Chicken and Veggie Lo Mein with Homemade Sauce

Going right a long with my Chicken and Veggie Stir Fry and Beef and Broccoli  here is the recipe I used for Chicken and Veggie Lo Mein. Everyone in my house loved this dish!

Ingredients:

 For the Sauce:
  3 Tbsp Soy Sauce
  2 Tbsp Brown Sugar
  1 Tbsp Sesame Oil
  2 tsp Ground Ginger
  2 tsp Minced Garlic
  1 cup Chicken Broth
  1 1/2 Tbsp Cornstarch
 Can add hot sauce if desired(I just added it right to my bowl instead)

For the Stir Fry:
 1 package Lo Mein Noodles( Only ones I found were wide, and I found them at a local Food City)
 1 Tbsp + 2 Tbsp Oil
 1lb Chicken (or less, I only used 1 boneless skinless chicken breast)
 1 medium White Onion
 1 Bell Pepper, sliced
 1 Carrot, sliced thin
 2 cups Broccoli
 1 yellow squash
 1 small can water chestnuts

 Could also use: Zucchini,Green Onions,Mushrooms,Asparagus,Snow Peas,Cauliflower,etc..

1. Cook noodles according to package.Drain.

2.Make Sauce. Add all ingredients, EXCEPT cornstarch and broth to a bowl and whisk together. In a separate bowl mix the cornstarch and broth.( Just before you add to the stir fry you will combine the two)

3. Heat 1 Tbsp Oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and allow to cook until no longer pink. When done remove from pan and set aside.

4. Heat 2 Tbsp oil in the same skillet and add veggies(in order of time it takes to fry) continue cooking stirring frequently.

5. Add chicken back to the pan.

6. Add the broth and cornstarch to the sauce and mix well. Add to stir fry and bring to a boil.Add noodles to pan.When sauce reaches desired thickness, remove pan from heat.

Chicken&Veggie Stir Fry with Homemade Sauce

Sissy says, "Momma between this and Beef and Broccoli, if you would just learn to make Egg Rolls we never have to go to a Chinese Restaurant again"  :-)

Ingredients:

 For the Sauce:
  3 Tbsp Soy Sauce
  2 Tbsp Brown Sugar
  1 Tbsp Sesame Oil
  2 tsp Ground Ginger
  2 tsp Minced Garlic
  3/4 cup Vegetable Broth
  1 Tbsp Cornstarch
 Can add hot sauce if desired(I just added it right to my bowl instead)

For the Stir Fry:
 2 cups cooked Brown Rice
 1 Tbsp + 2 Tbsp Oil
 1lb Chicken (or less, I used 3 boneless skinless thin cut chicken breast)
 1 medium White Onion
 1 Bell Pepper, sliced
 Mixed Veggies( I had bought a bag at Kroger and needed to use it up, it had Broccoli,Carrots, and Sugar Snap Peas)
  Could also use:Zucchini,Squash,Green Onions,Mushrooms,Asparagus,Water Chestnuts,Cauliflower,etc..

1. Cook Rice

2.Make Sauce. Add all ingredients, EXCEPT cornstarch and broth to a bowl and whisk together. In a separate bowl mix the cornstarch and broth.( Just before you add to the stir fry you will combine the two)

3. Heat 1 Tbsp Oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and allow to cook until no longer pink. When done remove from pan and set aside.

4. Heat 2 Tbsp oil in the same skillet and add veggies(in order of time it takes to fry, onion first then so on) continue cooking stirring frequently.

5. Add chicken back to the pan.

6. Add the broth and cornstarch to the sauce and mix well. Add to stir fry and bring to a boil.
   When sauce reaches desired thickness, remove pan from heat. Serve over cooked rice.

Can't wait to experiment with different veggies :-)

Clean Chicken Kale "Gumbo"

Who is ready for Fall?  >>This girl<<
For a while now I have been making a pot of soup either Sunday night or Monday morning to eat on through out the week. I try to keep it mixed up so I do not get bored. I have wanted to make Gumbo for some time but, I did not want to use what most traditional gumbos call for. I have seen some with bacon,ham hock, flour, butter,etc...I just wanted a clean eating gumbo. So I looked all around Pinterest, YouTube,etc.. and this is what I came up with .

