Simple Saturday: Savory Grilled Chicken

This is a light, healthy dish you can cook up in just a few minutes - and if you're on a freezer cooking kick, it's worth making in several batches for that impromptu dinner party get-together.  It is also very versatile, and you'll find it just as satisfying right off the grill in the summer, or hot out of the oven in winter.

Use your leftover Onion Onion mix to prepare
Onion Onion dip - great for a backyard barbecue!

Ingredients

• 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 Tbsp. Onion Onion
• 1 Tbsp. Garlic Garlic
• 2 Tbsp. soy sauce or tamari
• 1/2 lime, juiced

Make-Ahead Preparation

• Combine all ingredients in a freezer bag.  Freeze.

To Serve

• Thaw completely.
• Arrange chicken on preheated grill.  Discard extra marinade.  Grill chicken to reach an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees.
• Or, place chicken on a brimmed cookie sheet or broiling pan.  Pour extra marinade over chicken.  Bake in the oven at 350 degrees until chicken reaches an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees.

Try these complementary side dishes with it:

Baked Baby Reds

Light and Delicious Veggie Grill

White Chicken Chili

This is a great chili for the upcoming cold weather. I love to pour my chili over fresh cornbread!!

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds of chicken, cut up into cubes

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 red pepper, chopped

1 yellow pepper, chopped

1 (4-oz) can, chopped (can substitute fresh chilis)

8 green onions, thinly sliced

3 Tbsp butter

1/4 cup flour (can substitute 2 Tbsp cornstarch for gluten-free preparation)

2 cups chicken broth

2 (14-oz) cans white northern beans

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp dried sage

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp pepper

Make-Ahead Preparation

• In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add chicken and saute until cooked through. Remove from pan.
• Saute onion, red and yellow pepper, chili peppers, and garlic in the same skillet. Return the chicken and add ginger, salt, sage, cumin, and white pepper. Mix thoroughly. Allow to cool, and transfer to freezer bag or container; set aside.
• In a separate dish or pan, melt butter and add the flour to make a roux. Whisk in the chicken broth. Stir this mixture into the freezer container with the sauteed vegetables and chicken.
• Add the beans with the liquid to the freezer container. (If you like it thicker I suggest that you don't put in the liquid from the beans.) Seal and freeze.

To Serve

• Stovetop: Thaw in refrigerator. Bring to a simmer in a medium pot. Simmer for 15-20 minutes and serve.
• Slow Cooker: Can cook from thawed or frozen. Place meal in slow cooker and cook on high for 4 hours (or low for 6 hours).

Winter Squash Chili

It's been awhile since I've posted any recipes, so it's about time that I contribute. Speaking of time, it is now the time of the year to start thinking about using squash in weekly meal planning. Here is a great recipe that I got from a squash farmer a few years ago; every time I make it, I just can't get over how easy and tasty the recipe is.

Ingredients
2 Tbsp olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

2 cups celery, sliced

2 cups carrots, sliced

1 clove minced garlic

3 cups cubed squash

3 Tbsp chili powder

2 (14-oz) cans stewed or diced tomatoes

2 cans undrained black beans

1 (4-oz) can mild chopped green chilis

4 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth)

Make-Ahead Preparation

• Heat olive oil in a medium skillet. Brown onion, celery, carrots, and garlic. Place in plastic freezer bag.
• In a second freezer bag, combine remaining ingredients. Add both freezer bags to another bag (so they don't get separated in the freezer), label, and freeze.

To Serve

• Combine all ingredients in a stew pot. Simmer on low for 30 minutes (or longer if cooking from frozen instead of thawed).

Garnish each serving with cilantro and sour cream; tortilla chips or hot crusty bread are great to add on the side. This recipes yields quite a bit of soup, but luckily, it freezes well so you can have an easy make-ahead meal later.

Enjoy!

Jessica Finger, RD, CD

Cherry Skillet Chicken

This chicken is excellent chopped over salad with red grapes, blue cheese, and sunflower seeds. Or try serving over rice.

Makes 3 entrees 4-6 servings each

Ingredients
6 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 1/2 cups (9 ounces) chopped dried sweet cherries
1 cup hot water
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
6 Tbsp white balsamic vinegar or white wine vinegar
3 tsp sugar
3/4 tsp sea salt
wax paper
3 one-gallon freezer bags, labeled

On hand for cooking each entree:
2 teaspoons vegetable oil

Make-Ahead Preparation

• Rinse and trim chicken as desired.
• Lay each piece of chicken, smooth side down, between two sheets of wax paper. Using a rolling pin or a meat tenderizer, pound each chicken piece to 1 inch thick. Divide chicken evenly among the three freezer bags.
• Put cherries in a small bowl and cover with hot water.  Let stand for 5 minutes.
• Measure 1/2 cup chicken broth, 2 tablespoons vinegar, 1 teaspoon sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt into each freezer bag with chicken.
• Drain cherries. Divide cherries equally into the freezer bags with the chicken. Seal and gently shake bag to distribute cherries.
• Freeze

To Serve

• Completely thaw one entree in the refrigerator.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook until it begins to brown, about 3 minutes on each side.
• Reduce heat to medium-low and pour cherries and juice over chicken. Cover and simmer 12 to 15 minutes.

