Creamy Basil Pesto wth Avocado

Creamy Basil Pesto with Avocado

Whether you keep it vegan or make it vegetarian or just good old pesto I think this is a winner. Chef Chloe Coscarelli who won the Cupcake Wars on the Food Network, shared this easy recipe on KLG and Hoda or as I call it Hoda and Kathi Lee. Basil Pesto is one of my favorites and I have made my own this year. With this recipe there is no cheese but healthy avocado is added to keep it creamy. I will probably heap on more basil and garlic! Can't wail to try this! If you aren't into vegan or vegetarian you could add chicken or shrimp or whatever you choose and toss some cheese back in. Added later: I might toss in a little Cayenne too. (Lovely puppy name I thought!)

Ingredients:
1 pound linguine or pasta of choice
1 bunch fresh basil, reserve some leaves for garnish
1/2 cup pine nuts
2 avocados, pitted and peeled
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 cloves garlic
1/2 cup olive oil
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes or sliced sun-dried tomatoes (optional)

Directions:
Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add linguine and cook according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, make the pesto by combining basil, pine nuts, avocados, lemon juice, garlic and oil in a food processor. Process until smooth. Season generously with salt and pepper.
Toss pasta with pesto.
For an extra touch of color and flavor, top pasta with cherry or sun-dried tomatoes.
Divide pasta among serving bowls and garnish each serving with a basil leaf.
Serving SizeServes four to six

Moroccan Couscous

This is a super easy side dish that has some middle eastern flair. Dad spent some time in Morocco during World War II. I wonder if he ever tried Moroccan food while he was there?

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups couscous
2 cups low sodium chicken stock
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup roughly chopped pistachios
1/2 cup roughly chopped toasted almonds
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Bring the chicken stock to a boil.
Pour the chicken stock on top of the couscous and cover, letting it steam for 5 minutes. Uncover and fluff with fork.
Add in the butter, cinnamon, pistachios, almonds and salt and pepper to taste.
Fluff with a fork until the butter has melted

Balsamic Chicken

Chicken with Balsamic Vinegar and Vegetables

Chicken on sale and you are tired of the same old recipes??? There is nothing like chicken for low-fat, low calorie meals. This recipe- thanks to Joy Bauer is also filled with what is good for you. This is only about 250 calories and packed with flavor! This is pretty pungent so plan to serve it with something pretty simple. I was stuck at home without a car and substituted green peppers for the red ones. I think the balsamic vinegar overwhelms either so you would not know the difference. I even had to substitute part of the balsamic vinegar with some pomegranate infused balsamic vinegar- it still worked. It might have even been better.

INGREDIENTS:
1 large onion, yellow, thinly sliced
1 large pepper red, bell, sliced
4 garlic, cloves, minced (may substitute 1 teaspoon garlic powder)
4 chicken, breast, boneless, skinless, medium-thin (may substitute 8 chicken tenders)
1/2 cup vinegar, balsamic
1 can tomatoes, diced, (15-ounce) with liquids, preferably no salt added

DIRECTIONS:

1. Liberally coat a large sauté pan with oil spray, and preheat it over medium-high heat.
2. Add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic (or sprinkle in the garlic powder if using). Sauté for 3 to 5 minutes, until the onions and peppers begin to soften. Add additional oil spray or a tablespoon of water if the vegetables start to stick to the bottom of the skillet.
3. Add the chicken to the pan and sauté for about 4 minutes on each side or until lightly browned.
4. Add the balsamic vinegar and canned tomatoes. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with optional salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste.

Good for:
Heart Health
Eye Health
Arthritis
Celiac Disease
Type 2 Diabetes
Mood
Hair
Skin
Cancer Prevention

Slow Cooker Curried Chicken with Ginger

Slow-Cooker Curried Chicken

with Ginger

Ingredients:
1/3 cup tomato paste
4 cloves garlic, topped
2 tablespoons curry powder
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 medium onion, chopped
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken
kosher salt and black pepper1
1/2 cups long-grain white rice
1/2 cup plain whole-mild Greek yogurt
2 scallions, thinly sliced
Cayenne pepper to taste if you like it hot- this is optional!

Directions:

1. In a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker, whisk together the tomato paste, garlic, curry powder, ginger, cumin, and ¾ cup water.
2. Add the onion and stir to combine.
3. Place the chicken on top and season with 1 teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
4. Cover and cook until the chicken is tender, on low for 7 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours. Twenty minutes before serving, cook the rice according to the package directions.
5. Just before serving, add the yogurt and ½ teaspoon salt to the chicken and stir to combine. Serve with the rice and sprinkle with the scallions.

Borrowed and adapted from Real Simple website.

Individual Cakes: 3 Ingredients!

Ingredients:
1 box Angel Food cake mix
1 box any flavor cake mix
2 T. water

Directions:
Using a large plastic bowl with a tightly fitting lid or a large zip lock bag, combine the two boxes of cake mix stirring or shaking well.

For each individual serving, take out 3 T. of the cake mixture and mix it with 2 T. of water in a small microwave safe container. I used a small coffee mug. Microwave on high for 1 minute.

You now have your own instant individual cake and it is warm and inviting. You can top with a dolop of fruit or whipped topping if you like. Try various flavors of cake mix but it must always be combines with an Angel Food mix. Keep the mix tightly sealed in an airtight container until used and remember:

This recipe is called 1-2-3 Cake because all you need to remember is
3 T.mix, 2 T. water, and 1 minute in the microwave.

"Skinny" Eggplant Parmesan 70 calories

Only 70 Calories!

I "borrowed" this from Joy Bauer from the Today Show. She shared this on her segment of KLG and Hoda this morning. The regular Eggplant Parmesan is a weakness of Kathy Lee and she did not want to put her fork down after sampling this version. I cannot wait to try it myself. Jerilyn had Eggplant Parmesan at Olive Garden this weekend and I had to have a couple bites- we both love it. With only 70 calories, it is almost too good to believe. Cross your fingers!
I have made this about 5 times already and it is wonderful!

Ingredients:
Eggplant
Olive oil
Kosher Salt
Marinara Sauce
Shredded Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese
Grated Parmesan
Oregano
Crushed Red Pepper

Directions:
Slice an eggplant into rounds and place on a baking sheet.
Mist rounds on both sides with olive oil spray, and lightly sprinkle with kosher salt.
Roast in oven at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.
Top each roasted eggplant slice with marinara sauce, shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, some grated Parmesan cheese, oregano, and crushed red pepper.
Pop back in the oven for about 5-10 minutes, or until the cheese is hot and bubbly.

Pork Scaloppine

This is really Jerilyn's recipe that she found from "Real Simple" Magazine. Yummy!

Ingredients
8 ounces egg noodles
1 1 1/4-pound pork tenderloin, sliced 3/4 inch thick, pounded 1/4 inch thick
kosher salt and black pepper
1/4 cup flour
2 tablespoons olive oil
2/3 cup white wine
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

Directions
Cook the noodles according to the package directions.
Meanwhile, season the pork with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Coat it in the flour.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
In batches, brown the pork, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
Return the skillet to medium-high heat. Add the wine and butter and cook for 1 minute.
Add the pork back to the skillet and sprinkle with the parsley.
Serve the pork and sauce over the noodles.