Avocado Chicken Melt

My husband decided to invite some family over for dinner last minute so I quickly changed what was for dinner. With little time to prepare this was my solution and it was a hit! With just a few ingredients it makes for a great quick meal! Win in my book!

Avocado Chicken Melt
4 SERVINGS 
PREP: 15 minutes           COOK: 40 minutes            READY IN: 55 minutes

SIMPLE	HEALTHY	YUM

INGREDIENTS

---

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breast thawed
• 1 egg white
• 1 cup breadcrumbs 
• 1 tablespoon italian seasoning 
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional) 
• 1 avocado, sliced
• 4 pieces provolone cheese

DIRECTIONS

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1. Preheat oven to 400º. Salt and pepper your chicken. 
2. Place egg in separate bowl and breadcrumbs in another. 
3. Dip chicken in egg and then cover with breadcrumbs and place in a 9x13 pan. Repeat with remaining chicken. 
4. Sprinkle Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes over tops of chicken breast. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes. 
5. Once chicken is done, place a few slices of avocado over each chicken breast and then top with cheese. 
6. Place back in oven for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

NUTRITION FACTS

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  1 chicken breast serving   370 calories  16g fat  16g carbs   43g protein   1g sugar   

Enjoy!

Chicken & Spinach Quesadilla

Everyone knows the basic quesadilla recipe - a tortilla and some cheese. Pretty basic, but always seems to satisfy the little ones. Well, the following recipe is a simple way to "spice" things up a bit. Throw some chicken and spinach in with your cheese and you have this gourmet chicken and spinach quesadilla.

One thing we discovered is if you can "crease" the edges of the tortilla, the chicken stays in a lot better - making it easier to dip and easier to eat... perfect for those little hands!

*** One simple way to mix the recipe up even more is to dip the quesadilla in our Family Favorite Guacamole recipe.

Chicken & Spinach Quesadilla
4 SERVINGS 
PREP: 20 minutes           COOK: 10 minutes            READY IN: 30 minutes

SIMPLE	HEALTHY	YUM

INGREDIENTS

---

• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, shredded
• 1 cup spinach, broken up into pieces
• 1 1/2 cup monterey jack cheese, shredded
• 4 large flour tortillas
• 1 avocado, diced
• 1/2 cup salsa, homemade or store-bought
• 1/4 cup low fat sour cream

DIRECTIONS

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1. In medium bowl, mix shredded chicken, spinach, and cheese.
2. On griddle (or large skillet), place tortilla with chicken mixture spread over half of the tortilla. Fold over the tortilla and "crease" the edges by pressing a spatula into them. 
3. Cook each side of tortilla for 3 - 4 minutes, or until cheese has melted and tortilla is crispy.
4. Serve with avocado, salsa, and sour cream - as desired.

NUTRITION FACTS

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    1 serving    581 calories   33.2 g fat   33.5 g carbs    36.2 g protein    3.5 g sugar   

Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from Real Simple

Recipe Refresh: Chili Con Queso

I love a good challenge, and these recipe refreshes do just that. I've always found ways to make recipes healthier by adding in the reduced or non-fat ingredients. My husband is probably sick of it, but he'll thank me later, he just doesn't know it yet! :)  I'm a sucker for cheese dips, but knowing how much fat and calories they have just isn't appetizing to me. So I decided to "lighten" up one of the best dips, chili con queso! I can't test to see if my baby likes it yet, but it's been husband approved.

Chili con Queso
10 SERVINGS 
PREP: 5 minutes           COOK: 8 minutes            READY IN: 13 minutes

SIMPLE	HEALTHY	YUM

INGREDIENTS

---

• 1 tablespoon butter (I used Yogurt Based Brummel and Brown)
• 1 tablespoon chopped onion
• 1 - 10 oz. can Ro-tel tomatoes with green chilies
• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
• 2 cups lowfat evaporated milk
• 1/2 cup nonfat plain greek yogurt
• 8 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded

DIRECTIONS

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1. In a medium sauce pan, over medium heat, melt the butter. Saute the onion and tomatoes until tomatoes start to break down, about 5 minutes. 
2. Add in cilantro, evaporated milk, and greek yogurt. Stir to combine. 
3. Add in cheese and stir until it is melted. 
4. Serve warm with your favorite chips or crackers.

