Chicken with Roasted Garlic Cashew Cream Sauce

 

So today was a draining day...just a lot going on and it was mentally draining...but I still worked out with P90 and made a really good dinner.

Speaking of dinner, my recipe tonight was thanks to Clean Eating Magazine...Chicken in Roasted Cashew Cream Sauce.  Something great about a simple clean meal. You have to prepare for this one since you have to soak the cashews overnight to become soft.  This has been on my menu for a few weeks but never got cooked since I kept forgetting to soak them.

Chicken in Roasted Garlic Cashew Cream Sauce
Serves 5
21 Day Fix Containers: 1R, 1G, 1B

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 cup raw unsalted cashews (6B)

Olive oil cooking spray 

1 head garlic (whole) plus 2 cloves garlic, minced, divided 

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice 

1 1/2 tsp olive oil, divided (1 1/2 tsp)

5 5-oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts (5R)

Pinch sea salt 

1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper 

1 large shallot, finely chopped 

5 cups broccoli florets (5G)

INSTRUCTIONS:

Place cashews in a bowl and cover with cold water. Cover and refrigerate overnight. 

Preheat oven to 350°F. Cut a 10-inch square of foil and mist with cooking spray. Slice 1⁄4-inch from top of head of garlic. Place cut side up on foil and wrap tightly. Place on a baking sheet and roast for 1 hour. Set aside to cool. (Or there's my cheater way since I HATE peeling whole cloves of garlic, I buy them already done and put them in my foil).

When garlic is cool enough to handle, squeeze cloves out of peel into a blender; discard peels (or dump them like I did since they were already peeled). Drain cashews and add to blender along with lemon juice and 1 cup cold water. Begin blending on low speed, gradually increasing to high, until mixture is smooth, 1 to 2 minutes.

In a large nonstick skillet on medium-high, heat 1 tsp oil. Season chicken evenly with salt and pepper. Cook, turning halfway, until browned on both sides and cooked through, 8 to 12 minutes. Remove from skillet to a plate and cover to keep warm.

Heat remaining 1/2 tsp oil in skillet. Add shallot and broccoli (I quickly steamed my broccoli 1st, man I love steamer bags) and sauté for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until shallot is browned and softened. Add remaining minced garlic and sauté for 1 more minute. Remove to plate with chicken.

Add cashew mixture to same skillet and cook, stirring constantly, until warmed through and slightly thickened, about 1 minute (mine thickened a lot and I had to add more water to it). Serve over chicken and broccoli. Season with additional pepper.

Nutritional info according to MFP:
Calories: 345
Fat: 18
Carbs: 11
Fiber: 2
Protein: 35

VERDICT: Well 1 of my 3 kids liked the sauce and hubby and I like it.  I will make it again...it really did do a nice job and add a good flavor.  I was concerned but it worked.  Make sure you have a good blender so it's not gritty, I have a vitamix and it worked perfect.

Baked Meatball Parmigiana

Okay who doesn't like a little italian food...I LOVE it but it isn't always diet friendly.  

So tonight's dinner is a treat...Meatballs (sure you may not be able to see those yummy meatballs in that sauce but they are there)!  I even made a double batch of this and froze it for a friend who is having surgery soon so her family will have a yummy meal and she won't have to worry about it.

Baked Meatball Parmesan
Serves 9
21 day fix containers: 1R, 1B, 1/2P

1 lb extra lean ground beef (4R)
1 lb extra lean ground pork (4R)
4 cloves of garlic
chopped parsley
1/2 cup whole wheat bread crumbs (I make my own) (2Y)
3/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese (3B)
2 eggs (1R)
sea salt & pepper to taste
5 cups organic marinara sauce (5P)
1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese (6B)

Heat oven to 400
In a large mixing bowl mix meats, parsley, bread crumbs, parmesan cheese & eggs.  Form into 2 oz meatballs (I got 18 out of the mix) and place in your baking dish (I used a 9x13 glass baking dish sprayed with cooking spray).  Bake for 20 minutes.

Lower heat to 375

Pour your marinara sauce over the meatballs and add your mozzarella cheese.  Cover with foil and bake for another 20 minutes.

Uncover and continue baking for another 20 minutes until the cheese is nice and melted and bubbly (you can also broil for a few if you want).

