Chicken pot pie is truly one of the classic comfort foods. Delicious and damn tempting but by no means healthy.
Chicken “No Pot Belly” Pie
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Category Archives: Main Dishes
Very Peary Meatloaf with Sweet Potato “Fries”
French fries and meatloaf may sound like a calorie laden catastrophe but this dish is anything but! We took out most of the fat, calories and cholesterol (we don’t need no stinkin’ egg!) but piled on the flavor!
Lamb Lollichops
I was a vegetarian for years and when I finally caved and went back to eating meat again, the only one I never got around to was lamb. I hadn’t had it since I was about 10 and for that reason, as the years went by, I sort of built up this weird fear of it. James would always ask me to try a bite when he ordered it at restaurants and I always turned him down. Until recently….
- 1 rack of lamb, frenched
- 2 tbs honey
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp coriander
- 1/4 tsp cumin
- zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 1 tsp sumac
- 1/2 tsp fresh chopped rosemary
- 1 tbs fresh chopped parsley
- 1 tbs fresh chopped mint
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, minced
- salt and pepper
- 1/4 cup olive oil for marinade plus 2 tbs for searing
Place lamb and all other ingredients in a large casserole and toss to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to marinate for 2 hours at room temp or overnight in the fridge.
Preheat oven to 375.
Get a large skillet going over high heat, add olive oil, then lamb, meat side down. Allow lamb to sear for about 5 minutes and transfer to a foil lined baking sheet.
Roast until medium rare, about 15 minutes. Allow the lamb to rest for 10 minutes so that the juices can redistribute.
Wham bam, thank you lamb for being oh so tasty!
Middle Eastern Lettuce Wraps
I could seriously eat lettuce wraps every day. I love the whole process of assembling each one. The fact that you can customize and dress them up any way you please makes dinner time that much more fun!
- 1 lb ground chicken
- 1/2 white onion, chopped
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 3/4 cup dried apricots, chopped
- 1/2 tsp sumac*
- 1/2 tsp oregano
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/4 tsp cayenne
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/4 tsp poultry seasoning
- 1 head butter lettuce (sometimes called bib or Boston lettuce)
- 1/4 cups pine nuts, toasted
- handful fresh mint, chopped
Yogurt Sauce:
- 3/4 cup plain, fat free yogurt
- juice of 1 lime
- 1/8 tsp cayenne
- 1/2 tsp oregano
- 1/8 tsp cumin
- 1/8 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp sumac
- salt and pepper
For sauce, simply combine all ingredients in a bowl and refrigerate until ready to use. It’s best if made a few hours ahead.
Spray your pan with non-stick spray over medium – high heat and toss in garlic and onions. After about a minute, add in your chicken. Season with spices, break up the meat a bit with a wooden spoon and then add in your apricots. Continue to cook until chicken is browned, about 10 minutes.
To assemble, lay a lettuce leaf out on your plate and top with chicken mixture, finish off with a bit of your yogurt sauce, pine nuts and some fresh mint.
These were a big hit as is but I think next time I make them I’ll throw in some golden raisins too for extra sweetness.
*sumac can be found in Middle Eastern grocery stores or at a variety of places online.
Hawaiian-Style Lettuce Wraps
Lettuce wraps are a great way to trick people into eating family style: cook up a pan of filler, set out a head of lettuce and some toppings and let your guests do the work!
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Cordon Who?
Sort of like a Cordon Bleu, only minus the cheese, and made with Italian ingredients instead of French. Okay, so it’s nothing like a Cordon Bleu but it’s definitely delicious!
Halibut with Pea Pesto
I recently acquired a lovely piece of Halibut (my favorite!) from a dear friend’s Uncle. He was sharing a story with James about how he caught a 98 lb – yes, you read that right – Halibut. James jokingly said, “Don’t tell her (pointing to me) that’s her favorite” Well, being the generous man that he was, he sent us home with a large piece of fish (just look at that picture!) that would’ve easily run us $35 in the store. So many thanks to Sara’s Uncle Roger!
