Author: Denise

My name is Denise and I love good food, but enjoy preparing it more. I spend a good portion of my free time searching recipes, experimenting in the kitchen and coming up with tasty creations. Some of my other favorite things are my pets, family, friends, traveling (especially to tropical destinations and Paris), the beach, music, movies, and shopping, to name just a few ;)

Thai Cashew Chicken – Take 2


As some of you may know, I already have a Thai Cashew Chicken recipe on here, but wanted to post this other version of Gai Pad Med Ma-Muang (the official name) as it’s one that definitely should be shared. And if my memory serves me right, I thought this recipe was even tastier than the original one!

Thai Cashew Chicken (Gai Pad Med Ma-Muang)

Ingredients

  • 3 tbsp canola oil, divided
  • 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced (usually about 3-4 chicken breasts, depending on size)
  • 2  1/2 tbsp Thai chili paste (Mae Pranom brand or Thai Kitchen Roasted Red Chili paste)
  • 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 large red bell pepper, seeded & cut into 1/2 inch pieces (I have used yellow and/or orange bell peppers)
  • 1/2 large onion, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
  • 1/4 cup oyster sauce
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 6 dried red chiles (such as chiles de arbol) *
  • Generous 1/2 cup raw cashews, toasted
  • 5 scallions, cut into 1 inch pieces
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • Steamed Thai jasmine rice, or your favorite rice, for serving

Directions

  1. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the chicken, season with salt & pepper, and stir fry until cooked through.
  2. Put the chicken in a bowl & set aside. Repeat with 1 tbsp of the oil and the rest of the chicken.
  3. Add the remaining oil to the empty skillet & heat.
  4. Add the chili paste, stirring constantly to break it up for 1-2 minutes. Add the chicken broth, red bell pepper, onion, oyster sauce and sugar. Stir well and simmer for 3 minutes.
  5. Lower the heat to medium, return the chicken to the skillet and cook until the sauce is slightly thickened, and the vegetables are tender, about 4-5 minutes.
  6. Add the chiles, cashews & scallions, stir to combine and serve immediately over rice.

* If you don’t have dried chiles, sprinkle in some hot red pepper flakes as you really should have a little heat in this dish.

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BBQ Chicken & Black Bean Burrito


Recipe courtesy of Jillian Michaels’ Ripped in 30 meal plan

Now that summer and beach season is right around the corner (Yay), I am going to be focusing more on healthy, low-calorie dishes so I (you) can enjoy a tasty meal without the guilt. I just made this recipe for the first time tonight, and am happy to report that it is delicious! I’ve made a few alterations, which I’ll include along with the original recipe.

~ Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 3/4 lb skinless, boneless organic chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces
  • 1/2 cup onion, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/3 cup low-sodium barbeque sauce
  • 15 oz (1 can) low-sodium black beans, rinsed & drained
  • 1/2 cup (2 oz) organic reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (I used 1/4 cup)
  • 4 Ezekiel 4:9 sprouted grain tortillas (or substitute Mission Life Balance whole wheat tortillas)
  • 1/4 cup organic nonfat plain Greek yogurt (or substitute organic nonfat honey Greek yogurt)
  • 2 tsp salsa (optional)

Directions

  1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
  2. Add chicken, onion & garlic; cook 8-10 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked, stirring constantly.
  3. Stir in barbeque sauce & beans.
  4. Sprinkle with cheese; cook for 5-10 minutes or until thoroughly heated. (I recommend cooking for at least 10 minutes so the flavors blend well)
  5. Warm tortillas in a separate skillet until lightly brown. (You can skip this step if your tortillas are at room temperature)
  6. Spoon about 1/2 cup chicken mixture down the center of each tortilla; top each with 1 tbsp Greek yogurt, and roll up.
  7. Add a little salsa to the top of the rolled up tortilla and/or put on the side. (optional)

368 Calories per serving, 13.3 g Fat, 29.1 Carbohydrates, 544 mg Sodium, 4.8 g Fiber, 34.9 g Protein

ENJOY 🙂

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Crunchy Onion Chicken


I’m back! Sorry I’ve been away for so long! Thought I’d share a very quick and easy chicken dish that I made tonight. This is not my recipe, but one that I found on the can of French’s French Fried Onions… and it’s so good! That is, if you like onions. It’s also pretty low in calories, so definitely guilt-free 🙂

~ Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 cups French’s® Original or Cheddar French Fried Onions
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (5 ounces each)
  • 1 egg, beaten

Directions

  • In a resealable plastic bag, combine onions and flour. Lightly crush with hands or a rolling pin.
  • Transfer to pie plate or waxed paper.
  • Dip chicken into egg; then coat with onion mixture. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet.
  • Bake, uncovered, at 400° for 20 minutes or until juices run clear and no longer pink in the middle.

Enjoy!

* To add a sweet & tangy taste, substitute 1/4 cup honey mustard instead of using the egg when coating the chicken with the onion pieces.