Simple Saturday: Pesto Rotini with Smoked Salmon

It's no contest.  My absolute favorite Tastefully Simple item is the Dried Tomato & Garlic Pesto Mix, and I use it in everything!  Here is yet another way to use this versatile mix to make a fabulous one-dish meal, or a great dish for a buffet-style party.

Ingredients
1 (8-oz) box Ancient Harvest Quinoa Rotelle (or regular rotini pasta)
1/2 medium onion, chopped
2 cups frozen pepper strips (or fresh chopped bell peppers, all colors)
2 Tbsp olive oil, divided (1/1)
2 Tbsp Tastefully Simple Dried Tomato & Garlic Pesto Mix
12 oz smoked salmon

Make-Ahead Preparation

• Cook pasta according to package directions.  Drain, and toss with 1 Tbsp olive oil.
• While pasta is cooking, heat remaining 1 Tbsp olive oil in pan over medium-high heat.  Add onion and peppers, and sauté until tender (approximately six minutes).
• Add Dried Tomato & Garlic Pesto Mix and pasta to pan, and toss.
• Transfer to freezer container and freeze.  Tip:  Salmon can be frozen separately, or chunked and tossed with pasta.  Or, consider not freezing the smoked salmon; when vacuum packed, it can be refrigerated for several weeks or even months; check the expiration date on the package.

To Serve

• Thaw completely in refrigerator.
• In a saucepan, combine pasta mixture and 1/3 cup water.  Cover, and warm over medium-high heat, stirring frequently.  
• Spoon onto serving dishes, and top with flaked salmon.

Prep time: 10 min.
Cook time: 60 min.
Difficulty: Easy
Serves: 6
Serving Size: 1/6 loaf
WW Points+: 7

Devon Thurtle Anderson, Independent Tastefully Simple Consultant
Consultant ID #0119436
http://www.tastefullysimple.com/web/dthurtle-anderson

Other Recipes You Might Like:
Aunt Laurie's Unrolled Cabbage Rolls
Jack Daniels Glazed Ribs
Apple Cranberry Pork Roast

Pasta Fresca

For busy weeknights, nothing beats the ease of a one-dish meal.  This pasta salad, filled with flavorful sausage and all varieties of color (translation = vitamins!) will stash in the freezer for weeks and still deliver a healthy and fresh-tasting meal in minutes.

Simple Saturday: Sweet Pepper Salmon with Garlic Broccolini

It was a glorious summer day, (one of the few we've had in the Northwest,) and we were determined to grill something both delicious and healthy.  This grilled salmon and broccolini dinner was a delight, and simple to whip up in just a few minutes!

Ingredients
Salmon:
2 lb wild salmon filet, with skin
1/2 jar (about 2/3 cup) Tastefully Simple Sweet Pepper Jalapeño Jam
Broccolini:
2 bunches broccolini
1 Tbsp Tastefully Simple Garlic Infused Olive Oil
1 Tbsp Tastefully Simple Garlic Garlic

Preparation

• In a shallow bowl, combine broccolini, Garlic Infused Olive Oil, and Garlic Garlic.  Toss well.  Set aside.
• Preheat grill on high heat.  Spread approximately 1/4 of the jam on meaty side of salmon.  Grill, meaty side down, for approximately two minutes until jam begins to caramelize.
• Turn grill down to medium-high heat.  Flip salmon over so that the scaly side is down.  Add broccolini to grill, (on upper rack if available,) pouring any remaining liquids on top.  (Careful - pouring too much oil on a hot grill at once can cause it to flame up, so pour slowly.)
• Spread approximately 1/2 of the remaining jam on top of salmon.  Cover and cook for several minutes, then add remaining jam and continue cooking.  Meanwhile, turn broccolini every few minutes so that it becomes tender, and not blackened.
• Cook broccolini until tender.  Cook salmon until opaque and flaky.

Serves: 8

Devon Thurtle Anderson, Independent Tastefully Simple Consultant
Consultant ID #0119436
http://www.tastefullysimple.com/web/dthurtle-anderson

Other Posts You Might Like:

Pesto Salmon

Sweet and Sour Pork with Coconut Rice

Agave Citrus Kebabs

Southwest Meatloaf

Done right, meatloaf is a delicious and kid-friendly meal packed with nutrients.  Add a Southwestern kick, and suddenly your meatloaf goes from drab to fab in under 60 seconds (or as long as it takes to chop the southwest vegetables, I suppose).  Here is a recipe for moist and delicious make-ahead meatloaf that will put an end to the chorus of, "Meatloaf AGAIN?!"