What you will need:

2 tsp EVOO
White Onion
4 tsp minced onion
Pinch sea salt
1 boneless skinless chicken breast, diced small
1 tsp Oregano
1 tsp dried Thyme
1 tsp smoked Paprika
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1 box organic low sodium Chicken Broth
1 28 oz petite diced Tomatoes
1 can OR 1 small bag frozen Corn
1 small bag frozen Okra
1 can Cannellini Beans,drained and rinsed
2 cups Kale,chopped
1 cup water (more if you prefer soupier)

1. Heat EVOO in dutch oven(or stock pot), add onion and garlic and pinch of salt. Cook for about 2-3 minutes. Until onions are translucent.

2. Add chicken, cook until no longer pink.

3. Add Oregano,Thyme,Paprika, and Garlic Powder. Mix well. Allow to cook for 1 minute.

4. Add  water,broth, tomatoes,corn,okra, and beans. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer and add the Kale. Let simmer for about 30 minutes and then it's ready to eat :-)

*You can serve this over brown rice

*You can use creole seasoning instead of  the spices listed if you have it on hand.

*Add some cayenne pepper if you want to "kick it up a notch"  or just add hot sauce to individual bowls.

Y'all try this next time you want some Gumbo! :-)

What kind of soups do you make the most? Care to share some clean eating soups?

Unstuffed Zucchini

I do not like making zucchini boats because I know my kids will not eat the zucchini, just the "insides"(same with stuffed peppers) so this is a perfect alternative for us to get in all our veggies :-) 

You will need:

1lb ground turkey( could use spicy sausage, or whatever is your preference) 

1 large zucchini 

1 medium onion 

Small green pepper 

2 cloves garlic, minced 

1 Tbsp Olive Oil 

Red Potatoes(Your preference, about 1 1/2-2 cups)

3 Roma tomatoes,chopped 

Oregano,Thyme,Sage (1/2tsp each optional)

Salt and Pepper 

1/2 cup shredded Monterrey Jack Cheese 


1. Add turkey to pan and top with seasoning of your choice( I used Rachel Rays 24/7 seasoning grinder)let cook until no longer pink and drain(leave in colander) 

2. Heat Olive Oil in the pan,add potatoes and allow to start browning on all sides

3. Add zucchini,onion,pepper, garlic, and salt and pepper. Allow to cook until onions are translucent.

4. Add turkey back to pan and add tomatoes.Add spices and stir to combine. Cover and simmer 25 minutes, stirring often. 

5. Turn off stove, add cheese to the top and add cover back to melt cheese just for a few seconds.

Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins(Vegan)

I love Zucchini Bread/Muffins! Great way to use up zucchini from the garden, and a great way to get some veggies in my kids with out a fight! :-) 
This recipe is very simple and so moist and yummy! 

You will need:

• 1.5 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup of grated zucchini
• 1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 medium bananas, mashed
• 1 tsp vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 350. 

2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Mix together well, then stir in the zucchini and chocolate chips. 

3. In another bowl using a hand mixer or blender,mix together the canola oil,sugar,bananas,and vanilla. Add this mixture to the first and stir until it's an even batter.

4. Pour into a greased/lined muffin tin and bake for about 25 minutes.(Or pour into a greased loaf pan and bake for 50 minutes.

Found this recipe at One Happy Table she has some great ideas over there! 

*For a sugar-free version

Here’s what you’ll need:

• 1.5 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 2 cups grated zucchini (about 3 medium zucchini)
• 2 large bananas, mashed
• 1/2 cup coconut oil, plus a little for greasing the muffin tin
• 1 tsp vanilla

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. 

2. Lightly grease a muffin tin with coconut oil.

3. In a large bowl, combine the whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon. 

4. In another bowl, mix together the grated zucchini, mashed banana, coconut oil and vanilla. 

5. Pour the wet mixture into the dry and mix until just combined into an even batter. 

6. Spoon into the muffin tin and bake for 25 minutes.

Turkey Kielbasa and Summer Veggies

I love this "summer meal"  it's so versatile, just throw in whatever you have on hand that night!