360 Calories, 19 g Fat, 8 g Saturated Fat, 0 g Trans Fat, 131 mg Cholesterol, 32 g Protein, 13 g Carbohydrates, 1 g Dietary Fiber, 225 mg Sodium

Warm Goat Cheese Salad


My love affair with goat cheese began many years ago while on my first trip to Paris with my Mom, and it is still going strong to this day. Parisians LOVE cheese, any time of the day and I found that warm goat cheese seems to be a staple on most restaurant menus. I came across this recipe in an old issue of Bon Appétit magazine and it is very easy to make and so ooh-la-la delicious!

~Yields 6 servings

Shown here with grilled chicken, tomatoes, pecans & dried cranberries

Ingredients

Vinaigrette

  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled, halved
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tbsp chopped fresh basil
  • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 2 tbsp Dijon mustard

Salad

  • 1 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs) *
  • 1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
  • 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 tbsp chopped fresh basil
  • 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 3 4-oz logs soft fresh goat cheese, each halved crosswise, then pressed to 1/2 inch thickness
  • 2 large egg whites, lightly beaten until foamy
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 5-oz packages mixed baby greens

Directions

For vinaigrette

  1. Place garlic and oil in small glass measuring cup or ramekin. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and microwave 30 seconds.
  2. Transfer garlic to small bowl. Reserve oil. Using fork, coarsely mash garlic.
  3. Add basil, vinegar, and mustard to mashed garlic. Whisk until smooth.
  4. Gradually whisk in reserved garlic oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Let stand 1 hour at room temperature and re-whisk before using.)

For Salad

  1. Mix first 6 ingredients in medium bowl to blend.
  2. Dip each cheese round into egg whites, turning to coat. Coat each with breadcrumb mixture.
  3. Transfer coated cheese rounds to plate. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 8 hours.
  4. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in heavy large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add cheese rounds and cook until golden and crisp, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to plate.
  5. Place greens (and any additional vegetables that you may want to add) in large bowl and toss with all but 2 tablespoons vinaigrette; season to taste with salt and pepper.
  6. Divide salad among 6 plates. Top each with 1 cheese round and drizzle cheese rounds with remaining 2 tablespoons vinaigrette and serve.

* I also made this substituting Popchips crumbs for the panko & it was delicious!!

Tuna Penne Casserole w/Popchips Topping


Yesterday, I was craving some kind of “comfort food” and was trying to come up with ideas of what I could make with things I already had on hand.  My Mom used to make tuna noodle casserole when I was a child that was absolutely amazing, so I decided I’d try to make a modified version of hers. And while most people think of comfort food as unhealthy or fattening, I tried to keep this recipe as healthy as possible. I didn’t have any thick noodles in the house (which, come to think of it, I’m not sure if I’ve ever bought them), but did have penne pasta in the cupboard. Most tuna casseroles call for a breadcrumb topping and I immediately thought of using Popchips instead. I must say, it was a brilliant idea! I had/have three flavors in the house; barbeque, cheddar and sour cream and onion, and decided to go with the sour cream & onion. I think their parmesan garlic would be awesome, too (will have to try that next time)!

Ingredients

  • 1 can of tuna
  • 1 can of cream of mushroom soup (like Campbell’s Healthy Request)
  • 1/2 lb. (half of 1 lb. box) penne pasta (or you can use the traditional wide noodles)
  • 1/4 can of peas
  • 1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
  • 1/8 cup skim milk
  • 2 handfuls of 2% Mexican four cheese blend
  • 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
  • Grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 stick of butter
  • Popchips crumbs (about 15)

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Bring a pot of water to boil. Add pasta and cook for approximately 8 minutes, or until tender. Remove from heat and drain.
  3. Get a 11×7 casserole dish and lightly grease with some of the butter. (This will prevent the casserole from sticking & also add some flavor that you won’t get from cooking spray.)
  4. Put drained can of tuna in mixing bowl and break up with a fork.
  5. Add mushroom soup, sour cream, milk, peas, shredded cheese and garlic powder to tuna and mix well.
  6. Stir in pasta and blend all ingredients together.
  7. Transfer contents to casserole dish and even the top (so it’s flat). Sprinkle lightly with Parmesan, then Popchips crumbs (I crumbled them with my hands).
  8. Melt remaining butter and drizzle over top of casserole.
  9. Bake for 30 minutes.
  10. Remove and let cool for 5-10 minutes, then serve and enjoy!

Thai Cashew Chicken


I have to admit, you can probably count on both hands, how many times I’ve had thai food. There is a restaurant near where I live called Phuket (pronounced Poo-ket) Thai that serves a cashew chicken dish that I absolutely adore. So, I thought I’d try my hand in making it, or something similar, at home. I found a recipe online that got rave reviews, but did have me raise an eyebrow when I saw fish & oyster sauces as two of the ingredients. I tweaked it a bit and am thrilled to report that it turned out delicious! As a vegetarian dish, this would be equally scrumptious if tofu was substituted for chicken or you just omitted the poultry and added more vegetables.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts or cutlets
  • 1/2 sweet onion, chopped
  • 1/2 red or yellow bell pepper, chopped 
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsp fish sauce
  • 2 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • Dash black pepper
  • 1/2 cup cashews
  • 1/4 tsp dried pepper flakes
  • 4 green onions, cut into 2″ slices
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch

