Jalapeño Chicken Burgers with Avocado & Mango Salad

After an awesome weekend of absolute gluttony in Austin, this week is strictly chicken, fruit & veggies to try to get back on track.  I found these pre-made jalapeño chicken burgers at Giant Eagle, but you could easily make your own with some ground chicken, chopped jalapeños & garlic powder.

I wasn't sure what to serve with this so I threw together some avocado, mango and line juice as a salad atop the burgers. This came out so good & was super simple. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS:
-  4 jalapeño chicken burgers  (if you can't find these premade, mix together 1lbs lean ground chicken, 1 finely chopped jalapeño & 1tbsp garlic powder then form 4 burgers)
- 1 medium avocado, chopped
- 1 medium mango, skinned & chopped
- 1tbsp lime juice

HOW-TO:
Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat and grill the burgers, about 5-7 minutes per side, until cooked through.

While the burgers are cooking, in a medium bowl, mix together the avocado, mango & lime juice.

Serve the salad atop the burgers and enjoy!!

TIPS:
- Since I used premade chicken burgers, the fat & sodium content is higher than if you did it on your own.
- Swap the chicken burgers and serve the salad atop 2 grilled chicken breasts for an even leaner meal.
- Make this salad to serve as a condiment to your favorite tacos.
- Garnish with some Siracha to spice this dish up!

Nutritional Info per Serving (recipe yields 2 servings):
Calories:  520
Fat: 27g (all from avocado & chicken, though, so it's "good" fat)
Sodium: 1250mg
Carbs: 29g
Protein: 55g

Seared Tuna Steaks with Garlic Couscous

I never order seafood at restaurants, primarily because I am allergic to shellfish & salmon. The only time I ever order tuna is when we get sushi. So when I ordered Ahi Tuna when we were in New Orleans a couple months ago, that was a huge change for me...and it turned out to be one of the most delicious meals I've ever tasted!

The Ahi Tuna was served over sauteed spinach that was so good, I would've honestly chosen to eat it over ice cream. I am sure it was made with mounds of butter & garlic, but hey...when in Rome (or in this case, NOLA). I've been thinking about that meal since that night and even ordered something similar recently while out to dinner, which ended up being a total dud.

Nonetheless, they had some tuna steaks at Giant Eagle a couple weeks ago so I picked them up and thought I would try my hand at it. Justin forgot the spinach I ordered when I sent him shopping this past weekend, so I had to settle with serving it over some quick boxed couscous. For my first try at seared tuna, I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. Although it wasn't as good as the meal I had in NOLA, it served as a decent substitute until we can make our way back down to the Big Easy. 

Plus tuna steaks are lo-cal, lo-fat, lo-carb, and SUPER high-protein. Not to mention, the total cooking time is 5 minutes for these bad boys. Also, this entire meal cost me $15 - one meal alone at a nice restaurant would run you $25-30.

WARNING: These are served raw so if you aren't into raw fish - or if you are pregnant - this is not for you!

INGREDIENTS:

- (2) 8oz tuna steaks

- 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

- Kosher salt & black pepper

- 1 6oz box of roasted garlic & parsley pearl couscous (I used Sidemates brand)

HOW-TO:

Cook the couscous according to the package but skip the extra virgin olive oil.

Meanwhile, heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Brush each tuna steak with 1/2tsp of extra virgin olive oil & sprinkle with salt & pepper to coat. Repeat on the other side.

Once the skillet is hot, add the tuna steak and cook for 2 1/2 minutes. Flip and cook for another 2 1/2 minutes. 

Remove from the skillet and place on a plate, letting it rest for 5 minutes prior to serving.

Serve with one serving of the couscous and garnish with lemon. So simple, yet so good...and good for you!

TIPS:

- Skip the couscous and serve with a side of sauteed or roasted fresh veggies to make this super healthy.

Nutritional Facts per Serving: Tuna Steaks Only (1 Serving = 1 8oz portion)

Calories: 280

Fat: 6g

Sodium: 380mg

Protein: 60g

Carbs: 0g

Nutritional Facts per Serving: Couscous Only (3 servings per box)

Calories: 210

Fat: 1g

Sodium: 510mg

Protein: 6g

Carbs: 44g

Blueberry, Sweet Potato & Granola Breakfast Cookies

Sorry for the hiatus the last week or so. Between work, the boys, potty training, and trying to enjoy the (minimal) spurts of decent weather, I haven't found much time to blog. I've just been making recipes I've already posted and haven't dabbled with anything new. Alas, the cold spell had me in a baking (bored-out-of-my-mind) mood Sunday so I opted to make something for the boys.

I've tricked Jake into thinking Pop-Tarts are "breakfast cookies" so he loves eating them for breakfast. I was pretty proud of getting him to think this is a cookie instead of insisting on actual cookies for breakfast...and every other meal/snack. However, Justin still disapproves of the amount of "breakfast cookies" Jake eats during the week.

Side-note: I remind Justin often that we're just a couple of working parents trying to survive mornings & get out the door on time and if he's interested in trying to change Jake's eating habits in addition to working 50-60 hours a week, he can have at it! I prefer to keep my sanity and the diet full of breakfast cookies.

Moving on....I make muffins when I can on the weekends for the week because Nick loves them. To be honest, Nick loves all food. He seriously eats as much as a 200-pound man. I actually love it considering Jake sticks to a really strict diet...of said breakfast cookies, pizza, burgers, fruit snacks, occasional fruit, ice cream, PB&J, yogurt, and countless snacks.