Hubby usually takes me to Aldi's once a month and there are a few things I make sure I get every time, one of them is this Turkey Kielbasa!

Ingredients-

Turkey Kielbasa
Sweet Potato
Yellow Squash
White Onion
Peppers
Olive Oil
Butter(optional, helps potatoes brown a little and not turn to mush)
I used Rachel Rays 24/7 seasoning on mine. It is a grinder and it has sea salt, coriander seeds,garlic,black peppercorns,red bell peppers, chili, cumin seeds.

Can also use-
Red Potato/Russet Potato
Summer Sausage
Marinated Chicken
Zucchini
Broccoli

Salt and Pepper, Italian Seasoning, Garlic Powder, etc...  Season it to suit your family!

1. Chop all veggies and kielbasa and add to large bowl.

2.Add Olive Oil and seasoning and mix well
3. Melt butter in pan, once hot add the mixture to the pan. It's done when the potatoes are tender.(about 10-15 minutes)

Y'all try this tonight and use up some of those garden veggies!

What are some of your favorite "Summer Meals"? 

Sweet Potato-Taco Foil Dinner

By:PerrysPlate.com

Ingredients:

1 Large Sweet Potato
1/2 lb ground turkey breast
1 can black beans
1/2 cup tomato sauce
Sea Salt
2 Tbsp Taco Seasoning
Spinach
Shredded Cheese
Garnish-Sour Cream,Avocado,Salsa,Tomato
Aluminum Foil

*Start by frying the ground turkey in a medium skillet(I used just 1 turn around the pan of olive oil)
  When the meat is cooked through add the black beans,tomato sauce, and taco seasoning.

* Get 4 pieces of 12 inch foil laid out, spray with cooking spray

* Add the cubed sweet Potatoes, top with 1 pat of butter(we use real butter)

*Add a pinch of sea salt to each and then sprinkle spinach over everything

*Add 1/3-1/2 cup of the taco mixture and top with cheese

*Fold the sides in and then the top and bottom to seal the packet

*Place the packets on a rimmed cookie sheet and put in 425 degree oven for 25-30 minutes
   Packets are done when sweet potatoes are tender.
    ( Be careful with the steam from the packets when opening)

*Add garnished of your choice

**Can freeze the feeling in portion sizes and serve over a baked sweet potato too :-)

Pork,Kraut, and Taters in the Crock-Pot

This is one of the simplest recipes I make, and it's one of our favorites! Talk about comfort food!

When I was a kid my mom worked at the school we went to, she would often put stuff in the Crock-Pot to make life easier on busy days! She made this a lot and I was not a fan of it when I was a kid, I liked the 3 individual ingredients but, back then I couldn't figure out why I didn't like them all together.
 I didn't have it for years, then one day I was trying to come up with some easy meals and this came to mind.
I made this the first time just like Momma does, and that first time I made it, the mystery was solved!
 I do NOT like short ribs,or bone-in meats in the Crock-Pot(at all).
So I fixed it, these are made with boneless pork chops! It's so good, my 8 year old begs me to make it!

Pork,Kraut, and Taters 

*Crock-Pot
*Boneless Pork Chops: Amount depends on your family
*Sauerkraut: I suggest the bags, sold in the deli section or the jars of authentic sauerkraut
*Taters- I use whatever I have on hand, red taters are our favorite though

You are going to layer the ingredients in the Crock-Pot

• Start with a little sauerkraut on the bottom. 
• Then add the boneless pork chops on top of that
• Then taters
• Finish with the rest of the sauerkraut on top 
• Turn on low and let go for about 8 hours or so. 

When it's done, I just stir everything together and serve in large bowls.

How easy is that y'all? This is a great rainy or cold day meal! I also have made this with smoked sausage as well and we love that too!

What are some easy Crock-Pot recipes that you have, that contain only a few ingredients?