Directions

  1. Mix fish & oyster sauces, garlic, sugar, black pepper and cornstarch.
  2. Marinade chicken in sauce for 30 minutes in fridge.
  3. Heat oil over medium heat in wok or large skillet.
  4. Saute the sweet onion & bell pepper for a few minutes. Drain & set aside leaving oil in skillet.
  5. Saute the nuts & dried pepper flakes ’til nuts are slightly browned. Add a little more oil if necessary.
  6. Drain & set aside, leaving remaining oil.
  7. Increase heat to medium high  and add marinated chicken with marinade and water.
  8. Cook until chicken is done (no pink in the middle). Add more water as needed for desired consistency.
  9. Add sweet & green onions, bell & dried peppers and nuts to skillet. Mix and cook slightly.
  10. Serve over rice.

Shrimp and Grits


This has quickly become one of my favorite southern dishes, as the combination of flavors mesh so amazingly well together. It is pure southern comfort on a plate! If you like shrimp, you will thoroughly enjoy this!

Pictured here with the addition of scallops

Ingredients

  • 2 bacon slices
  • 1 pound peeled, deveined, medium-size shrimp
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
  • 2 tsp canola or extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 cup chopped green onions
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1/4 tsp hot sauce
  • Cheese Grits

Directions

  1. Cook bacon in a large, nonstick skillet over medium heat for 10 minutes or until crisp.
  2. Remove bacon, and drain on paper towels, reserving 1 tsp. drippings in skillet.
  3. Crumble bacon into small pieces and set aside.
  4. Sprinkle shrimp with salt & pepper; dredge through flour.
  5. Sauté mushrooms in hot drippings with oil in skillet for 5 minutes or until tender.
  6. Add green onions, and sauté for 2 minutes.
  7. Add shrimp and garlic, sauté for 2 minutes or until shrimp are lightly browned.
  8. Stir in chicken broth, lemon juice and hot sauce. Cook for an additional 5 minutes, or until broth is thickened a bit, stirring to loosen particles on bottom of skillet.
  9. Spoon shrimp mixture over hot Cheese Grits & sprinkle with crumbled bacon pieces.

Recipe adapted from Bill Smith, Executive Chef at Crook’s Corner, Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Creamy Cheese Grits


If you’re from the South, then you know ALL about grits. If you’re not familiar with them, they are a staple in every Southerner’s kitchen and can be found on practically every restaurant menu in the Southern states. They mainly consist of hominy (dried maize kernels which have been treated with an alkali) and are similar to polenta. Grits can be served hot or cold and as a base for a multitude of dishes from breakfast to dessert, depending on the additives. Shrimp with grits is a very common dish on the east or Gulf coast. It is also common for people from above the Mason-Dixon line to have sugar with their grits. So, now that you got the low-down on grits, I suggest you try out this recipe and enjoy a good ol’ Southern dish.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (8 oz.) chicken broth
  • 2 cups low-fat or fat-free milk
  • 1 cup heavy cream (see below for healthier/lighter options)
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 cup uncooked quick-cooking grits
  • 3/4 cup shredded 2% reduced-fat sharp Cheddar cheese
  • 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 tsp hot sauce
  • 1/4 tsp ground white pepper

Directions

  1. Place a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the broth, milk, cream & salt. Slowly whisk in the grits.
  2. When grits begin to bubble, turn heat down to medium low and simmer, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon.
  3. Allow to cook about 10 minutes or until thickened and smooth.
  4. Remove from heat and stir in cheeses, hot sauce & pepper. Thin out with a little extra milk, if desired.

* To make this lighter/reduce calories, you can omit the cream altogether & substitute water or increase the chicken broth or milk. Ratio is 1 cup grits to 4 cups liquid.

Popchips Chicken Cutlets


Some of you may be asking… what are Popchips? Well, for starters, they are my favorite chips. Why? For many reasons. First off, they are healthy, delicious and all-natural. They’re not fried or baked, but… popped. And NO preservatives. They come in a variety of flavors to tantalize everyone’s taste buds. So, while I was snacking on some, I thought, these would be great to use on baked chicken. I came up with a quick recipe that I literally, just whipped up. I decided to try the BBQ (pictured on the left) & also, the Cheddar. Scrumptious! I have a half cutlet left, so will reheat it tomorrow & serve it with creamy cheese grits that I made earlier today (I’ll post that recipe soon)! For those of you with kids, you can make chicken fingers or nuggets & just provide some dipping sauce for fun.

Ingredients

  • 3 chicken cutlets
  • 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 3 tbsp honey
  • Black pepper to taste
  • 12 Popchips (any flavor)

Directions

  1. Preheat over to 375F.
  2. Line baking sheet with foil.
  3. In shallow bowl, combine cream, salt, pepper & honey. Mix well.
  4. Crush Popchips on a folded sheet of parchment paper using a rolling pin to make crumbs, place in separate bowl.
  5. Dip chicken in cream mixture, coat on both sides, and then dredge in chip crumbs.
  6. Place cutlets on baking sheet and cook for 15-20 minutes.