Salsa Chicken

Adapted from Sparkpeople.com recipe

Ingredients

• 2 pounds (32 ounces) chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
• 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
• 1 cup salsa, homemade or purchased
• 1 cup petite diced canned tomatoes (choose low-sodium)
• 1 cup onions, diced fine
• 1/2 cup celery diced fine
• 1/2 cup carrots, diced fine
• 3 tablespoons sour cream, reduced fat

Directions

Place the chicken in a slow cooker and sprinkle taco seasoning over the meat.
Layer vegetables then salsa on top
Pour half-cup of water over the mixture
Set on low and cook for 6-8 hours.
When ready to serve, break up the chicken with two forks then stir in the sour cream.

Nutrition Info

per serving (makes 8 servings)
Calories: 164.9
Total Fat: 2.5 g
Cholesterol: 67.9 mg
Sodium: 253.3 mg
Total Carbs: 7.3 g
Dietary Fiber: 2.1 g
Protein: 27.6 g

Chicken and White Bean Chili

Adapted from Cooking Light
Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon canola oil 
• 2 cups diced yellow onion (about 2 medium) 
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 3 (15.8-ounce) cans Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
• 4 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth 
• 3 cups chopped cooked chicken or turkey (canned works well)
• 1/2 cup diced seeded plum tomato (about 1) 
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 8 lime wedges (optional)

 Directions

1. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté 10 minutes or until tender and golden. Add chili powder, garlic, and cumin; sauté for 2 minutes. Add oregano and beans; cook for 30 seconds. Add broth; bring to a simmer. Cook 20 minutes.
2. Place 2 cups of bean mixture in a blender or food processor, and process until smooth. Return pureed mixture to pan. Add chicken/turkey, and cook 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Remove from heat. Add diced tomato, chopped cilantro, lime juice, salt, and pepper, stirring well. Garnish with lime wedges, if desired.

8 Servings; per serving:

• Calories: 286
• Calories from fat: 19%
• Fat: 6g
• Saturated fat: 1.2g
• Monounsaturated fat: 2.1g
• Polyunsaturated fat: 1.6g
• Protein: 32.4g
• Carbohydrate: 24.3g
• Fiber: 5.5g
• Cholesterol: 85mg
• Iron: 4.8mg
• Sodium: 435mg
• Calcium: 105mg

Gnocchi for Passover

Ingredients:
3 medium potatoes
1/3 cup matzah cake meal
1/2 cup potato starch
1 egg
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper or about 5 twists of the pepper grinder
5 tsp. olive oil

Directions:
1. Wash the potatoes and pare away dark spots.
2. Boil, whole, or cut in half, until tender.
3. Drain the potatoes and, keeping them in their cooking pot, shake them over a low flame till they are very dry.
4. Allow them to cool slightly, and peel them as soon as you can handle them. The hotter they are at this stage, the better. I put on latex gloves to pick them up and peel.
5. Mash the potatoes. Make a well in the center and add the rest of the ingredients.
Mix and knead till you have a cohesive dough.
6. Cover the dough and let it sit for at least half an hour in the fridge.
7. Cut the dough into four pieces.
8. On a flat surface well dusted with potato starch, roll each piece out into a snake about 3/4 of an inch thick.
9. Start plenty of salted water boiling in a large pot.
10. Cut out pieces about 1/2 inch long. I used a dessert fork to do this, and imprinted each piece with the tines as I cut along. The reason gnocchi have these impressions is to allow the accompanying sauce to cling to them all the better. It takes only a few minutes to get the hang of it; then the work goes quickly.
11. Boil the gnocchi, giving them one more minute after all have risen to the water’s surface. The whole thing takes only 2-3 minutes.
12. Drain the gnocchi, and if not dressing them with sauce right away, drizzle and coat with olive oil or melted butter.

Coconut Biscotti

From Cooking Light

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups   all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon grated whole nutmeg
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 cup flaked sweetened coconut

Directions:
   1.  Preheat oven to 300°.

   2. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 4 ingredients (through nutmeg). Place sugar, vanilla, and eggs in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed 2 minutes or until thick. Add flour mixture and coconut; stir to combine (dough will be very sticky). Turn dough out onto a heavily floured surface; knead lightly 7 or 8 times. Shape dough into a 15 x 3-inch roll. Place roll on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and pat to 1-inch thickness. Bake at 300° for 40 minutes or until roll is golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes on a wire rack.

