheese fritters {possibly the most amazing things I've ever eaten}.  They were garlicky and crunchy on the outside and smooth and cheesy on the inside.  They were very rich but AMAZING!  I ordered a salmon salad and swapped out the goat cheese for blue cheese.  {I'll eat just about anything, but for some reason, I really dislike goat cheese.}  Another awesome meal down!

We were tired from getting up early and walking around the city, so we headed back to the beach and relaxed until dinner.  We couldn't decide where to go, and it was getting late, so we walked next door to Locklear's on the pier.  Our expectations were low, but it ended up being one of our favorite places.  

We ordered fried green tomatoes....again!  We tried them at almost every place we went.  These were probably my favorite.  The dill dipping sauce was so good, I could drink it!  I had a shrimp salad with a tomato-ginger dressing.  I wish I had the recipe for that dressing.  It was sorta like Mexican meets Asian.  So yummy!

In true girls' trip fashion, we brought way too many snacks....most of which were NOT healthy.  Take a look at our table!

Unfortunately, things like this are my weakness.  It's so easy to walk by and grab a handful of this and a handful of that.  Sometimes, you've just gotta give yourself permission to indulge!  {That's my what I think, anyway.}  

We ate at a place called Fuel our last night there.  It was featured on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives.  We ordered the Chips and Queso Carne and the Ho-Cakes.  Yum!  I then ordered a shrimp salad with pears and blue cheese {I'm sensing a salad theme}.  It was all so delicious!

I can't forget to add a picture of the gelato we got while walking around the city....half hazelnut, half coconut.  Need I say more?

And how can I forget the Toll House Cookie Pie from Kaminsky's???

This was our last indulgence of the trip and our "farewell to Charleston."  

This is a picture I took from our balcony the morning we left.  Oh, how I miss it! Until next time....

As you can tell from all these pictures, I really need to hit the gym and get back on track.  It was fun while it lasted!

Low-Carb Snickerdoodle Protein Smoothie

Life has been crazy busy lately....trying to keep up with the kids and their schedules.  I haven't had much time to blog, and I hate that I'm making my first post in a while with such bad pictures.  We got a new {smaller} camera that I've been trying out and I don't think I have the hang of it yet {not that I'm a professional by any stretch of the imagination!}

I was in the mood for cookies the other day, so I thought I'd try and whip up a cookie-themed protein shake.  Here's what I came up with....

The ingredients are simple.

Ingredients:

     1 cup unsweetened almond milk

     1 scoop vanilla protein powder

     1/2 tsp vanilla

     Heaping 1/2 tsp cinnamon

     Liquid stevia, to taste {or 1 packet Truvia}

     Ice

I'll be honest, it wasn't exactly like eating a delicious homemade cookie, but it did satisfy my craving and keep me from mixing up a batch of snickerdoodles just so I could eat the dough.  {Not that I would ever do something like that!}

{140 calories, 3g fat, 2g carbs, 1g fiber, 26g protein}

Zucchini Chips

Sometimes I'm just in the mood for chips.  My recent addiction....sweet potato chips.  I bought them as a "healthier option" to regular chips, but when I looked down and realized I'd eaten half the bag, I started to wonder if I was really making a better choice.  Man, those things are addictive!

So....now I am on a quest to find an even better {and less guilt-inducing} option. My first experiment was with zucchini.  I recently bought myself a new little kitchen gadget - a small mandoline.  So far I love it.  It makes slicing things so easy and fast!

I sliced up one zucchini and was surprised at how many "chips" I got out of it.  I sprayed them lightly with olive oil and lightly salted them as well.  Then, into the dehydrator they went....

I was not prepared for how much they'd shrink up....

They were seriously tiny!  I'm not sure about this one....it seemed like a lot of work for not much snack. This was the entire batch....

They tasted pretty good....kinda like roasted pumpkin seeds, but I think I downed them all in about three minutes.  

{See how tiny they are?!}

I dipped them in cottage cheese and called it my afternoon snack.  Maybe next time I'll bake them in the oven and mix up the seasonings a bit.  It appears as if my search for the perfect healthy chip has just begun.

Healthier Snacks For Kids

We've been members of Sam's Club for a long time, but more recently got a membership to Costco.  I love the healthier snacking options they have there.  

My kids LOVE to snack.  Sometimes I think I should put a lock on the pantry door. {Hey, that might be helpful for me too!}  Anyway, I bought all these snacks on my last trip to Costco in an attempt to beat the kids at their own game.  I love watching them grab a bag of dehydrated real fruit instead of fruit snacks, veggie chips instead of greasy chips & whole wheat fig bars instead of sugary granola bars. It's a win-win....they get to snack and I don't feel bad about it!

When The Husband Cooks....

Scott isn't much of a chef, but every once-in-a-while he'll surprise me and say he wants to make dinner. He's got a few staples {You know....those things he made for me when we were dating so I would think he could cook.}  I guess I can overlook the fact that he doesn't cook since he's way better at doing dishes than I am.  

He lived in Puerto Rico for two years {serving a mission for our church} and has often talked about how they served rice and beans with almost every meal.  By the end of his mission, he was pretty tired of this side dish, but now he really enjoys it and the memories it brings back.   

