Category: Skinny

Quick Cucumber Salad

cucsaladI wish I had all day to experiment in the kitchen, but that is one luxury I do not have.

Between my “real” job, the groups/charities I volunteer my time to, my family, my dogs and the few other things I get to do in my free time, I rarely get as much time to create new recipes as I’d like.

Today was another one of those days.  You know, the kind with business meetings, tasks on the ever-growing to-do list, a trip to the hair salon, and a few other unexpected things, so I knew dinner time would be rushed as well.

This morning I put 2 frozen chicken breasts in a Rubbermaid container with some of my favorite marinade (Ponte’ Winery Scallion Oil Marinade/Dressing) with hopes that they’d defrost in time and then surveyed the refrigerator for what I’d be able to serve with them.

oxoI really am trying to cut back on the carbs, fat and extra calories in our diets, so a cold salad I could marinate all day would be just the right choice!  Plus, I’d get to use my new kitchen tool: my OXO slicer/grater.

Quick Cucumber Salad

  • 1 English Cucumber
  • 2 Roma Tomatoes
  • 1/2 Small Yellow Onion
  • 1/3 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 1 TBLS Olive Oil
  • 6 Large Leaves Fresh Basil
  • Freshly Ground Pepper
  1. Using either a very sharp knife or a Mandolin slicer (I use the OXO Complete Grate & Slicer Set), thinly slice the cucumber, the tomatoes and the onion and combine in a gallon sized zip bag.
  2. Stack the basil leaves and roll like a cigar and then thinly slice into narrow strips.  Add the basil to the zip bag.
  3. Add pepper, vinegar, and olive oil to the zip bag.
  4. Seal the bag and shake the contents vigorously.
  5. Open the zip bag then push the air out and reseal.
  6. Place the salad in the refrigerator until time to serve.
  7. Before serving, open the zip bag again to allow air to enter, then reseal and shake the salad to mix before place on plates to serve.

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Carrot Pineapple Slaw

ribdinnerI needed to add some color to what was going to be an otherwise bland (but really delicious) looking plate tonight, but my husband asked that it not be the things I had ready to whip out: Asparagus and Green Salad.  Ug!

Having just put all of my creative brain power into making Zucana loaves and the spicy sweet sauce for BBQ ribs, I was just not feeling it.

I looked into the refrigerator and saw a lot of produce, dairy products, some leftovers and then inspiration struck when I found:

  • 2 Pound Bag of Carrots
  • Oikos Triple Zero Greek Yogurt Cups
  • A Small Can of Crushed Pineapple

Aha!  In 10 minutes there would be color on my dinner plate!

Carrot Pineapple Slaw

In a large mixing bowl combine

  • 6 Cups Shredded Carrots (About 10 Large Carrots Peeled/Grated)
  • 1 Small Can Crushed Pineapple (Drain first)
  • 1/2 Cup Golden Raisins
  • 2 – 5.3 ounce Cups Vanilla Oikos Triple Zero Greek Yogurt

You can use any yogurt you want to.  I like the Oikos because it doesn’t add any fat, sugar or additional sweetness to the salad.  I use a rubber spatula to combine everything.

My husband didn’t even complain about it 😉  Bonus!

Are you on Facebook?  You might be interested in the things I may not devote an entire blog post to: recipes, food facts, nutritional information, photos and other things that make my mouth water. I may not write a blog post every day, but there are daily updates to my This Girl Loves To Eat community at: https://www.facebook.com/ThisGirlLovesHerFood

What Goes With Quinoa?

So my first foray into pressure cooking went off without me getting maimed or burned, so I guess I’ll be using my new toy again soon!  I made a huge batch of quinoa that turned out light, fluffy and quite tasty.  Just one problem: we aren’t big eaters of any grain at dinner time outside of rice, so I was left at a bit of a loss as to what to do with my big bowl of quinoa.

lemonchickenquinoaThe cupboards, refrigerator and freezer were rather bare due to the two week vacation we had just returned from, so I was left with very few options.  A lemon, Roma tomato, small avocado, a bag of frozen edamame, and 1/2 lb of frozen diced chicken breast were all I could salvage to throw together some kind of dinner hearty enough to satisfy my husband.

