Zucchini Fries

I love, love, love fried zucchini. When I was a kid, I used to order fried zucchini for dinner when we went out to restaurants, I wish I could still do this as an adult without the inches it would add to my waist line...Now I have a recipe that will allow me to eat a pretty hefty portion of "fried" zucchini and not feel guilty about doing so. The reason being-this "fried" zucchini is actually baked, but the panko breadcrumbs give the zucchini such a crunchy exterior you would never know they weren't fried!

Zucchini Fries alongside a delicious Turkey Burger, see recipe below

1 lb. zucchini squash; approx. 4-5 zucchini

1 cup all-purpose flour

3 large eggs, beaten

1 tbs. water, for egg wash

1 cup panko breadcrubs

2 tbs. Italian seasoning

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Cut each zucchini in half horizontally, then slice each half into fourths. Next set up your breading station. In a large zip-top bag, place the flour, salt and pepper. Next, in a shallow dish, beat the three eggs and water until combined. In another shallow dish, mix together the panko breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.

Place a wire baking/cooling rack on top of a baking sheet lined with tin foil. Then, place all the zucchini slices in the zip-top bag, close the bag and shake until all the zucchini is coated with the flour mixture. Take each zucchini slice-dip into the egg mixture, then coat with the breadcrumb mixture and place each breaded zucchini slice onto the wire rack. Continue until all the zucchini slices are coated. 

Bake the zucchini for approximately 15-20 minutes until golden brown and crunchy. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce and enjoy!

Delicious Turkey Burger

I have never really liked turkey burgers, every time I have had one they always taste like cardboard and are extremely dry, which does not make for good eats. Since my husband and I are trying to eat more healthy I decided to give them another go, however this time I made the burger mixture myself and added lots of ingredients I know my family enjoys. Not to toot my own horn, but these burgers were DELICIOUS! Even my husband thought so, which is always a good sign when I am trying new recipes. I will definitely be making these again!

1 lb ground turkey; 93% lean, 7% fat
1 Gala or Fuji apple, peeled and diced into small cubes
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup chives, chopped
1/3 cup parsley, chopped
1/4 cup apricot preserve or jam; cranberry would also be good
1 tps. Tabasco hot sauce
2 tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
1 lemon, juice and zest
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

In a small skillet, heat 1 tbs. olive oil over medium heat, then saute the apples and garlic till tender, about 10 minute. After the apples and garlic have cooked allow them to cool for about 10-15 minutes. In a medium sized bowl mix together the apples, garlic, chives, parsley, apricot preserve, Tabasco, lemon juice, lemon zest, and salt and pepper. Add the ground turkey and mix until just combined, make sure not to over-mix otherwise the burgers will be tough. Place the burger mixture in the fridge for at least 30 minutes up to 6 hours.

After the mixture has chilled, form into four patties, and salt and pepper both sides. In a large skillet, heat 1 tbs. olive oil over medium-high heat. Place the burgers in the skillet and cook for 7 minutes on each side. You could also cook the burgers on a grill over medium-high heat for about 7 minutes on each side.

I served the burgers on a toasted roll with a small smear of mayonnaise, a slice of provolone cheese, and a handful of arugula. Enjoy!

Note: Even after letting the burger mixture rest in the fridge all day, the burgers were very loose. Next time I make these I will probably add an egg to the mixture or some bread crumbs. Also, my husband thought they were a little spicy, so you might want to add less Tabasco if you are sensitive to heat like he is.

Southwest Chicken Chopped Salad

Every time I go to a restaurant and see "Bar-b-que Chicken Salad" on the menu I am always inclined to order it. I love the contrast of the smoky bar-b-que sauce with the tangy Ranch dressing. So, I decided to create my own version of the salad, it is just as delicious, but a lot healthier and cheaper! This recipe is also super easy and comes together in no time, great for a busy weeknight.