Serve with a side of pasta (or in my case zoodles) and a nice salad...my family loved garlic bread also.

Verdict: AMAZING!!! who says italian food can't be diet friendly

Enjoy your family time and make an extra batch for the freezer for when you don't want to cook again

Sneak Peek: Menu for the Week of 11/17

So with so much going on I have planned my menu for this upcoming week...I will post recipes and pictures when I make these items...so here is a sneak peek of what is to come this week:

5 ingredients Lemon Chicken w/Asparagus

         

Chicken in Roasted Garlic Cashew Cream Sauce

 

Chicken Divan

Baked Meatball Parmigiana (double)

Beef & Mushroom Stroganoff

Clean Eating Roasted Shrimp & Green Beans

All meals will be 21 Day Fix approved and delicious...it's a yummy week coming up. 

My week is crazy with my kids having half days every day, we have doctor & vet appointments planned, shopping, working out, Bunco and my kids school Thanksgiving feast and on the calendar...oh it's going to be a crazy week but bring on the holidays!

 

Steak with Red Wine Reduction

Oh what a week it has been already...I first want to say Thank You to all Veterans and their families who have or are serving for our military.  It is because of you I am free today...My husband is was a marine and I married into a family of military and my niece and her husband are in the Navy.  I am blessed and honored to know so many military people...God Bless You All!!!

Yesterday was cross fit...let me tell you I am feeling it today...my abs hurt and boy do I love it.  My arms and legs are screaming and I dead-lifted 55 lbs, it may not be a lot but it's 20 lbs heavier than last week and it's progress...I am loving it!  Oh and if you need a good abs move, grab someone's ankles and do let lifts while they push your feet down in all directions...YIKES!

Tonight's dinner special was delish...I have been craving steak so that's what we had.  I made a nice sirloin with a rich red wine reduction (amazing what a little butter can do for a sauce), roasted potatoes (I didn't eat those) and roasted asparagus...MMMMM who needs to go out and pay a fortune when you can have this super simple meals.

Steak with Red Wine Reduction Sauce
Serves 4
21 DF Containers: 1R, 1tsp, 1/4Y

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil (3tsp)

2 (8-ounce) top sirloin steaks, trimmed (4R)

3/8 teaspoon sea salt, divided 

3/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided 

3 tablespoons minced shallots

2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme

1/2 cup full-bodied red wine (I used a red blend) (1Y treat)

1/2 cup unsalted beef stock 

1 1/2 teaspoons organic butter (1 1/2tsp)

1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Directions

1. Heat a large skillet over high heat. Add oil; swirl to coat. Sprinkle steaks evenly with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add steaks to pan; cook 4 minutes on each side or until desired temp (we like a nice medium rare and remember it will still cook while it rests). Remove steaks from pan. Let stand 5 minutes.
2. Reduce heat to medium-high. Add shallots and thyme to pan; sauté 1 minute or until lightly browned. Add wine; cook 2 1/2 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates. Add stock; cook 3 minutes or until liquid is reduced by half and mixture is slightly thickened. Remove pan from heat. Add remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, butter, and mustard; stir with a whisk.

3. Cut steak across the grain into thin slices; serve with sauce. 

I served this with potatoes that I seasoned with a little olive oil and garlic herb and roasted and also some roasted asparagus.  This came out perfect and tasted so yummy.  Make sure to trim your steaks of all visible fat to keep it healthy.  My family ate this up as usual when I serve steak and potatoes (we will do it a few times a month but that's it usually)...never any leftovers at this house.

So until tomorrow...make sure you thank a vet if you haven't today and if you can thank one every day...they deserve more than 1 day a  year!

Balsamic Fig Pork Tenderloin

Do you ever get antsy?  I am at that point, I feel I do the same thing day in and day out.  I love being a SAHM mom it gets boring and I need a change every now and then. I need to get out and away from my house and my normal every day life...trying to figure out what that will be but I am not coming up with any ideas.

So tonight's dinner is complements of Skinnytaste.com and saying that I really didn't have to do any changing of the recipe except for how many it served.  

Fig Balsamic Pork Tenderloin 
Servings: 8 
21 Day Fix Containers: 1R

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 lb pork tenderloins (9R)
• sea salt, to taste
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup Trader Joe's fig butter
• parsley for garnish

 Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375

Season the pork with salt and garlic powder and put on a baking sheet.