*Best if kept warm when serving so it doesn't 'harden' up

NUTRITION FACTS

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  1/4 cup   108 calories  5g fat  6g carbs   10g protein   1g sugar   

Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from allrecipes.com

Baked Zucchini Nachos

As football season and holidays are in full swing (we count the Super Bowl as a holiday in this house) we have a lot of get togethers with our friends. I tend to make the same thing: dip, dip and more dip. Frankly, I'm tired of it so I decided to change it up. These also gave me a great excuse to use my new simple slicer from Pampered Chef. I was beyond excited.

Sure, they aren't covered in grease or dripping in fat so it'll be hard to convince the boys to eat them, but I guarantee you, once they do they'll be hooked. These will definitely be at my next party. How about yours?

Baked Zucchini Nachos
4 SERVINGS 
PREP: 10 minutes           COOK: 20 minutes            READY IN: 30 minutes

SIMPLE	HEALTHY	YUM

INGREDIENTS

---

• 4 zucchini, thinly sliced
• cooking oil to spray zucchini (I used coconut oil)
• 1 cup shredded cheese
• 1 can (14oz) low sodium black beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 small roma tomatoes, finely chopped
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 1/4 cup cilantro
• 1 large avocado
• lime juice

DIRECTIONS

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1. Thinly slice zucchini.
2. Place zucchini on tinfoil covered baking sheet making sure they are evenly spread out. Spray some cooking spray on the zucchini and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 10 minutes at 425ºF. Turn over and return to the oven for another 10-15 minutes. During the last few minutes sprinkle your cheese on top. Cook until melted. 
3. Transfer zucchini to serving plate and top with black beans, tomatoes, green onions, cilantro, avocado and squirt a little lime juice on top. Feel free to add your favorite nacho toppings!

NUTRITION FACTS

---

   1 zucchini w/ toppings   331 calories  20g fat  26.4g carbs   16g protein   5.8g sugar   

Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from Two Peas & Their Pod.

Cauliflower Waffles

The name might throw you off, but I have never eaten these for breakfast. You could, and it would probably be awesome, but I use these more as a side dish. Think of them like fritters, and you could make them look like fritters too if you don't have a waffle maker. They are incredibly light and the kids think they're getting something special. Little do they know, I'm just really good at tricking them. Muah-hahahahaha!

Cauliflower Waffles
4 SERVINGS  (1 full waffle)
PREP: 15 minutes           COOK: 5 minutes            READY IN: 20 minutes

SIMPLE	HEALTHY	YUM

INGREDIENTS

---

• 1 cup raw grated cauliflower
• 1/2 cup cheese (I used colby jack)
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

DIRECTIONS

---

1. In a medium bowl, mix together all the ingredients. 
2. Pour into waffle maker and cook until it says it's ready! (I noticed mine took a little longer to cook than a normal waffle).
3. Serve!

NUTRITION FACTS

---

    1/4 waffle    152 calories   11.6g fat   2.6g carbs    9.3g protein    0.9g sugar   

Enjoy!
Inspiration from Joy the Baker.

Creamy Black Bean Chicken Soup

Growing up, my dad was the cook. He is amazing at mixing this and that, not measuring a thing, and having a beyond awesome dinner ready - usually in 30 minutes or less. My mom on the other hand, made the grilled cheese, macaroni-and-cheese with hot dogs, and hot dog potato boats. (Never had one?? First, I'm terribly sorry. Second, here is the recipe so go make one!) Funny thing is - my siblings and I always looked forward to those simple, "mom-made" meals. One of my favorites she would make is this Creamy Black Bean Chicken Soup. All you do is throw your ingredients in the crock pot, go to work/school/church, come home and voila - one of the easiest and tastiest soups I've found yet!