Almond Butter

Decided to put that new Ninja Blender that I got for Mothers Day to work making something other than smoothies! :-)

1 Bag Natural Almonds
2 tsp Honey(not pictured)

*Put almonds in the blender and blend/chop for about 20-25 minutes
 It seems to take forever, just let it go and do it's thing. I stopped it about every 5 minutes and pushed the sides down with a silicone spatula. Once it becomes smooth and creamy it's done! Add the honey and blend a few seconds to get it incorporated.

THAT'S IT!! So simple and yummy!

Turkey, Kale,and Black Bean Tacos with Pico De Gallo

TURKEY,KALE,AND BLACK BEAN TACO FILLING

1 lb lean ground turkey
1/2 sweet onion,chopped
1 sweet pepper chopped(i used yellow pepper because that's what I had)
1 1/2-2 cups chopped Kale(chopped small)
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 Tbsp Chili Powder
1 Tbsp dried Cumin
Pinch of Kosher Salt

*Heat a large skillet over medium heat, spray with nonstick spray.Brown the turkey with the onion.

*Add the chopped Kale along with a large pinch of salt, stir all together.

*Add in the pepper, beans, and spices and cook 2-3 minutes allowing everything to come together.

*Lower to a simmer to keep warm until ready to eat.

We have made this a few times now and I have to say it is very versatile! Can use as filling for tacos, burritos,Quesadillas,Taco Salad, and I even put some in an egg muffin I made(just a scrambled egg poured in a muffin tin,add this filling and some cheese) and it was delicious!

Here are the Quesadillas for the kids, I put one tortilla in the pan with guacamole,spinach,cheese then the filling and a tad more cheese. I put another tortilla on the top with more guacamole to hold everything together. (Not the best picture but you get the gist)

I found the original recipe at GreenLiteBites


PICO DE GALLO

1 cup tomato,chopped
1/2 cup red onion,chopped
1/4 cup cilantro,chopped
Lime Juice
Salt and Pepper

*Chop everything small and add to a bowl. Add Lime juice and S&P and stir. Allow to sit a few minutes before serving. YUM YUM!!
(Keep in mind if making a small bowl, before buying a large bunch of cilantro, they may have a small pack in the produce section with other packaged herbs.)

Minestrone Soup and Herb Bread

I wish I had a big bowl of this soup right now! This was a great soup recipe and is better than Olive Gardens ;-)

Minestrone Soup

Ingredients:

2 cups frozen peas(thawed)
3 small yellow squash(chopped)
2 medium zucchini(chopped)
1 can green beans
5 celery stalks(chopped)
1 red bell pepper(chopped)
2 large carrots(chopped)
1 large white onion(chopped)
1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 Tbsp garlic powder
2 tsp Oregano
2 Tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp parsley
2 cans reduced sodium kidney beans(drained and rinsed)
1 can white kidney beans(drained and rinsed)
2 can Italian style diced tomatoes
1 box organic vegetable broth
1 can chicken broth
2 Tbsp light brown sugar

Add everything to the crock pot and stir. Let cook on high 6 hours.
I will say this FILLED my 6qt crock pot. So if you have in a bigger one you will want to use it OR combine everything and then freeze half for later.
I also ate on the through out the week and it just kept getting better and better!
Y'all have to try this soon!
I got the original recipe at UndressedSkeleton, one of my favorite sites! :-)

On the same day I made the soup I made some Herb bread to go with it. I found this recipe on Pinterest and had my eye on it for a while but, I knew it would be perfect match for the Minestrone Soup!

Cheese, Olive, and Buttermilk Herb Bread 

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan
1/2 cup grated cheddar
1/2 cup green olives slices
8 pieces sun dried tomatoes, sliced thin
1 tsp salt
1tsp pepper
1/4 cup mixture of parsley and green onion
2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
2 eggs
2 1/2 tsp Olive Oil
1 1/4 cup Buttermilk
-Egg Wash (made from 1 egg yolk beaten with 2 tbsp water)
Extra thyme leaves and sea salt for sprinkling on top

Preheat oven to 350.