Cabbage Soup

Soups are a great way to get all your vegetables into one delicious make-ahead meal.  This soup is loaded with healthy veggies, but also plenty of flavor.  Thanks to my mom for this recipe, and for teaching us to eat healthy!

Aunt Laurie's Unrolled Cabbage Rolls

I absolutely love cloves.  But aside from putting them in my chai, I'm never quite sure what to do with them. Here is a delicious way to make a one-dish meal featuring cloves.  Whats more, this dinner is loaded with fiber, meat and grain proteins, and just a tiny bit of sugar, which means that for a small amount of calories you'll stay feeling satisfied for longer.

Simple Saturday: Asparagus Rolls

These delicious asparagus rolls are a great make-ahead appetizer for parties.  Whether it's a cocktail party or a kid's birthday party, these are sure to be a hit.  Make the day before, or a month or more and freeze.

Ingredients
12 medium stalks asparagus (approx. 1 lb)
8 oz. neufchatel cheese
2 Tbsp Tastefully Simple Spinach & Herb Dip Mix
12 slices (approx. 1/3 lb) medium-sliced black forest ham

Make-Ahead Preparation

• Blanch asparagus.
• Soften cheese.  In a small bowl, combine cheese and Spinach & Herb Dip Mix
• Lay ham out flat.  Using a soft (e.g. silicone) spatula, gently spread cheese on ham, all the way to the edges.
• Place one stalk of asparagus on each slice of ham, along the long edge.  Roll ham with asparagus inside.
• Slice each piece of ham in thirds.  Tip:  If you're squishing the rolls while trying to slice, place the rolls in the freezer for an hour or so and then slice.
• Place in freezer container and store in freezer.

To Serve

• Thaw in refrigerator overnight.
• Serve cold, as a finger food or with toothpicks.

Makes 36 appetizers.

Weight Watchers Points Value: 1

Devon Thurtle Anderson, Independent Tastefully Simple Consultant
Consultant ID #0119436
http://www.tastefullysimple.com/web/dthurtle-anderson

Simple Saturday: Pesto Salmon

Last weekend, we had company over with only an hour's advance notice.  The baby was still napping and so I couldn't run to the store.  My best option: raid the freezer!  Ah, the freezer never lets me down.  So I opened up the door, dove in, and resurfaced a few moments later with frozen, individually wrapped wild salmon fillets from Costco.  Perfect!  I then proceeded to wow and delight with this simple little recipe:

Ingredients
4 4- to 6-oz salmon fillets (fresh or thawed)
4 tbsp Tastefully Simple Dried Tomato & Garlic Pesto Mix
4 tbsp water
4 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp sugar

Preparation

• Preheat grill to medium-high.
• Arrange salmon fillets on a plate.
• In a small bowl, combine Pesto Mix, water, and olive oil.
• Microwave on high for 30 seconds, until liquids boil.  (Not a fan of the microwave?  Then combine mix and olive oil in a dish and add 4 tbsp boiling water.)  Tip:  Do this step just a few minutes before your guests arrive; they'll be in awe of the marvelous aroma that will fill your kitchen!
• Spoon or brush pesto over salmon fillets.
• Place salmon directly on grill, skin side down.  (If your fillets don't have skin, place a sheet of foil on grill and coat with grill-safe non-stick spray, and place salmon on the foil.)
• With the grill lid on, grill for approximately 5-8 minutes (or longer, depending on thickness), until salmon is opaque and flaky.  Tip:  Don't overcook salmon.  Like steak, it's generally fine to leave is slightly pink in the middle.

This dinner earned rave reviews from our guests, and it only took about 10 minutes to prepare!  What do you do with your Tastefully Simple Dried Tomato & Garlic Pesto Mix?

Devon Thurtle Anderson, Independent Tastefully Simple Consultant
Consultant ID #0119436
http://www.tastefullysimple.com/web/dthurtle-anderson

Squash Soup

We all know how important it is that our families get enough vegetables in their diets.  We also know how hard doing so can be.  With this squash soup recipe, however, things just got simpler.  Make this soup ahead and freeze in portion-sized containers, for a great make-ahead snack or at-work lunch.  Or, make a big batch for dinner, or simply to have on-hand after dinner when you start to feel the munchies coming on.  Yet another option for this filling yet healthy, low-cal soup is to have a cup of it before each meal, and you'll find that you eat much less in a sitting.  No matter how you use this soup, chances are you'll be reaping its many health benefits for both you and your family.

