Month: September 2018

Since my boys were little they loved going for Chinese Food.  One of their favorite things to get was always Minced Chicken in Lettuce. Now as grown men, they still always order and love this dish, so when a friend of mine asked if I do anything in lettuce wraps , my creative wheels started turning.  I came up with this super quick, super easy, and super low cal version you can make at home.  This is also an easy dish to substitute the chicken with your favorite vegetarian option if you choose.  Since this dish makes 8 wraps, servings very depending on appetite.  You can serve this up with a side of our Chicken Fried Rice Recipe that you can find in our recipe section or with our quick and easy Won Ton Soup recipe that you can find in our Fun Tip section.

	Ingredients make 8 Lettuce Wraps	Cost
1	lb ground chicken	$3.49
2	4 scallions chopped	$0.32*
3	8 romaine lettuce leaves	$0.93*
4	1/2 jar or Mango Ginger Chutney	$1.25*
5	1/4 C of low sodium soy sauce	$0.35*
	Total	$6.34($0.79 per wrap)

Nutrition Facts (Per wrap)
Calories	117
Carbs	7.6g
Fats	4.5g
Protein	11.2g
Sugar	6g
Fiber	0.2g
	Source: MyFitnessPal

*Ingredients sourced from Trader Joe’s

Directions

Step 1: Spray pan with olive oil spray add meat and set pan to m/h heat.

Step 2: Using your handy dandy chopping tool, start chopping up meat.

Step 3: While meat is browning ,chop up scallions.

Step 4: Drain meat when it is cooked and add your scallions to the pan.

Step 5: Add your chutney and soy sauce to the pan and heat through.

Step 6: Place 8 lettuce leaves on a serving platter, and spoon mixture into each piece of lettuce.

Step 7: Enjoy!

Super excited about this Fall Medley recipe!!! When asked by a HUGE, and I mean HUGE TV show to come up with a Fall recipe, I  was super elated and came up with this delight in a flash!!  Sometimes things don’t always go as planned and the three minute slot got filled up, so the recipe was not used…. but on the bright side, I created something that I never would have though to put together.  I was honored  beyond belief that I was asked , and even though this didn’t make it on national TV, it is here for you to enjoy.  Fall is my favorite time of the year.  I hope you enjoy all the different Fall flavors blended into this very special dish.  As always please feel free to adjust according to your dietary lifestyle.

	Ingredients Serve 5	Cost
1	1 Pkg Apple Chicken Sausage	$3.99
2	1 Honey Crisp Apple	$1.69
3	1 Bag of Diced Butternut Squash	$2.49
4	1/2 Container of Diced Yellow Onions	$0.90*
5	I /2 Can of Wolfgang Puck Butternut Squash Soup	$1.50*
	Total	$10.57 ($2.11per serving)

*Please note: the cost of this items reflects the amount used for this recipe, not the total cost of the package. 

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)
Calories	205
Carbs	23.2g
Fats	8.2g
Protein	12.3g
Sugar	11.3g
Fiber	2.9g
	Source: MyFitnessPal

*Ingredients sourced from Trader Joe’s and Giant Eagle

Directions

Step 1: Spray a cast iron skillet with Olive Oil spray then set on M/H.

Step 2: Put half container of diced onions in skillet and start to brown.

Step 3: While the onions  are browning, microwave the squash in the pierced bag for three minutes.

Step 4:  While the squash is in the microwave, peel,  and slice your apple into chunks.

Step 5: Microwave  your apple chunks in a microwave safe bowl for 3 minutes.

Step 6:  While the apple chunks are in the microwave slice up the entire package of chicken sausage into bite size pieces.

Step 7: Add all of the ingredients to your pan, and pour in the half a can of Butternut Squash soup. Put in a dash of Allspice and sprinkle some black pepper. Stir all together and heat through.

Step 8:  Enjoy!

Sometimes recipes happen by accident, such is the case with this one. I thought I bought Zoug, my families favorite spicy dip, but instead I bought a pesto….. hey they are both the same color, honest mistake! Rather than return the wrong purchase, I came up with a nutritious, delicious dish that I am super excited to share with you! Once again, you can swap the chicken out for your favorite vegetarian version. I hope you enjoy this one!

	Ingredients Serve 5	Cost
1	1 Pkg Chicken Tenders	$4.99
2	1 Bag Riced Broccoli	$2.29
3	1/2 Jar Artichokes in water	$1.35*
4	One large roasted red pepper in Jar	$0.67*
5	I container  Kale Pesto	$3.69
	Total	$12.99 ($2.59per serving)

*Please note: the cost of this items reflects the amount used for this recipe, not the total cost of the package. 

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)
Calories	308
Carbs	10.8g
Fats	19.2g
Protein	22.8g
Sugar	2g
Fiber	2.8g
	Source: MyFitnessPal

*Ingredients sourced from Trader Joe’s

Directions

Step 1: Spray a cast iron skillet with Olive Oil spray then set on M/H.

Step 2: Put the chicken tenders directly in the pan and cook through

Step 3: While the chicken is cooking, put the broccoli rice in the microwave for about 5 minutes. You can do this directly in the bag if you pierce it a few times.

Step 4: Add half a can of the marinated artichokes with the juice.

Step 5: Cut one large fire roasted pepper into pieces and put in pan.

Step 6: Pour the whole container of pesto into the pan and stir it all up.

Step 7: Heat through and enjoy!

Stuffed Peppers are one of those multicultural dishes that have been popular for generations. So many variations to the recipe, yet the one thing that is usually common is the time it takes to prepare this dish, not to mention the clean up….. ugh! Well, not anymore! You can now enjoy this classic favorite in about 10 minutes from start to finish when you follow the directions below.

What is great about this recipe is that it makes so many portions! I originally used 3 peppers cut in half, but after testing this numerous times, it has been modified so you can use 5 peppers and stuff them generously! The nutritional information is based per pepper half, so keep that in mind when deciding your portion. This recipe can please a crowd or make for an easy meal prep to enjoy all week. It’s simple to modify to suite your lifestyle just by changing the meat ingredient.

	Ingredients  make 10 halves	Cost
1	lb ground meat	$5.49
2	5 peppers	$5.00 ( $1 each for red)
3	1/2 container yellow onions	$0.80*
4	Jar Arrabiata Sauce	$3.29
5	1 bag riced cauliflower	$2.49
	Total	$17.07($1.71 per half)

Nutrition Facts (Per half pepper)
Calories	127
Carbs	9.4g
Fats	4.2g
Protein	11.9g
Sugar	5.8g
Fiber	2.2g
	Source: MyFitnessPal

*Ingredients sourced from Trader Joe’s

Directions

Step 1: Pierce the cauliflower bag and place in microwave for about 4 min.

Step 2: Spray your pan with olive oil spray and add your meat choice and onion to the pan. Break up the meat while cooking.

Step 3: Remove the cauliflower bag from the microwave so you can now add your peppers while the meat continues to brown.

Step 4: Prepare your peppers according to the video tutorial for this recipe found on Youtube. Place all the peppers in the microwave together and cook till soft (about 6 minutes). If you put one in at a time this long they will burn (trust me).

Step 5: While the peppers are in the microwave, pour the bag of cauliflower rice in with the meat and add the sauce. Continue to stir altogether. If you use a low fat meat option, such as the one in this recipe, you do not need to drain your meat.

Step 6: Your peppers should now be soft and ready to stuff with the meat mixture.

Step 7: Enjoy!