Generously butter a loaf pan and dust with flour, set aside.

In a large bowl sift all dry ingredients. Then add in cheese. Next add olives and tomatoes, onion and parsley. and thyme. Stir thoroughly together.

In a separate bowl whisk the eggs, then olive oil and buttermilk until combined.

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the buttermilk mixture in the well. Stir until the "dough" is very sticky and then pour into the loaf pan.

Brush the top of the batter with the egg wash and then add the extra thyme and salt.

Bake for 40-45 minutes. Once knife inserted in center comes out clean remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before turning out on a cooling rack.

I got the original recipe from Sugar and Everything Nice, found on Pinterest! :-)

Turkey Sausage and Kale Soup

It is a cold rainy day and I am so glad I planned this soup on the menu! Very Yummy and filling!
I did have to substitute a few things from the original recipe I wanted to have, but was still great!

I am taking a little time while Brother is napping to get this blog post done, start looking for recipes for next week and just resting(3 yr old BOYS wear you out!)  ;-)

I have to share that we are all going strong on this healthy eating challenge! I can feel the change; I do not want a soda(really), I don't want to eat crap because I know how many calories are in it and I don't want to have to walk/exercise more just to get those off on top of what I already have to do. I am really enjoying the juicing, wish I could get in to the smoothies more though, my blender is not getting it..well..smooth. It's very thick and gritty. Any tips would be appreciated!

On to the recipe, here we go...

Turkey Sausage and Kale Soup 

Turkey Sausage- (I used Seasoned Turkey Sausage Links, because that's what I had on hand. This would be good with regular Turkey meat seasoned, ground chicken seasoned, Turkey kielbasa, etc...)

1 small onion, 3/4 cup, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes , drained but juice reserved

Broth/Water- ( I used 2 cans chicken broth and 2 cups water. Which was very good, however next time I am going to try with vegetable broth and water)

4 red potatoes, quartered (about 2 cups)

1 can (15 oz) red kidney beans, drained and rinsed (I used Pinto because that's what I had)

1 cup carrots, chopped

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 bunch kale (about 6 cups raw), stems removed and cut into bite-size pieces

*Place a dutch oven over medium-high heat and spray with non-stick cooking spray.

*Once it is hot,add onion and meat. Let cook until the meat is browned and onions are soft. Remove meat and set aside.

*Add the garlic and the drained tomatoes to the pot, stir constantly until the tomatoes begin to dry out and brown color begin to form on bottom of pan.

*Add the reserved tomato juice and broth slowly while stirring/scraping the brown from bottom of pot.

*Add the potatoes and simmer for 10 minutes.

*Add beans,carrots, meat and pepper, cook 5 more minutes.

*Add the kale and let simmer until the kale is wilted.

I got the idea for this recipe from SparkPeople.com

Chicken Taco Salad

Chicken Taco Salad

1lb chicken, cut into bite size pieces
1/2 cup red pepper,chopped
1/2 cup green pepper,chopped
1Tbsp Homemade Taco Seasoning
1Tbsp oil

Lettuce
Tomato
Avocado

Put chicken in a bowl with taco seasoning and let sit for at least 15-20 minutes.

Heat oil in large pan and add chicken and peppers. Let fry stirring often until done.

Simple and Yummy!

Homemade Chicken Nuggets

Homemade Chicken Nuggets

1lb chicken
Panko Bread Crumbs
1 large egg
2 Tbsp flour
Salt
Pepper
Paprika
(Sometimes I add a little parsley flakes)

Cut chicken into chunks

Put egg in a bowl and gently whisk

Put flour in separate bowl

Lay out a sheet of wax paper, add 1 cup(maybe more) Panko bread crumbs and 1Tbsp paprika

Season chicken with salt and pepper then coat in flour

Dip into egg and then into Panko bread crumbs

 I always make a lot of these at once. So at this point I put wax paper on a cookie sheet and put the chicken on that and into the freezer to "flash-freeze" so I can throw them all into one big Ziploc bag to have on hand.

Bake at 400 for 20 minutes. So much better than Mc...well, you know  :-)