New blog is officially up and running!

Hey everyone! I just wanted to let you know that my new blog is up and running. I have my first post on there so please, go take a look! It will be where I post everything from now on. I will leave this site up for viewing, but will no longer be making any posts. Here's the link to the new site: http://thehealthfulkitchen.blogspot.com/

New blog!

Hello viewers!  I just wanted to post and let you all know that I am going to be starting a new blog.  As you all may know (or may not know for new readers), I've had to make some changes to my diet for health reasons.  This has meant a complete revamp of my entire diet!  Hardly any of my old recipes work for my new lifestyle, which has made me start all over from scratch.  Over the past few months that is what I have been doing: creating a whole new set of recipes!  It has been both fun and frustrating, and there have been some awesome creations and failures.  So, I will be launching my new blog, A Healthful Kitchen, sometime in the near future.  It will be a completely separate blog from my current one, and will have brand new recipes.  This blog is dedicated to anyone who wants to improve their eating habits, have special dietary concerns (low calorie, low fat, low sodium, etc.), or are simply curious about whether or not you can be healthy and still enjoy food!  I hope all of you will take a look as soon as the blog is up and running.  I will make a post to let you know when it's ready!  Until then, happy cooking :)

Shrimp Foil Packets

Well... it's been a LONG time since my last post so... HELLO EVERYBODY :)  It has been a CRAZY time for me and my family since my last post.  I am in the last few weeks of my final semester of college, my husband just graduated from his army AIT training, AND we are preparing for yet another move.  Yes... we are FINALLY going to our first permanent duty station!  We are super excited about all of these wonderful happenings, but needless to say it has been insanely busy.  My blog has been neglected, so I thought it was time to share a new, delicious, and very easy recipe (that is also CKD diet friendly).  This is my rendition of shrimp foil packets.  You can easily build on this basic recipe by using different veggies or creating your own sauce... but I highly recommend trying this one because it is yummy :)  I hope you all enjoy!

Ingredients:

48 large shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 zucchini, thinly sliced

1 bunch asparagus, thin stems, tough ends cut off

1/2 cup orange marmalade or apricot jam

2 tbsp mustard, course ground variety

2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce

Additional items:

4 squares aluminum foil

Non-stick spray

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°.  In a small bowl, mix together marmalade, mustard, and soy sauce until well combined.  Spray each aluminum foil square with non-stick spray; layer center of each square with vegetables first, a layer of shrimp (12 per packet), and top with equal portions of sauce.  Place filled packets on a large sheet pan, and bake in heated oven for 15 – 20 minutes, or until shrimp are cooked through and vegetables are crisp tender.  Serve over rice or orzo for a complete meal!  Serves 4.

5 Weight Watchers points per serving (without rice or orzo)!

214.6 Calories | 1.5g Fat | 628.7mg Sodium | 391.7 Potassium | 31.3g Carbohydrates | 1.7g Fiber | 18.7g Protein | 140g Calcium | 440mg Phosphorus

Moo Shu Chicken

Ingredients:

1 tsp sesame oil, divided

3 tbsp hoisin sauce

3 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce

2 tbsp reduced-sodium chicken broth

1 tbsp orange marmalade

1 tsp oyster sauce

1 clove garlic, minced

Juice from 1/2 a lemon

1/2 lb (8 oz.) boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite size pieces

1 1/2 cups button mushrooms, chopped

1 1/2 cups green cabbage, thinly sliced

1 cup carrot, shredded

1 zucchini, shredded

6 (6”) flour tortillas, warmed

Directions:

In a bowl, combine 1/2 tsp sesame oil and the next 7 ingredients; whisk until well incorporated then set aside.  In a large, deep non-stick skillet add remaining 1/2 tsp sesame oil; add chicken to pan and cook until golden brown and inside is no longer pink; add sauce mixture to pan.  Stir to coat the chicken with the sauce and allow to cook for 1 minute.  Add mushrooms, cabbage, carrots, and zucchini to pan; stir to coat and let cook for about 3 minutes or until vegetables are tender.  Serve about 1/2 cup moo shu chicken in each tortilla.  Serves 6.

5 Weight Watchers points per serving! 

204 Calories | 3.9g Fat | 642mg Sodium | 390.4mg Potassium | 29g Carbohydrates | 2.8g Fiber | 13.4g Protein | 80g Calcium | 328mg Phosphorus

Chile and Spice Rubbed Filet Mignon

Ingredients:

4 (4 oz.) filet mignon steaks

1/2 tsp ancho chile powder

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp ground coriander

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

Juice from 1/2 a lime

Directions:

Heat grill to cooking temperature.  In a bowl, combine the ancho chile pepper, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, coriander, salt, black pepper, and lime juice; stir until well combined.  Rub both sides of each steak evenly with spice mixture; place on the grill immediately.  Cook until steaks reach desired temperature.  Let steaks rest before serving.  Serves 4. 