Lemon Chicken with Avocado & Tomato Quinoa

  • 1 1/2 Cups Cooked Quinoa (See yesterday’s post)
  • 1 Small Roma Tomato (diced)
  • 1 Small Ripe Avocado (diced)
  • 1 Cup Frozen Shelled Edamame (Soybeans) Cooked
  • Juice of 1 Large Lemon
  • 2 Tbls Olive Oil
  • 1/2 Lb Fresh Diced Chicken Breast
  • 1 tsp Minced Garlic
  • 1/8 tsp Dried Dill
  • 1/8 tsp +/- Arrowroot (to thicken the sauce)
  • Pinch Cayenne Pepper
  • Freshly Ground Salt & Pepper

Juice the lemon, stir in the arrowroot and set aside.  In a medium frying pan, heat 2 TBLS olive oil and the minced garlic over medium-high heat.  Add the diced chicken, season with freshly ground sea salt and pepper, and brown for about 2 minutes per side.  Add the edamame, dill, cayenne pepper and lemon juice mixture to the pan and continue cooking about 3 minutes until edamame and chicken are done and sauce is well incorporated.

Spoon about 1/2 Cup of the cooked quinoa and about 1/3 of the chicken mixture into a bowl. Top with the diced avocado and tomatoes and add more ground pepper to taste.

Light enough for my post-vacation diet yet hearty enough that 2 bowls satisfied my husband’s appetite.  Win-Win!

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Guilt-Free Skinny Coleslaw

chicken-ready-to-go-in-the-oven1I’m just getting ready to throw a whole chicken into the oven for tonight’s dinner.  I’m going to serve it atop a pile of fresh spinach sautéed in a splash of olive oil and some minced garlic and alongside one of my favorite recipe creations: Skinny Coleslaw.

I can eat it by itself as a healthy mid-day snack, pile it inside a wrap with leftover chicken, serve it alongside grilled bratwursts, and, if I decide to spoil/treat my family, it’s even great piled inside a pastrami or corned beef sandwich.  The longer the leftovers are in the refrigerator the better it tastes, so if you can make it a day ahead you are really going to taste all of the flavors at their best.  Nutrition information per 1/2 cup serving of this homemade pleasure makes it something that I can eat all week and feel no guilt about at all!

Calories:  75   Fat & Cholesterol: 0    Sodium:  15mg    Protein:  1g    Carbohydrates:  13g     Fiber:  2g    Sugar:  8.5g

skinnycoleslaw

Salad:  ½ Head Medium Red Cabbage; ¼ Head Large Green Cabbage; 1 Can Crushed Pineapple Un-drained; 2 Large Granny Smith Apples Grated; 3 Medium Carrots Peeled & Grated

Dressing:  3 TBLS Light Olive Oil; 1/3 Cup Honey; ½ Cup Apple Cider Vinegar; ½ tsp Dry Mustard; ½ tsp Celery Seed; ½ tsp Garlic Powder; ½ tsp Freshly Ground Pepper; ½ tsp Cracked Sea Salt

  1. Chop the Cabbage, Grate the Carrots & Apples into bowl with a lid.  Add the can of Crushed Pineapple & the Celery Seed and toss to combine.  Cover and refrigerate.
  2. In a small saucepan, combine the Oil, Honey, Vinegar, Mustard, Garlic Powder, Salt & Pepper.  Over medium heat bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 3 minutes stirring occasionally.
  3. Remove sauce from pan, put into a shallow bowl and put into the refrigerator to cool (about 30 minutes).
  4. Once dressing is cooled, combine with the cabbage mixture and toss to combine.  Cover and return to the refrigerator to chill until serving.

This salad is Gluten and Paleo friendly and won’t break your diet if you’re just watching calorie and sugar intake.  Yum

Are you on Facebook?  You might be interested in the things I may not devote an entire blog post to:  recipes, food facts, nutritional information, photos and other things that make my mouth water. If so, visit my This Girl Loves To Eat community at:  https://www.facebook.com/ThisGirlLovesHerFood