1 head iceberg lettuce, chopped
3 cups shredded chicken
1 red pepper, diced
1 can black beans, rinsed
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
1/4 cup chives, chopped
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
1 large tomato, diced
1 ripe avocado, diced
1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1 cup crushed tortilla cups, or tortilla strips
your favorite Bar-b-que sauce

Dressing:
1/3 cup mayonaise
2/3 cup Greek yogurt
1 1/2 tbs. Ranch dressing seasoning
1 1/2 tbs. taco seasoning

In a large bowl mix together all the dressing ingredients. Next, place all the salad ingredients in the bowl, minus the tortilla chips and the bar-b-que sauce. Toss the salad ingredients with the dressing until all the ingredients are well coated. Then drizzle a small amount of your favorite
bar-b-que sauce, about 1 tbs., over the top of the salad. Top with the tortilla chips and serve. Enjoy!

Note: You can use shredded rotisserie chicken or roasted some chicken breast in the oven at 425 degrees for about 20-25 minutes and shred yourself. Also, my husband is allergic to avocados, so I only put them in my salad; you can omit or add any ingredients you like, make the salad your own.

Light and Healthy Chicken Potpie

I know what you must be thinking, light, healthy, how could chicken potpie fit this description and still be delicious... Well, I just might have found the recipe that offers the comforting feeling of eating chicken potpie and is only about 480 calories a serving. The key to making this potpie healthier is no cream, none at all. A combination of 2% milk and greek yogurt give the potpie the creamy consistency that everyone associates with chicken potpie.

I found the original recipe on Food Network, but modified it to my own family's tastes and likes. Hope you find this potpie as enjoyable as my husband did, he has only been talking about it for the past five days!

4 cups shredded chicken; you can use rotisserie chicken if you like

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to season the chicken

2 large russet potatoes

3 medium carrots, peeled and diced into chunks

2 large shallots, diced

1 tbs. fresh thyme leaves; striped from the stems

4 tbs. extra-virgin olive oil

3 tbs. all-purpose flour

1/3 cup 1% milk

3 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth or stock

1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt

1 cup frozen peas

1 cup frozen corn

1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped

1 large egg

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 store-bought pie crust

Start by preheating the oven to 425 degrees F. Prick the potatoes with a fork and bake on the oven rack for about 45 minutes, or until tender. While the potatoes are baking place the chicken on a baking sheet, season with salt and pepper and coat with 1 tbs. of the olive oil. Place the chicken in the same oven with the potatoes and bake for 25 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. When the potatoes come out of the oven, slightly cool then remove the peel and cut into cubes. Follow the same procedure with the chicken, except shredding instead of cutting into cubes. 

While the chicken is cooking, heat the remaining 3 tbs. olive oil in a large pot or skillet with tall sides. Add the shallots, carrots, thyme leaves, and salt and pepper to taste in the pan and cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Sprinkle in the flour and continuously stir until the flour is lightly brown and toasted, about 3 minutes. Then add the milk, stock, and potatoes and simmer until the sauce thickens, about 15 minutes. After the sauce has thickened, remove from the heat and stir in the corn, peas, chicken, yogurt, parsley, and season with salt and pepper. 

Pour the mixture into a 9x13 casserole dish. Roll out the pie crust on a lightly floured surface until it is slightly larger then the casserole dish. Place the pie crust over the dish and press the pie crust against the sides of the dish. Beat the egg in a bowl and then brush over the pie crust. Season the crust with salt and pepper. Place the casserole dish on a baking sheet and bake until the crust is golden brown, about 20-25 minutes. Enjoy!

Note: I ended up using 2 pie crust because I wanted a thicker crust on top of the potpie. You can also add more vegetable if you like; adjust the recipe to your taste. 

Easy Chicken Noodle Soup

Here is a recipe for chicken noodle soup that is easy and sure to please on a blustery winter day!

What you need:

1 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast
2 carrots, peeled and diced
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
Thyme - a few fresh sprigs, leaves stripped from stem or dried thyme leaves (1 tsp)
1/4 to 1/2 tsp poultry seasoning (to your liking)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper - to taste
6 cans chicken stalk
Wide egg noodles (half a bag)
Parsley for garnish (if desired)

Heat olive oil in stock pot over high heat. Dice chicken breasts and add to the pot. Brown chicken for about 5 minutes. Add vegetables, thyme, poultry seasoning and salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium and cover, letting the vegetables sweat for 5 minutes. Stir occasionally. Add broth and bring to a boil. When vegetables are tender, add egg noodles and cook according to package. Serve immediately with parsley as garnish, if desired.

Variations: I like my chicken noodle soup VERY full of chicken and vegetables, so you can add more if you want.