Taco Time Continues!

Chili Lime Pork Tacos w/Avocado Salad,

Chipotle Cream & Shredded Jack Cheese!

 

Ingredients:
1 six ounce boneless, thick cut, trimmed pork chop, cut into small pieces
1/4 medium onion diced
1 large fresh jalapenos sliced thin
2 limes, juice & zest
1 big pinch of salt
3 grinds black pepper
6 shakes hot Mexican chili powder
1 palm full of chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 avocado, cut up in larger chunks
1 to 2 tablespoons Tabasco Chipotle
3 to 4 tablespoons 0% Plain Chobani
1/4 cup shredded Monterrey jack cheese
4 taco size soft flour tortillas

Directions:
In a gallon size Ziploc bag combine pork, salt, pepper, chili powder, juice & zest of one lime, onion and jalapeno.  Let it sit in fridge for 15 to 20 minutes while you prep other ingredients.  While meat marinates, combine avocado, juice of the other lime, and cilantro.  Stir and set in fridge until ready to serve.  In a small bowl combine yogurt and Tabasco, and set aside.  Shred cheese and set aside.  Basically, make all your toppings and put in the fridge until ready to serve, Duh!  Remove the limes from the bag of pork, then pour mixture into a hot (medium/high) skillet with 1 tsp. canola oil.  Cook until pork is browned and onions and jalapenos are a little charred.  In another lightly sprayed skillet, heat tortillas until they are spotted brown.  Build you tacos... Pork, Avocado Salad, Cream, Cheese...Goooood Stuff!

This recipe makes 4 to 6 tacos depending on how full you make them.

 

Taco Time!

This summer weather sets the stage for those classic picnic dishes.  In my house, it's my BBQ Ranch Pasta Salad!  This is my "go-to" for cover dish cookouts/picnics.  It's always a hit and goes great with grilled chicken! Well.... thinking of this dish led me to my latest taco creation.  The "Perfect Picnic Taco".  This recipe combines grilled BBQ chicken, grilled corn on the cob, and my pasta salad minus the pasta of course.  It took a little prep work, but is so worth it!

Perfect Picnic Taco

Ingredients:
Grilled Chicken, chopped with Spicy Chipotle BBQ Sauce (see recipe below)
1 ear grilled corn on the cob, cut off the cob
1 sweet red bell pepper grilled, then diced
1/4 cup diced onion
1/2 medium sized cucumber diced
1 tomato diced
1/4 cup shredded Monterey jack cheese
1 avocado sliced
Dill Cream (see recipe below)

Directions: 1)  Make Dill Cream (combine small carton nonfat plain Greek yogurt with 2 shakes garlic powder, 2 pinches of kosher course salt, 4 grinds black pepper, 10 shakes of dried dill, 2 shakes paprika, 1 shake cayenne pepper, then cover and refrigerate). 2) Make topping. Combine grilled corn on the cob, grilled red pepper, onion, cucumber , a pinch of salt, two grinds of pepper, a splash of olive oil, and a splash of red wine vinegar.  Refrigerate until ready to serve. 3) Make BBQ Sauce (combine 1/2 cup of your favorite BBQ sauce with 10 shakes of Tabasco Chipotle, 2 shakes garlic powder, 2 shakes cayenne pepper, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 1 individual packet sugar in the raw, 1/2 teaspoon honey, set aside).  4)  Sprinkle 1 large boneless skinless chicken breast with salt, pepper, and Cajun seasoning and grill until done.  Coat the chicken with 1/2 the BBQ sauce while cooking.  Once done, chop the chicken and mix with remaining BBQ sauce.  5) Warm small flour tortillas and create your taco.  Chicken...Topping...Cheese...Cream...Avocado!

Apple Cheddar Turkey Sliders

Burger Week was a bit of a bust!  I'm sticking with Tacos!  Regardless, these Apple Cheddar Turkey Sliders were delicious and sooo easy.  My advice is to read labels carefully when looking for rolls.  I opted for the King Hawaiian brand honey wheat rolls without reading the label first.  200 calories per roll.  I know you can do better!

Apple Cheddar Turkey Sliders

 

Ingredients:

 

1/2 pound Ground Turkey Breast

4 shakes Smoked Paprika

2 quick shakes Garlic Powder

Big pinch of Kosher Salt

3 grinds black pepper

8 slices of the block (1 oz. each) of light sharp cheddar (I use a block of Cabot brand)

1/2 sweet onion diced & caramelized using olive oil

4 to 6 teaspoons honey mustard

1 granny smith apple, cored and sliced (see pic for thickness)

4 to 6 dinner rolls

 

Directions:  First make the caramelized onions.  In a nonstick skillet, combine 1 to 2 teaspoons olive oil, a pinch of salt, one individual packet of sugar in the raw and the diced onions.  Cook on medium heat until onions are brown.  I cooked mine for 20 minutes. In a bowl combine turkey, paprika, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.  Form into 4 to 6 small patties.  Grill the patties in grill pan or in cast iron skillet (that has been sprayed generously with canola or olive oil spray) until well done (about 4 to 5 minutes per side).  Top the burgers with 1 or 2 slices of cheese toward the end of cooking time so it can melt some.  Put 1 patty on a roll, top with onions, apples and honey mustard & enjoy!

 

This one was a winner in my book!  Apple & Cheddar is such a great combination!

 



Cow & Pig Smokin' in the Garden

First burger of "Burger Week"!  This one combines the tastiness of ground beef and bacon with all the health benefits of veggies and whole wheat.  I wasn't sure what to name it so I'm calling it

 "Cow & Pig Smokin' in the Garden". 