Mix the balsamic vinegar and the fig butter in a bowl.  Nicely brush the pork with all the mixture.

Roast in the oven for about 25 - 30 minutes or until the internal temp is 145.

Let it rest for 10 - 15 minutes before slicing (don't want to lose any of that wonderful juices now do you...)

Sprinkle with parsley if desired

Unstuffed Cabbage Roll Casserole

So today was a good day, I went for a long walk with the dog and then to the dog park, I went to my son's football game, cooked dinner and then it was off to cross fit and boy did that kick my butt...

When I was a kid, my mom use to make stuffed cabbage rolls but man was that a lot of work, boiling the cabbage leaves, gently stuffing them with meat and rice, folding them so they didn't break and then baking them...that is just too much work for this mama so I found this recipe at diaryofarecipecollector.com and slightly adapted it to make it 21 Day Fix friendly.  I have rounded these containers up (or down) to make make it an even nice containers to count to make life a little easier.


Unstuffed Cabbage Roll Casserole

 
Serves 6
21 Day Fix Containers: 1 1/2R, 1Y, 1/2G, 1/2P, 1/2B

Ingredients

• 1 lbs. extra lean ground beef (4R)
• 1.25 lb of lean ground turkey (5R)
• Sea salt and pepper
• 1 cup whole grain brown rice, uncooked (6Y)
• 4 cups roughly chopped cabbage (4G)
• 1 8 oz. can tomato sauce (1P)
• 2 cups of water
• 1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes, undrained (1.5P)
• 1 cup shredded cheese of choice (4B)

Instructions

1. Season and brown ground beef and turkey. Drain off any grease you may have (I usually rinse under warm water to get all the fat off).
2. Add rice, cabbage, tomato sauce, 2 cups of water and diced tomatoes with all the juices. Stir.
3. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium low and cover to simmer for about 20 to 30 minutes or until rice is done and cabbage is soft (please do not lift lid before 20 minutes is up or else you let all the steam out and the rice needs it to cook properly)
4. Once cooked, top with cheese and cover with lid to melt a few minutes.

The Verdict: everyone but my daughter liked this, it was filling, large portions and hey only 1 pot to clean up...If you want more of a cheesy yummy goodness and want to use a full B container then up the cheese to 1 1/2 cups...SCORE

 

 

 

So enjoy a healthy dinner with the family

I Survived Day 1 of Cross Fit

So yesterday was a good day.  I did P90 Sweat B & Ab Ripped B in the morning and then proceeded to do the dreaded grocery shopping for the week.  Dinner was a simple meal so I could drop my oldest son off at youth group and then go to Cross Fit.

Every now and then on busy nights you need a simple throw together meal that everyone likes, for my family it's usually spaghetti.  I always have the fixings in the pantry for this simple dish.  So last night's dinner was spaghetti with whole wheat pasta and a meat sauce.  It consists of very lean ground beef, whole wheat pasta, Newman's Own pasta sauce and italian seasoning...no expenses spared here LOL.  My containers were 1R, 1/2P & 2Y and I had a side salad with that.  I figured you didn't need a recipe for something that simple.

All day I had anxiety of cross fit...well I am not sure why I was so worried, granted they took it easy on me but I was able to keep up.  I did become one with the wall as I leaned how to do a proper squat without leaning forward. I felt like the kid in trouble as everyone was doing bar squats but I was doing a squat facing the wall (very close to it) and not trying to touch it.  About 50 squats later it was time to move on.  We had a circuit of bar lifts (like you see on weight lifting competitions) and then burpies (oh I hate burpies).  It went like this...20 bar lifts, 7 burpies, 15 bar lifts, 7 burpies, 10 bar lifts, 7 burpies, 5 bar lifts, 7 burpies then as many bar lifts as possible until your 9 minutes runs out...now you might not thing 9 minutes is long but OMG it is long.  I started out with a 20 lb medicine ball then went to a 15 lb bar with no weights on it then she put on like an extra 10 lbs...not to shabby I guess for my 1st workout.

So there you have it, I didn't die, I am okay so far today (I expect that to change) and I am looking forward to tomorrow's workout!

Stay tuned tonight for dinner...Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls...a one pot meal!