Creamy Black Bean Chicken Soup
4 SERVINGS 
PREP: 10 minutes           COOK: 3 hours            READY IN: 3 hours 10 minutes

SIMPLE	HEALTHY	YUM

INGREDIENTS

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• 2 chicken breasts
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can corn, drained
• 1 cup salsa
• 1 package taco seasoning
• 1/2 cup sour cream (optional)
• 1/2 cup cheddar cheese (optional)
• Tortilla chips 

DIRECTIONS

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1. Place chicken in crock pot. Pour broth, beans, corn, salsa, and taco seasoning over chicken. 
2. Cook on low for 6 hours (or high for 3 hours). 
3. Remove chicken and shred. Re-add chicken.
4. If desired, add sour cream and cheese to crock pot. Stir until smooth. (Or add desired amount to individual servings)
5. Serve with tortilla chips.

NUTRITION FACTS

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    1 cup serving (with sour cream and cheese)    568 calories   22.4 g fat   50.1 g carbs    43.5 g protein    4.5 g sugar        

Enjoy!

Recipe Refresh: Hawaiian Haystacks

My children are in love with Hawaiian Haystacks. I'm 99% sure it has something to do with the fact that they can choose what they want to put on their haystack. Oh, the freedom of making choices is so liberating, right?  The "original" recipe I'm using is posted on Redhead Recipes (I doubled the sauce to be comparable to my refresh). The only challenge in making over this recipe is in the sauce. The original recipe calls for cream of chicken in the sauce, which doesn't exactly classify as healthy in my book. Anything that keeps its shape when poured out of a can grosses me out.

When I asked my husband if he liked the taste of the new sauce, he asked if he should be scared what I put in it. I admit I can be a little too creative when it comes to these things. The final review of the sauce was a B+. I liked it, my children preferred it over the original, but my husband still said he preferred the original.

Recipe Refresh: Hawaiian Haystacks
12 SERVINGS 
PREP: 15 minutes           COOK: 30 minutes            READY IN: 45 minutes

SIMPLE	HEALTHY	YUM

INGREDIENTS

---

• 2 chicken breasts
• 4 cups of brown rice, cooked
• Sauce:
• 8 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1 can chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• Desired toppings (these are what I use):
• black olives
• green onions
• cheese
• tomatoes
• chow mein noodles
• crushed pineapple

DIRECTIONS

---

1. Boil the chicken until it's cooked and then shred. (Or buy a cooked rotisserie chicken and debone it). 
2. Start on the sauce. First melt the butter in a large saucepan. Once it's completely melted, add the flour and wisk together. Add the chicken broth and milk. Bring to a boil for a couple minutes. Bring it to a simmer and cook until it sets up and is to the consistency you like.
3. While the sauce is simmering, cut up the toppings of your choice and place them in little serving dishes.

NUTRITION FACTS

---

    1/2 cup serving    446 calories   16.6g fat   57.2g carbs    17.7g protein    3.6g sugar   

Original Recipe	Refresh Recipe
Sauce: 2 cans cream of chicken, 1 cup sour cream, and 2 cans chicken broth	Sauce: 8 tablespoons butter, 3 tablespoons flour, 1 can chicken broth, and 1 1/2 cups milk
White Rice	Brown Rice for the extra whole grains and nutrients
Low in sugar	Low in sugar as well, but high in manganese and vitamin B6. Not as many preservatives in this recipe.

Though this recipe doesn't change much in the nutritional facts, I like that everything is made right in my kitchen and it didn't take anymore time than the original recipe. If you have any ideas on how you would make the sauce even healthier, I'm all ears! Please share in the comments below.


Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from Redhead Recipes.

Mexican Stuffed Peppers with Quinoa & Black Beans

Is it just me or does quinoa remind anyone else of fish eggs? Nope...just me? It's taken a while for me to introduce this power food into our diet since I just couldn't get over that. I stumbled upon this recipe and thought I'd give it a go. My husband isn't a fan of peppers or quinoa, and yet this recipe highlights BOTH those ingredients. I'm a mean wife. I was just crossing my fingers he wouldn't have to gag this down. I was shocked when he actually enjoyed it! So believe me, if my husband liked these then it's a great way to introduce quinoa in your diet.

