I figured i'd start a thread like this since i seem to be seeing a lot of recipes popping up in peoples weight loss threads i know you will have plenty to add Claudia!

snrose wrote:

I figured i'd start a thread like this since i seem to be seeing a lot of recipes popping up in peoples weight loss threads i know you will have plenty to add Claudia!

Great idea!

If anyone has any specific recipe requests, please let me know! For example, if you want the healthier alternative to different ingredients, or if you want a recipe with a certain type of protein, or a recipe from a specific ethnic group, let me know and I'll see what I can come up with!

Excellent idea, Shannon!

Claudia, you should copy and paste the recipes that you posted for me here!

Here's a recipe that I came up with that's pretty versatile for any protein you want to add:

Black Bean and Corn Quinoa

2 c low sodium, fat free broth (chicken, beef or vegetable)
1 c quinoa
1 tsp taco seasoning
1 tsp chili powder
1/8 c sun dried tomatoes, rough chop
black beans (canned), rinsed and drained
corn (canned), drained
1/2 onion, chopped
2 to 3 tbsp chopped parsley (optional)

-bring broth to boil, add quinoa, taco seasoning, chili powder, and sun dried tomatoes
-bring back to boil, cover, and lower heat; simmer for 15-20 minutes until liquid is absorbed
-while quinoa is cooking, saute onions, black beans and corn (however much you want to mix in to the quinoa.
-once quinoa is done, mix in back beans, corn, onion and chopped parsley.

I like to add baked chicken or fish, or if you want to go completely veggetarian, use vegetable broth and add pan seared tofu.

recipe got a lot of compliments from a lot of friends looking for healthy Quinoa recipes...and it's a mild Morroccan flavor...

Quinoa with Moroccan Stew

Stew:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 teaspoons Hungarian sweet paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Pinch of saffron
1 cup water
1 14 1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
5 cups combination of protein (shrimp/seafood, chicken, lean beef) and veggies (carrots, sweet potato, parsnip, butternut squash, acorn squash) - cut in 1/4" dice

You can use all veggies, or use tofu to make it vegetarian.


Quinoa
1 cup quinoa*
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup finely chopped peeled carrot
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
2 cups water
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided
2 teaspoons chopped fresh mint, divided


For stew:

Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion; sauté until soft, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Add garlic; stir 1 minute. Mix in paprika and next 8 ingredients. Add 1 cup water, tomatoes, and lemon juice. Bring to boil. Add squash and carrots. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

For quinoa:

Melt butter with oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and carrot. Cover; cook until vegetables begin to brown, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Add garlic, salt, and turmeric; sauté 1 minute. Add quinoa; stir 1 minute. Add 2 cups water. Bring to boil; reduce heat to medium-low. Cover; simmer until liquid is absorbed and quinoa is tender, about 15-20 minutes.

Stir in half of cilantro and half of mint. Spoon quinoa onto platter, forming well in center. Spoon stew into well. Sprinkle remaining herbs over.


These recipes may sound hard because it lists a lot of ingredients, but it's a lot of spices and/or herbs to boost the flavor.

Healthier Jambalaya

Traditional Jambalaya uses Andouille Sausage, which is flavorful and spicy and 'fatty'. If you replace it with your favorite low-fat turkey sausage, and put the more herbs, spices and seasoning, you still get most of the flavor without the 'fat'.

I made mine with Hillshire Smoked Turkey sausage and shrimp.

To make it even healthier, use chicken breast instead of turkey sausage.

Buy the shrimp with the shells on, and use the shells to make 4 cups of shrimp stock which will add a big flavor boost! (Boil shells in 4 cups of water).

Here's the recipe:

1.5 lbs shrimp (shells on, and use the shells to make shrimp stock)
Your favorite low-fat Turkey or Chicken Sausage, cut into bite size pieces
1 onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 green bell peppers, diced
3 stalks of celery, diced
1 pkg freish thyme, wrapped with cooking string to make a bundle
2 big, whole bay leaves
2 cups long grain rice
28 oz. canned diced tomatoes
4 cups shrimp stock
crush red pepper flakes (add to your taste)
cayenne pepper (add to your taste)

1- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a big pot, and add sausage and cook until brown.

2- add green peppers, oinons, and celery and saute for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally

3- add garlic and a pinch of crushed red pepper and saute for 3 minutes

4- add tomatoes, thyme, rice, 1 teaspon of salt, bay leaves and a dash of cayenne pepper and mix well

5- add shrimp stock and bring to boil

6- when it starts to boil, reduce heat to low and bring it to a simmer; cover and cook for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally

7- add shrimp and cook uncovered for an additional 5-10 minutes on low until shrimp is cooked through

Optional: garnish with chopped green onions and additional hot sauce if you like it spicy.


This makes a big pot...6 to 8 servings.

So cut the recipe in half if you don't want too much leftovers or you can freeze half of it in single serving containers!

Sometimes, to get fulfill my craving for 'ice cream', and to get my serving of fruit in for the day, I'll use frozen fruit (frozen berries are actually the lowest in calories), and make sorbet:

1 cup of frozen fruit
1/4 cup of non-fat milk or soy
splash of vanilla
1 tablespoon of honey or agave (agave has a low glycemic level than honey)

Blend it up and you have sorbet! It'll be thick so you'll have to scrape down and mix it in between pulses. Or, add a little milk at a time to loosen up the mix.

ok so this is so basic but i LOVE it.