So, since we were stuck inside - again - this past Sunday with frigid temps, I decided to make muffins. I saw a recipe for real breakfast cookies (I guess I'm not so genius on my terminology afterall) on the muffin mix I bought. This gave me the idea of using some granola, puréed sweet potatoes & vegetable oil to make breakfast cookies that I can serve both boys. I swear you can't even taste the sweet potatoes. And at only 100 calories & 5g fat each, I shouldn't get scolded by my husband...even if they opt for TWO! :)

INGREDIENTS:
- 1 Package of your favorite blueberry muffin mix (I used the Krusteaz brand because they use real blueberries...and I like it!)
- 1/4c Vegetable Oil
- 1/2c of your favorite granola (try Whirlybird's Original - it's all natural & handmade by an amazing gal, who also happens to be my college roommate! Check it out at www.whirlybirdgranola.com)
- 3.5oz of pureed sweet potato baby food
- 1/2c water
- 1 large egg

HOW-TO:
Preheat your oven to 350*.

Combine all of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl until it's all mixed together. From there, drop 1tbsp balls onto an ungreased, nonstick cookie sheet - should yield about 16, so I did 8 and 8 per cookie sheet.

Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, or until they start to turn golden brown on top. Remove from the over and let cool on the cookie sheet for another 2-3 minutes. Serve warm or at room temp!

This little guy gobbled these up and looked so cute doing so!

TIPS:
- Try making this with banana muffin mix & using Whirlybird chocolate granola!

Nutritional Facts per Serving (recipe yields 16 servings of 1 cookie per serving):
Calories: 105
Fat: 5g
Sodium: 84mg
Carbs: 12g
Protein: 2g

Southern-Style Frittata with Andouille

For this adult-style breakfast-for-dinner dish, I basically took the standard concept of jambalaya & made it into a frittata. With the amount of flavor & protein this meal has, it's hard to believe it is less than 250 calories per serving! 

INGREDIENTS:

- 1 small yellow onion, chopped

- 1 medium green bell pepper, chopped

- 2tbsp extra virgin olive oil

- 3 links of Andouille Chicken Sausage (I used Bilinski's brand from EarthFare), chopped into bite-size pieces

- 16oz Egg Beaters

- 1/4c reduced fat shredded Mexican cheese blend

- 4tbsp of your favorite salsa

HOW-TO:

Preheat the oven to 350*.

In a medium oven-safe skillet that has deep edges, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion & peppers and saute until the start to become tender, about 5-7 minutes. Add the sausage and cook for another 5 minutes. Pour in the egg beaters and stir in the cheese.

Put the skillet in the oven in & bake for about 20-25 minutes, or until the frittata begins to turn golden brown. Cut into 4 even pieces & serve each piece with 1tbsp of salsa. 

Nutritional Info Per Serving (recipe yields 4 servings):

Calories: 245

Fat: 13g

Sodium: 775mg

Protein: 26g

Carbs: 3g

Mediterranean Pasta with Feta & Pine Nuts

This recipe is courtesy of my best gal pal, Sarah. All of the photos are from her own kitchen, which is why it looks way prettier than any of my photos. When Sarah told me about the dish, I never doubted it would be delicious, however, it ended up tasting even better than I expected! I love feta & pasta so I was completely sold before I even tasted it.

With only a few ingredients and less than 20 minutes of cooking time, this is an instant go-to for any weeknight meal. Plus, it could easily double as lunch with leftovers.

INGREDIENTS:

- 12oz box of Rotini (I use the Rozini Smart Taste brand)

- 1tbsp extra virgin olive oil

- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, sliced in halves

- 4 cloves of garlic, crushed

- 2/3oz fresh basil, roughly chopped

- 4oz reduced fat feta

- 2oz pine nuts

HOW-TO:

Cook the pasta according to the package.

In the mean time, heat the oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add the garlic & tomatoes & cook for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in the basil until it is wilted. Add the pasta to the tomato mixture and stir in the feta & pine nuts. Toss everything together until it is evenly combined and serve. 

TIP: It goes great with your favorite red wine after a long day at the office!

Nutritional Info per Serving (recipe yields 4 servings):

Calories: 468

Fat: 18g

Sodium: 409mg

Protein: 18g

Carbs: 43g

Turkey Taco Salad

I have been a huge fan of tacos since as far back as I can remember. I distinctly remember going to the Park Inn and ordering hard shell tacos with the cheese not melted. The basic meat, lettuce, and cheese hard shell has always been my favorite.

In an effort to enjoy this traditional classic dish but not feel guilty, I've made a few alterations to skip the extra grease and deep-fried exterior. I have to admit, I still prefer the crunch of the taco to the salad, but this is a delicious option that is much more heart-friendly.

INGREDIENTS:
- 1lb lean ground turkey
- 1 packet of low sodium taco seasoning
- 1 bag of shredded lettuce
- 1 medium tomato, chopped
- 1 medium avocado, chopped
- 1/2c reduced fat shredded Mexican cheese
- 1/4c low-fat sour cream
- 1/4c of your favorite salsa

HOW-TO: 

Cook the turkey meat according to the instructions on the taco seasoning packet. Once the meat is prepared, top the lettuce with the meat, tomato, avocado, cheese, sour cream, and salsa. Toss the salad so everything is combined and enjoy!

TIPS:
- Garnish with some jalapenos to add some heat.
- If you don't like ground turkey, swap with ground chicken.
- Most of the fat in this recipe comes from the avocado, which is GOOD fat!

Nutritional Info per Serving (recipe yields 4 servings):
Calories: 324
Fat: 17g
Sodium: 688mg
Carbs:13g
Protein: 30g