Potato Crusted Chicken with Portobello Red Wine Reduction
Apricot Chicken with Mint and Pistachios
This dish is a feast for the senses! There are lots of flavors, colors and textures going on here.
Chickpea Pizza
CheeseBoca in Paradise
You don’t have to be a vegetarian to go bonkers for Boca! James and I eat these all the time. Packed with lean protein and low in calories and fat, these are a great go-to for busy weeknights.
Vegadillas
This is one of those ‘use what you’ve got on hand recipes that always scores big points with the hubbs. You can sub out the veggies for whatever you’ve got in the crisper. Peppers, leftover potatoes and/or meat would all be delicious.
Quesadillas
- 1/2 cup zuchinni, chopped
- 1/2 cup yellow squash, chopped
- 2 tbs red onion, chopped
- 1 wedge of The Laughing Cow Light Cheese
- 1/4 cup instant mashed potatoes
- 2 Whole Wheat Flour Tortillas (I like Tam-x-ico’s Low Carb version)
- 1/4 cup of reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese
Salsa
- 1 tbs red onion, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, chopped
- 1 jalapeno, minced
- juice of 1/2 lime
- salt and pepper
Spray skillet with non-stick spray over medium heat. Add zuchinni, squash and onions and season to taste with salt and pepper. Saute for about 8 – 10 minutes.
Remove veggies and set aside.
Prepare instant potatoes according to package instructions. (I microwave them. It’s the fastest, easist method for sure)
Spread one tortilla with your Laughing Cow wedge and the other with your mashed potatoes.
With your skillet over medium heat, place one ortilla in the pan and top with veggies, shredded cheese, and your second tortilla. Cook about 2 – 3 minutes per side, slice into wedges and serve with salsa.
Buttery Cornmeal Crusted Tilapia
Buttery and yummy, these fillets will have you going back for seconds….
- 4 tilapia fillets
- 1/2 stick melted butter
- 1/4 cup cornmeal
- 1/4 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 375.
Place butter in shallow bowl. Place cornmeal, breadcrumbs, parm, garlic powder, salt and pepper on a large plate. Dip fillets in butter then dredge in breading mixture. Place in a lightly greased baking dish and bake about 8 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.
Puffed Up Turkey Cutlets
This dish is simple in preparation yet complex in flavor. The smokiness from the cinnamon, combined with the saltiness of the bacon and the sweetness of the honey balance each other out well.
- 1 package of turkey scallopini style cutlets, (or you can buy regular turkey breasts and pound them yourself)
- 6 slices bacon
- 2 cups puffed wheat cereal
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- salt and pepper
- honey for drizzling
Cook bacon, drain, crumble and set aside.
Wipe most of the fat out of the pan but reserve about 1 tbs of the drippings to cook the turkey in.
Place puffed wheat, cinnamon, salt and pepper in a baggie and pound with a meat mallet until it resembles a course meal.
Empty contents of baggie onto a large plate, bread cutlets in mixture and set aside for a few minutes to set up.
Cook cutlets over medium – high heat about 3 minutes per side.
To serve, drizzle with honey and top with crumbled bacon.
Pitza
These are a fast and healthy way to kick a pizza craving! Feel free to experiment with this recipe using your favorite pizza toppings.
- 1 loaf of pita bread
- 2 tbs marinara sauce
- 1 cup baby portobello mushrooms
- 2 tbs white onion, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 2 tbs shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 tbs grated parmesan cheese
- fresh basil for garnish
- salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 375.
In a medium skillet, heat olive oil and add mushrooms, onions, garlic, salt and pepper. Sautee about 10 minutes and remove from heat.
Top pitza with marinara, mushroom mixture and cheeses. Bake about 8 minutes and remove from oven.
Crank oven up to broil and let your pitza go about 3 minutes more, or until cheese is brown and bubbly. Top with fresh basil and devour!