He made this for dinner last night and it was really good.  The kids were a little skeptical at first, but once they tried it, they were sold!  This might just become a new family favorite.  I should start making it with every meal and see if Scott notices. 

**You can find the recipe he used here.

Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Protein Smoothie

HAPPY MONDAY!  Here's what I whipped up for breakfast this morning....so good and chocolatey.  A great way to start the week!

Ingredients:

     1 scoop chocolate protein powder

     1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

     1 cup unsweetened almond milk

     Liquid stevia {1/2-1 dropper full}

     1/2 cup frozen strawberries

     ice

Blend all ingredients together {have I told you how much I love my Magic Bullet?!} and enjoy!

{170 calories, 3g fat, 11g carbs, 4g fiber, 26g protein}

Cinco de Mayo!

I was so excited about dinner tonight. I love Mexican food!  Not that I ever need an excuse to whip up a batch of guacamole, but if I did, Cinco de Mayo would be it.

My GUACAMOLE recipe is simple....avocados, fresh lime juice, garlic salt & cilantro. I don't measure anything - just mix all the ingredients to taste.

Next on the menu....BLACK BEAN, CORN & EDAMAME SALSA.  

Ingredients:

     1 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed

     1/2 bag frozen corn, thawed

     1/2 bag frozen edamame, steamed and cooled 

     1/4 red onion, minced

     1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped

     Juice of 1-1 1/2 limes

     1 tsp kosher salt

     pepper

Mix all ingredients together.  You can make this ahead of time and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Scott was great and sauteed some sweet onions and peppers while I got the shrimp ready for the oven.  I seasoned them with Adobo seasoning and paprika and baked them at 425 for 6 minutes.

What do you get when you combine all of this awesomeness together....SHRIMP FAJITA SALAD!

Ingredients:

     romaine lettuce

     black bean, corn & edamame salsa

     sauteed onions and peppers

     baked shrimp

     fresh guacamole

I hope you all enjoyed Cinco de Mayo as much as we did!  Scott even made a side of rice and beans {more Puerto Rican than Mexican, but I was happy to have help in the kitchen and it was delish....I'll post that recipe later.}

95-Calorie Mexican Chocolate Shake

We went to my favorite Mexican place for dinner tonight.  It was so fun and festive there....balloons, banners, streamers....all in honor of Cinco de Mayo.  I ordered the "spinach salad" {my usual}.  It's so rare to find a really good, healthy salad at a Mexican restaurant, and this place nails it!

To continue my Cinco de Mayo celebration, I thought I'd whip up a little something fun for my evening snack.  This recipe was inspired by my original 95-calorie milkshake.

{95 calories, 0g fat, 16g carbs, 5g fiber, 8g protein}

Ingredients:

     1/2 pint Arctic Zero {chocolate flavor}
     1 packet fat-free hot chocolate mix
     3/4 cup cold water
     Liquid stevia {vanilla creme}, to taste {or 1 packet Truvia}
     1/4 tsp cinnamon
     pinch of cayenne pepper

Instructions:

Blend all ingredients together {I use my Magic Bullet} and ENJOY!!! 

Note: I used 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper and it was PLENTY spicy.  If you're afraid of spice, go easy on the cayenne or skip it all together.  It would still be delish!

Happy Cinco de Mayo {tomorrow}!

Asian Rotisserie Chicken Salad

I found this Martha Stewart recipe on Pinterest the other day and thought it looked like an easy meal for one of our busy weeknights.

I started with the dressing....

It called for 2 cups of cilantro, 1/4 cup fresh lime juice, 1/4 cup olive oil and coarse salt & pepper.  I was excited to use the new Magic Bullet blender I bought today at Costco....

I didn't measure and just eyeballed the ingredients, like I tend to do. Unfortunately, I think I overdid it on the lime juice!  In an attempt to tone down the limey-ness, I added a couple handfuls of spinach. When that didn't do the trick, I added a small container of fat-free plain greek yogurt.  It was still quite limey, but it had a really nice creamy consistency.  If I make this again, I think I'll skip the oil and just add the yogurt {making the dressing fat free and high in protein}.

The salad was simple....romaine lettuce, purple cabbage, red peppers, green onions, rotisserie chicken and cashews.

I added some wasabi peas as well.  {Cashews & wasabi peas...one of my favorite combos!}

The dressing tasted much better combined with all the yummy ingredients in the salad.  It was light and refreshing, but substantial enough for dinner.  I also served wonton strips with it for the kids.

Ingredients:

     Dressing

     2 cups cilantro

     1/4 cup fresh lime juice

     1/4 cup olive oil {or greek yogurt}

     coarse salt & pepper to taste

     Salad

     1 large head romaine lettuce

     shredded purple cabbage {a couple handfuls}

     1 red pepper, sliced

     2 green onions, chopped

     rotisserie chicken, shredded

     1/2 cup cashews

     wasabi peas & wonton strips {optional}

Instructions:

Blend all dressing ingredients in a blender.  Mix salad ingredients and serve with dressing.