Mediterranean Quinoa

We tend to post quite a few make-ahead main dishes around here.  But, let's not forget about the importance of make-ahead sides.  Often, preparing a healthy side dish can be just as time-consuming as making a main dish from scratch.  Here is a great side dish that you can make ahead.  Its versatility makes it a match for your favorite summer main dishes.  Try pairing this dish with our Agave Citrus Kebab Medley.  Simply use this quinoa as a bed for the kebab meat and veggies, and you have what may be the perfect summertime meal!  I guarantee both family and guests will be impressed.

Mojito Melon Salad

The mint dressing complements all kinds of fruit.

Fruit salad is always a healthy treat.  This recipe adds a new twist - mint - to turn that traditional fruit salad into a dish that will really stand out.

Top Five Tips for a Nutritious Make-Ahead Lunch

Today we're honored to host guest author Stacy Cacciatore from the healthy eating blog Five a Day the Fun Way.  Stacy started Five a Day the Fun Way to provide parents with realistic recipes, tips, activities, and ideas to make eating healthy fun for the entire family.

As an overweight child, anorexic teen, and obese adult, Stacy struggled with her weight for her entire life. After hitting an all-time high of 220 pounds, she decided something needed to change. She immersed herself in education about health, nutrition and wellness, resulting in losing 80 pounds, 11 sizes, and half her body fat.  As a mom, she wants to ensure her children don’t experience the same struggles with weight and food. She writes Five a Day the Fun Way to share her experiences, research, struggles, and successes in getting her entire family to eat healthier.

Check out Stacy's blog and website for more information about Stacy, her writing, and other projects. You can contact her at stacy@stacycacciatore.com.

Whether you are trying to pack a healthy lunch for your child for summer camp, school, or even for yourself for work, it’s not easy to bring a lunch that is healthy, quick, affordable, delicious, and can withstand making ahead.

As a busy mom, I struggle with balancing convenience, time, and nutrition. It seems that I can typically achieve one or two of these criteria, but not all three. Last week I found myself succumbing to the allure and convenience of the Lunchable. I dreaded my decision when I read that Lunchables are full of nitrates, high fructose corn syrup, and refined flour.

I immediately decided to set out to find healthy lunch ideas that I could make ahead on Sunday night for the entire week.

Given that I had recently had lunch with my son at his school and saw how the kids trade lunch items like silly bandz, I wanted to make a lunch that was not only nutritious, but that my kids would be excited to eat (and not trade in for chips.)

Here are my top five tips for making a healthy lunch that your kids will actually eat:

Agave Citrus Kebab Medley

This dish is a great way to keep your summer meals fun, delicious, and light; all in one.  This is a slight deviation from our usual fare, as it's not wholly a freezer meal; however, the make-ahead process works several days in advance, so you can prepare the whole meal the weekend before a camping or boat trip!

These kebabs also make a great make-ahead "hybrid" meal.  That is, you can prepare the meats several weeks ahead of time to freeze, and then hit the farmer's market the morning of your grill to get the fresh, sweet local fare that only that local produce can provide.

Lasagne with Herbed Buffalo Meatballs, Tomato Sauce, and Mozzarella

This recipe is one of my family's favorites and it works really well as a make-ahead meal. Buffalo can be found at many grocery stores including Safeway, Biggs, Top, Krogers and QFC. If you can't find it in the meat case, it can probably be found in the freezer section. Buffalo costs about the same per pound as organic beef, but it is a much healthier meat (less fat, less cholesterol, high in Omega 3's, no added hormones and no chance of mad cow disease).

Chipotle Shrimp and Sausage Jambalaya

This versatile dish makes for a hearty winter's warmer, or a neat summer treat.  The sweetness of the kidney beans and the turkey sausage combined is what gives this meal its great flavor.  Serve over rice, and you'll have yourself a one-dish make-ahead meal!

Sweet-and-Sour Prawns with Vegetables

For Christmas this year I got a huge Calphalon wok and my mother gave me the cookbook Great Tastes Stir-Fry published by Bay Books. This cook book has over 150 stir-fry recipes that incorporate everything from vegetarian entrees to lamb. Each chapter of the book features multiple recipes from different protein sources: vegetarian, seafood, chicken, pork, lamb and beef.

I made the Sweet-and-Sour Prawns with Vegetables recipe as a make-ahead meal. I followed all of the directions suggested from the cookbook with the exception of the preparation of the shrimp. The book recommends using uncooked shrimp and de-veining them. I used cooked de-veined shrimp because I would rather pay a little more and skip this whole step.

To re-heat this recipe, you can heat the shrimp and vegetable mixture in a sauce pan or in the microwave until it reaches 165 degrees. I serve this stir-fry over jasmine rice; for best results, cook the rice while re-heating the stir-fry so it is moist and sticky.