Chicken bake

6oz skinless chicken breast cubed
1 tomato pureed (i pull the seeds out)
eggplant
broccoli

so i heat the oven to 350-400 (my temps are off cause my oven sucks)
get some aluminum foil
put the chicken on the foil, sprinkle with onion powder, garlic powder, Italian seasonings and ground pepper.
put the pureed tomato on chicken then cube up some eggplant and cut up some broccoli and but on top, sprinkle some more seasoning on top, fold up foil to make a pouch and put in oven on a baking sheet.
bake around 30 min or till the chicken is done.
you can put on top of rice or eat just as is. you can also use what ever veggies you like as well. i sprinkle some light salt on top when done.

this is not near as fancy as Claudia but it is super fast to prep and i make a few batches to eat all week long.
my mom loved it when she was out

That does sound good, Jenn!

I love throwing stuff in foil packets and baking them!

Some of my recipes aren't really that fancy - they have a lot of spices to boost flavor - I can't stand bland foods, and since I love to eat, especially authentic ethnic foods, I try to replicate the flavors but make them the healthier version.

Claudia, did you have some sort of professional training for your cooking abilities or is that just the Filipino cooking instinct coming through.

Beth totally amazes me sometimes with what she conjures up for meals and of course they're always great unless it involves balut or dinuguan

Here4thePics wrote:

Claudia, did you have some sort of professional training for your cooking abilities or is that just the Filipino cooking instinct coming through.

Not really. Watched my mom cook for a family of 4 kids, and then grandkids when I got older, and of course, when the family comes for a party, the food spread is enough to feed an army.

I did take a couple of culinary classes, but a lot came from watching cooking shows, and experimenting with different flavors, herbs, spices and ingredients. Needless to say, I gave a lot of food away as I experimented and sharpened my cooking and knife skills on my own.

here4thePics wrote:

Beth totally amazes me sometimes with what she conjures up for meals and of course they're always great unless it involves balut or dinuguan

Ha ha! Never tried balut in my life! Although hubby did because someone dared him when he was in college! I wouldn't - not for a million bucks!....Well, maybe for a million bucks!

Growing up, my mom used to tell me dinuguan is 'chocolate meat'! Then I learned what it really was. And even though I liked it until I knew what it was, I can't eat it anymore.

My mom is the same way. The stuff she can put together with what she has in her pantry is amazing! And if friends and hubby are being honest, I got some of that from her.

I do love to cook and eat and even more, disecting something I ate somewhere and replicating it at home!

cmanding wrote:

I do love to cook and eat and even more, disecting something I ate somewhere and replicating it at home!

Seems every time we go out to eat and Beth tries something really good especially Asian anything she'll end up copying it later at home. She loves that challenge of doing it better then what or where we had it. Told her someday we'll open her Bistro and then call it "Copycats."

Here4thePics wrote:

cmanding wrote:

I do love to cook and eat and even more, disecting something I ate somewhere and replicating it at home!

Seems every time we go out to eat and Beth tries something really good especially Asian anything she'll end up copying it later at home. She loves that challenge of doing it better then what or where we had it. Told her someday we'll open her Bistro and then call it "Copycats."

She's just like me! I have also thought of opening up a small cafe!
Maybe Beth and I should 'talk'

hee...i'm currently in culinary school and i've been cooking professionally for almost 3 years (in sept). of course the stuff i cook isn't healthy so i dont have many recipes to add :o) cooking all day makes for not wanting to do much cooking at home :\

snrose wrote:

hee...i'm currently in culinary school and i've been cooking professionally for almost 3 years (in sept). of course the stuff i cook isn't healthy so i dont have many recipes to add :o) cooking all day makes for not wanting to do much cooking at home :\

I would think you could make them health-ier...?

I'm not sure if any of you have heard about this website, but it has awesome healthy recipes:

http://www.eatingwell.com/

Ooo, thanks for sharing Melissa!

You're welcome =) I've made a few of the recipes that I found and they were all very easy and yummy!!!

Here's another one:

http://www.cookinglight.com/food/recipe-finder/

Awesome! You guys are great!

Here's a way to boost flavor in boring turkey burgers:

Moroccan Spice Turkey Burgers

1 lb lean ground turkey
1 tbsp paprika
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground ginger
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
dash cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes (optional, or add more if you like spicy)
salt and pepper to taste
1 egg
1 slice whole wheat bread (optional...I sometimes will use a whole grain crackers instead)

Mix well all ingredients well.

It may look like a lot of spice to 1 lb of ground turkey, but to me turkey is so bland that I will sometimes use 1 1/2 times this to 1 lb of ground turkey.

You can also use this spice mix as a dry rub for steaks, chicken breast or white fish.

I like to mix oatmeal into my turkey for the binder as well. I made turkey burgers last night. Jenny o has the best ground turkey!

Will have to try this mix next time, less spice for me please

Sounds good!

Tell me Claudia, is there any way to make a Fajita healthier?

Huskyluv wrote:

Sounds good!

Tell me Claudia, is there any way to make a Fajita healthier?

You would typically use flank or skirt steak to make Fajitas, so the meat is already low in fat. You could use chicken breast instead, but a lean steak is just as good as a lean beef.

Other than switching the tortilla out to a whole wheat tortilla, you got a pretty low fat, balanced dish:
lean steak = protein
grilled peppers and onions = veggies
whole wheat tortilla = whole grain/carb

Guacamole isn't that bad either - it's got the healthy fats you need...just don't go overboard. A service of guacamole is a couple of tablespoons.

Salsa = veggies....low in fat - just check the salt content if you do store bought.

Skip the sour cream, but if you must, go light.

Cheese = fat but if you just do a couple of tablespoons, it's not bad.

Thanks! What about yellow rice? We also put yellow rice in our fajitas. I might have to switch from flour tortillas to the whole wheat like you suggested.

I actually prefer chicken breast in my fajitas more than steak so that's what I usually do for meat.

I have so many peppers and tomatoes from my garden, I need recipes that require tomatoes and bell peppers! LOL