Burger Ingredients:(this is enough for two or three burgers)
1/2 cup Veggie Mix
5 to 6 oz. Extra Lean ground beef
Sprinkling of Cajun Seasoning
1/4 cup Smoky BBQ Sauce

Veggie Mix:  1 carrot, 1 medium zucchini, 1/4 yellow onion, 1/2 c. raw mushrooms, 1 c. raw baby spinach, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, big pinch of salt, three grinds black pepper.  Process all veggies in food processor until ground.  Saute on medium/high heat in lightly sprayed skillet with garlic powder, salt, and pepper until almost all water has cooked out (10 to 15 minutes).

Smoky BBQ Sauce:  Combine 1/4 cup of your favorite BBQ sauce with 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika and 1 tsp. apple cider vinegar.  Use this for basting burgers while they cook.

Mix 2 1/2 oz. of ground beef with 1/4 c. veggie mix.  Form into patty and cook in a hot cast iron skillet that has been heavily sprayed with canola oil on medium/high heat for about 5 to 7 minutes per side.  Baste the burgers with BBQ sauce while cooking (this gives it a smoky flavor).

Toppings:
1 piece of Extra Lean Center Cut Bacon, cooked till crisp (I bake bacon in the oven on 350 for 20 minutes).
Handful of Baby Spinach
1thick slice of tomato
1/2 piece of Swiss Cheese

 Serve Burger on a Whole Wheat Kaiser Roll

Nutritional Information: 
Calories 352; Total Fat 9g; Carbs 35g; Cholesterol 53mg; Protein 28g; Sodium 505mg; Potassium 238mg; Sugars 7g

Recipe Re-Make: Are You Up for the Challenge?

Here I Go!

3 Meat Pizza Casserole

1 lb bow tie pasta
1 lb mild pork sausage
2 jars bertolli's mushroom & garlic spaghetti sauce
1 lb cubed cooked ham
1/2 to 1 lb sliced pepperoni
3 (8 oz) bags shredded mozzarella
6 tbsp grated Parmesan
2 tbsp chopped garlic
1 tsp dried oregano

9x13x3 – 8 servings

Nutritional info:  entire casserole

Calories – 5373; Total Fat 274g; Saturated Fat 109g; Cholesterol 880mg; Sodium 13,393mg; Total Carbs 437g; Sugars 73g

Nutritional Info: per serving

Calories – 672; Total Fat 34g; Saturated Fat 14g; Cholesterol 110mg; Sodium 1674mg; Total Carbs 55g; Sugars 9

1) Did you notice that the original recipe (on its respective website) did not have nutritional info.  I had to plug the ingredients into my app to determine this. 2) Now imagine you had 2 servings of this.  I know I would have!

Who’s up for the challenge of “Re-Making” this Recipe?

With Bacon?

Soup and grilled cheese was on the menu for dinner, but I just wasn't in the mood.  Rummaging through the fridge and pantry, I threw together a pasta dish I'm calling...

Creamy Veggie Mac 'N Cheese with Bacon

Ingredients:
1/2 box tri-color Garden Penne
Canola Oil Spray
1 can petite diced "no salt added" tomatoes (slightly drained)
1 carrot grated
1/4 med. yellow onion diced
1 cup fresh baby spinach torn
pinch of salt
4 grinds of black pepper
3 shakes of garlic powder
3 shakes dried Italian herbs
2 shakes paprika
1 teaspoon flour
1/2 cup fat free half n half
1/4 cup shredded cheese (I had Mexican blend on hand)
4 tablespoons "Real Bacon Pieces"

Directions:
Cook pasta according to box directions, drain well, and set aside.  In a non-stick skillet sauté the onions and carrots in a few sprays of oil until onions are translucent.  Add the can of tomatoes, spices, and spinach.  Bring to a boil.  Whisk in flour.  Add half n half and continuously stir until thickened.  Pour "sauce" mixture over pasta and mix well.  Stir in cheese.  Portion out into four servings & top each serving with a tablespoon of bacon. 

Nutritional Information: per serving
Calories 248; Total Fat 4g; Cholesterol 10mg; Sodium 304mg; Total Carbs 38g; Dietary Fiber 3g; Sugars 7g; Protein 12g

Compare this nutritional information with a traditional mac 'n cheese.  You'll be amazed at the difference.

Lose The Mayo!

No mayo needed for this tuna salad.  Using Solid White Albacore (canned) Tuna, I've created a Greek inspired tuna salad that goes perfect on a multi-grain wrap with spinach.  Lunch is served for this week!

Greek Tuna Wrap

 

Ingredients:
One 5 oz. can solid white albacore tuna, in water, drained well
1 tablespoon diced roasted red peppers
1 tablespoon diced kalamata olives
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
2 good shakes of red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 to 2 tablespoons crumbled fat free feta
1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic
3 grinds of black pepper
1 whole-grain wrap
1 handful of fresh baby spinach

Directions:
Combine the tuna, red peppers, olives, oil, vinegar, oregano, feta, garlic, and pepper in a bowl.  Add 1/2 of the mixture to the wrap with the spinach and then roll like a burrito.  That's It!  Save the other half of the tuna mixture for tomorrow or share with a friend!

Nutritional Info:  Using 1/2 the mixture, a handful of spinach, and one wrap & according to myfitnesspal when ingredients and measurements are recorded -
Calories 238, Total Fat 10g, Sat. Fat 1g, Trans. Fat 0g, Cholesterol 32mg, Sodium 802 mg, Potassium 200mg, Total Carbs 21g, Dietary Fiber 12g, Sugars 1g, Protein 27g

Do not be alarmed by the fat!  Remember there are good fats and Duh!!! Tuna and Olive Oil are two of them!  Also, to reduce carbs eat as a salad instead of a wrap.  This tuna recipe is a great platform for an awesome salad!