Mexican Stuffed Peppers with Quinoa & Black Beans
8 SERVINGS 

PREP: 15 minutes           COOK: 25-30 minutes            READY IN: 40-45 minutes

SIMPLE	HEALTHY	YUM

INGREDIENTS

---

• 4 bell peppers (slice in half from stem-to-tip and remove seeds)
• 1 cup quinoa, uncooked
• 1/2 medium onion, diced
• 1 15-oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 5 cherry tomatoes, diced
• 1 4-oz can diced green chiles, with juice
• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (for the extra kick, if desired)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 cup reduced fat 4-cheese Mexican cheese
• 2 14-oz can enchilada sauce (I like the medium red sauce)

DIRECTIONS

---

1. Add quinoa and onion in a saucepan with 2 cups of water over medium heat with a dash of salt. Let it boil for 5 minutes, then remove from heat and let sit, covered, for 15 minutes. 
2. Meanwhile, prepare your peppers to be filled. If you like a softer pepper then microwave them for 2 minutes. If you like them more crisp you can skip this step.
3. Put your quinoa and onion mixture in a large bowl. Mix in black beans, tomato, chiles, cilantro, pepper flakes, and salt and pepper. If your mixture is too dry then you can add a little olive oil, but it should be fine without. 
4. Pour your enchilada sauce into a 9x13" pan (save a little for drizzling on top, if you want). Set your peppers in the pan so they are nice and snug. Divide the quinoa mixture between the peppers. Top it off with cheese. 
5. Cover with foil and bake at 375º for 25-30 minutes. Remove foil and cook another 5 minutes.

Serving options: drizzle enchilada sauce on top, add diced avocado, or add a dollop of sour cream. 

NUTRITION FACTS

---

    1 pepper serving    221 calories   4.1g fat   36.2g carbs    10.8g protein    5.6g sugar   

Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from www.onelovelylife.com

Breakfast Quesadillas

Step aside, Wheaties, we have a new breakfast of champions in the house! My husband LOVES his breakfast of champions, but if you ask me, these quesadillas compete for the title. This dish is packed with veggies and protein that will be sure to leave you full and satisfied. Just 2 wedges fill me right up and I don't have the urge to snack during the day...what more could a girl ask for?!

Breakfast Quesadillas

2 SERVINGS 

PREP: 10 minutes           COOK: 15-20 minutes            READY IN: 30 minutes

SIMPLE	HEALTHY	YUM

INGREDIENTS

---

• 2 slices low sodium bacon
• 1 large egg
• 2 large egg whites
• 1 teaspoon fat free milk
• 1/2 red bell pepper
• 1/2 jalapeño 
• 1/4 small red onion
• 2 taco size tortillas
• 1/2 cup reduced fat 4-cheese Mexican cheese
• 1/2 avocado
• optional toppings: pico de gallo and table cream or sour cream.

DIRECTIONS

---

1. Place bacon on tin foil lined baking sheet. Cook bacon in oven at 350º for 15-20 minutes, depending on how well done you like it. Chop into small pieces when done. 
2. Chop pepper, jalapeño, and red onion. Cook on stove until veggies are soft, and set aside.
3. In a separate bowl beat together egg, egg whites, and milk. Add salt and pepper to taste and scramble eggs on stove top. 
4. Once eggs and bacon are done, get a skillet and spray with cooking spray. Place one tortilla down. Top with half of the cheese, scrambled eggs, veggies, bacon, avocado, the remaining cheese, and then top it all off with the second tortilla.
5. Once the tortilla is a nice golden brown, flip it over to brown the other side. 
6. Cut it up into fourths. Garnish with pico de gallo or table cream. 

NUTRITION FACTS

---

    1 serving (1/2 tortilla)  325 calories 19.2g fat 20.6g carbs  19.2g protein   2.0g sugar   

Recipe adapted from The Pioneer Woman.

Enjoy!