6 Weight Watchers points per serving! 

213.9 Calories | 12.8g Fat | 216.9mg Sodium | 17.3mg Potassium | 1.1g Carbohydrates | 0.2g Fiber | 23.9g Protein | 14g Calcium | 10mg Phosphorus

Grilled Chicken Fajitas

Ingredients:

4 (4 oz.) boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 tbsp olive oil

2 onions, halved, thinly sliced

2 green bell peppers, thinly sliced

1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

8 (6”) flour tortillas, warmed

Fajita Seasoning

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/4 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp onion powder

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1 tbsp lime zest

Juice from 1 lime

1 tbsp olive oil

Garnishes: Salsa, sour cream, guacamole, shredded lettuce, shredded cheese, sliced black olives, etc.

Directions:

Heat grill to cooking temperature.  In a bowl, combine the ingredients for the fajita seasoning; stir until completely combined.  Place the chicken into a re-sealable bag, and pour marinade into bag; coat chicken evenly with marinade and let sit for 5 minutes.  Meanwhile, heat oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat; add peppers and onions.  Cook until vegetables are tender.  While vegetables are cooking, place chicken on the grill and cook about 6 minutes per side (or until chicken is cooked completely through); remove from grill and cut into thin strips.  Serve cooked peppers, onions, and sliced chicken over top of tortillas and garnished with your favorite fajita toppers!  Serves 4.

9 Weight Watchers points per serving (2 filled tortillas without any garnishes)

328.5 Calories | 11.7g Fat | 322.3mg Sodium | 210mg Potassium | 46g Carbohydrates | 4.5g Fiber | 11g Protein | 260mg Phosphorus

Sweet and Spicy Pork Medallions over Sesame-Cabbage Egg Noodles

Since I started my recipe blog, I have mostly stuck to posting my recipes without my commentary.  Well, now I have a story I'd like to share with you guys.  Since I was a little girl I have "suffered" from chronic kidney disease (CKD).  Recently my doctor told me that I am in Stage 2 CKD, which made me start thinking a lot about my health.  I decided that I need to make some major changes... #1 being to get myself on a CKD approved diet!  This means changing everything about how I eat and how I cook.  CKD diets basically involve cutting out some of the best foods there are: pretty much any real dairy products, carbs, salty anything, tropical fruits, hefty grains, quite a few veggies (believe it or not)... and (hold on everybody) chocolate.  Although I have never been a major chocolate lover, I do adore all of these other foods.  After finding out all this information from my doctor, I decided to take on the challenge and keep making amazingly delicious food that didn't make me feel like I was sacrificing a thing!  So... here is my first attempt at a yummy and healthy, CKD approved meal!  It's tender little pork medallions glazed with a delicious sweet and spicy Asian sauce over noodles riddled with cabbage.  You might be saying... isn't Asian food extremely salty?  The answer: NOPE : )  By substituting reduced or no sodium soy sauce you can still enjoy all the Asian flavor without the high salt intake.  Even my husband thought this dish was amazing and filled with flavor... no sign of sacrifice here!  Enjoy : )

Ingredients:

Cooking spray

1 (1 lb.) pork tenderloin, trimmed, cut into 1” thick slices

2 tbsp brown sugar

2 tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce

2 tbsp water

1 tsp sesame oil

1 garlic clove, minced

1/8 tsp crushed red pepper

1/8 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp sesame seeds, toasted

2 cups egg noodles, cooked

2 cups finely shredded coleslaw mix (cabbage and carrots only)

Directions:

After slicing pork into 1” thick slices, place each piece into plastic wrap and flatten to 1/2” thickness.  Spray a large non-stick pan with cooking spray; add pork medallions.  Cook over medium-high heat until each side is browned.  Meanwhile, mix together brown sugar, soy sauce, water, sesame oil, garlic, crushed red pepper, and ginger; pour into pan with pork once browned on both sides.  Reduce heat to a simmer and allow sauce to reduce until slightly thickened and glazed onto pork (about 5 minutes).  Check to make sure pork medallions have cooked thoroughly before serving.  In a separate pan, add sesame seeds and coleslaw mix and cook until cabbage has wilted; add cooked egg noodles and stir until well combined.  Serve pork medallions and sauce over top of noodles.  Serves 4 (3 pork medallions and 1/2 cup egg noodles). 

9 Weight Watchers points per serving

350 Calories | 11.3g Fat | 356mg Sodium | 562mg Potassium | 25g Carbohydrates | 3g Fiber | 37g Protein | 670mg Phosphorus