Mediterranean Feta Cheese Chicken:
4 pcs. boneless/skinless chicken breasts, thawed
1 1/2 cups balsamic vinaigrette
1 cup feta cheese
1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1/2 package of cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
**The night before making this dish, have your chicken thawing and marinating in all of the balsamic vinaigrette**
1. After your chicken has been marinating overnight in the wonderful goodness, preheat your oven to 350.
2. While preheating, sliced your tiny tomatoes in half.
3. Place chicken in dish (I used a 9x13 Pyrex dish) with all the vinaigrette, halved tomatoes, and Italian seasoning.
4. Bake in oven for 40 minutes.
5. Once done, sprinkle on the feta all over the chicken breasts. Cook 10 more minutes or until cheese is softened and warm.
Serve with Herb & Butter Rice-a-Roni and Green Beans. Sip on some sweet tea and enjoy!
Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins
Dry Ingredients:
All Purpose Flour 2 1/2 cups
Sugar 3/4 cupBaking Soda 3/4 tsp
Baking Powder 3/4 tsp
Salt 1/2 tsp
Mini Chocolate Chips (for mini muffins) or Chocolate Chips (for normal muffins) 1 regular size bag
Wet Ingredients:
Veggie Oil 1/3 cup
2 bananas (medium)
Natural Applesauce (not the sweetened one) 3/4 cup
1. oven to 375
2. mash bananas
3. add sugar & oil - beat well
4. add flour, bs, bp & salt - mix til combined
5. stir in chips
6. fill muffin cup 3/4 full - bake 10 mins for mini muffins or 15-18 for normal muffins
7. cool 5 mins
8. eat em up!
Pumpkin Zucchini Bread
3 8inch loaf pans (use the foil ones if these will be gifts or placed in the freezer)
3 cups of shredded zucchini (3 medium ones, if you are shredding it yourself)
1 15oz can pumpkin (do not get pumpkin pie mix)
1 2/3 cups sugar
2/3 cups veggie oil
2 tsp vanilla
4 large eggs
3 cups AP flour (or whole wheat flour)
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp baking powder
1. Preheat oven to 350. Make sure that the oven rack is in the lowest position so your loaves will be in the center of the oven. Start shredding your zucchini - don't use the peel.
2. Mix zucchini, pumpkin, oil, vanilla, and eggs very well. Mix in the rest of the ingredients. Divide the batter into 3 8inch loaf pans.
3. Bake 40-50 minutes. My oven seems to be hotter.. So, if you have the same issue, then start at 40 minutes. Use toothpick or skewer to check if they are finished. A clean escape = done :)
4. Cool for 10-15 minutes before wrapping and placing in freezer. Cool completely (about an hour) before destroying your diet :) YUM!
Storage:
Room temperature - 4 days
Fridge - 10 days
Freezer - 2-3 months
Branberry Muffins
12 muffin cups (the foil ones are my favorite - you don't have to fight with paper to get your muffin!)
1 gallon freezer bag, if you are freezing these for later
4 cups bran cereal flakes (or 2 cups CRUSHED bran cereal flakes)
1 1/3 cups milk
1/2 cup craisins
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup veggie oil
1 large egg
1 1/4 cups AP flour (or whole wheat flour)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
3 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 ground cinnamon
1. Preheat oven to 400. Put cups into muffin tin. Crush up your bran flakes. You can use a food processor or a ziplock bag and wooden spoon. If you have some stress, the latter would be a better choice :)
2. Mix cereal, milk, craisins, and vanilla very well. Let it sit there for 5 minutes.
3. Beat in oil and egg.
4. Grab another bowl and mix up the rest of the ingredients. Stir into cereal mix. Divide evenly into muffin cups.
5. Bake 15-20 minutes. My oven seems to be hotter.. So, if you have the same issue, then start at 15 minutes. Use toothpick or skewer to check if they are finished. A clean escape = done :)
6. Cool on rack for 10 minutes. Place in gallon freezer bag with today's date and freeze. Or eat some now! YUM!
Storage:
Room temp: 4 days
Fridge: 10 days
Freezer: 2-3 months
Famous 3 Bean Casserole (From my MIL Sarah! Thank you!)
4 slices bacon (low-sodium, if you can), cooked and crumbled
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 lb ground beef (extra lean if you can)
1 can Bush's Original Baked Beans
1 can kidney beans (I like dark red because it adds color), drained
1 can Lima beans, drained
1/2 cup brown sugar (color doesn't matter here either)
2 tsp Worcestershire
1/2 lb Colby jack (crumbles are the best, but you can use shredded)
Parmesan cheese to top
1. Preheat oven to 350. Brown beef and onion together. Cook the bacon during this time also.
NOTE: Bacon doesn't come in a 4 pack unless this is something new to me. So, you can A)cook it all and freeze any unused or B) Take out what you need and use the rest of the package by the end of the week.
2. Mix remaining ingredients together (except for Parmesan) and place in 8x8 (or your favorite size) casserole dish. Sprinkle the with Parmesan.
3. Bake for 50 minutes to an hour (depending on the personality of your oven).
Serve with fresh cut veggies or a salad. And, of course, grab a glass of sweet tea!
Winter Veggie Pasta (inspired by the Eat Better America calendar)
1/2 box of shaped pasta or spaghetti
3 cups fresh broccoli
1 can low-sodium diced tomatoes, drained
1 can white northern or cannellini
2 tbsp low-sodium tomato paste OR 2 tbsp ketchup + 1 tsp flour
2 cloves garlic, minced OR 2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
2 tbsp Italian seasoning
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1. Cook pasta according to package (minus the salt). BUT the last 3 minutes, add the broccoli. Drain and return to pot.
2. Stir in remaining ingredients (EXCEPT the Parmesan) until heated through.
3. Top with Parmesan. Enjoy!