   3. Cut roll diagonally into 20 (1/2-inch-thick) slices; stand slices upright on baking sheet. Bake 20 minutes (cookies will be slightly soft in center but will harden as they cool). Remove from baking sheet; cool completely on wire rack.

Makes 20 cookies

    * Calories:  90
    * Calories from fat: 25
    * Fat: 2.5g
    * Saturated fat: 2.2g
    * Monounsaturated fat: 0.2g
    * Polyunsaturated fat: 0.1g
    * Protein: 1.8g
    * Carbohydrate: 15.3g
    * Fiber: 0.6g
    * Cholesterol: 21mg
    * Iron: 0.5mg
    * Sodium: 87mg
    * Calcium: 13mg

Lemon Squares

Adapted from BHG Fast Fix One Dish Meals

Cookie Ingredients:
2 c all purpose flour
1/2 c sifted powdered sugar
2 Tbsp cornstarch
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 c butter, softened

Filling Ingredients:
4 eggs, slightly beaten
1 1/2 c granulated sugar
3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tsp finely shredded lemon peel*
3/4 c lemon juice
1/4 c milk

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350. Line a 9x13" pan with foil; grease foil and set aside.

2. In a large bowl, combine the 2 c flour, 1/2 c powdered sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Using a pastry blender or large metal whisk, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

3. Press the flour mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan and bake in preheated oven for 18-20 min. until edges are golden brown.

4. Meanwhile, make filling: in a medium bowl, stir together the eggs, granulated sugar, flour, lemon peel, lemon juice, and milk.

5. When crust is done baking, pour filling over hot crust and bake in 350F oven for 15-20 minutes (or more) until the center is set.

6. Cool on a wire rack and sift powdered sugar over top. Cover and store in fridge.

* When I don't have fresh lemon peel/zest, I've used dried orange peel. Adds a nice, mild citrus flavor to the bars (note: also gives them a bit of a freckled look). I've also used a combination of lemon and lime juice or lemon and orange juice, when I've been low on lemon juice. Works just as well -- just provides a different flavor.

Crockpot Applesauce

Ingredients
8 large apples, peeled and cored (I used fuji)
2 cinnamon sticks
3/4 cup apple juice
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1-2 tsp vanilla
2 Tbsp maple syrup (or sugar or honey)

Directions
Place all ingredients in crockpot, stir, and cook 3-4 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low. Mash to desired consistency.

Creme de Menthe Brownies

Adapted from BHG Fast Fix One Dish Meals

Brownie Ingredients:
1/2 c butter
2 oz unsweetened chocolate (or 6 Tbsp cocoa* and extra butter)
1 c granulated sugar
2 eggs
1/4 tsp mint extract
2/3 c all-purpose flour

Topping Ingredients:
1/4 c butter, softened
1 1/2 c sifted powdered sugar
2 Tbsp green creme de menthe
1 oz semisweet chocolate
8 Andes mints or other layered mint candies (optional)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375; grease an 8x8x2" baking pan and set aside.
2. Place 1/2 c butter and 2 oz chocolate in a double boiler or other saucepan and heat over low until melted. Remove from heat and stir in the granulated sugar, eggs, and mint extract. Beat lightly by hand until just combined, then stir in flour.
3. Spread batter in the prepared pan. Bake for 20 minutes and then cool completely (1+ hours) on a wire rack.
4. In a medium mixing bowl, beat 1/4 c butter with an electric mixer on med-high speed for 30 seconds. Gradually add 1 c of powdered sugar. Beat in creme de menthe. Gradually beat in enough of the remaining 1/2 c powdered sugar to make frosting of spreading consistency.
5. Spread creme de menthe frosting over the brownies. In a small saucepan (or microwave) melt the semisweet chocolate over low heat, then drizzle over brownies. If desired, chop the layered mint candies and sprinkle them on the brownies.

Cover and store in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Makes 16 brownies, 231 cal each, 12 g fat, 1 g fiber, 2 g protein

* I have peppermint hot cocoa mix that I've used in this recipe, in lieu of the unsweetened chocolate. Because the peppermint cocoa is sweetened, I use less sugar, and a little less mint extract. Yum!