Quick Moroccan Chicken Thighs with Chickpeas

I was craving something a bit exotic the night I made this dish... but, I was short on time.  So, I threw together this little gem ~ Quick Moroccan Chicken Thighs with Chickpeas ~ and was quite happy with the results!  To make this dish I just used ~ a can of fire roasted tomatoes with juice, 1/2 a can of drained chickpeas, 4 skinless chicken thighs, a small sliced onion and a sprinkling of traditional Moroccan spices ~  powdered ginger, cinnamon, cumin, paprika, salt and pepper.  I let it all simmer together until the chicken thighs were cooked through, about 20-25 minutes.  I added some steamed veggies on the side... and dinner was served.  Not too much effort, not too much time, low on carbs... but full of the exotic flavors I was looking for.  On-the-fly cooking inspired by a craving.  Cool.  :)

Steamed Greens & Poached Egg

Recently, I've been making more low-carb/low-fat breakfasts and lunches, and a lot of times those meals are featuring greens, veggies and eggs. This time I decided to steam kale, spinach, onions and bell peppers together. Once all the veggies were tender, I gently cracked an egg over the top, poured a bit of water into the skillet to create a little steam, then put the lid on until the white of the egg was just set. Yum! I think this is such a nice, healthy way to start the day, or enjoy a light lunch.  :)

Sautéed Trout with Steamed Veggies

Lately, I've been buying fresh water fish for our meals, instead of ocean fish... and trout is my new favorite.  It tastes similar to salmon and it's so simple to prepare.  For this meal I just quickly sautéed the trout in a little olive oil and served it with some steamed veggies and I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Spray.  Low carb, low cal, low fat, quick & easy to cook, and it's Fat Flush Plan friendly ~ gotta love that.  :)

Italian Baked Tuna

When I made this ~ Italian Baked Tuna ~ I didn't actually have a recipe, I just kept digging through the fridge/pantry, looking for toppings that sounded good, and kept layering ingredients until I felt like it was complete.  I started with the tuna on the bottom, and then added some ~ crushed fire-roasted tomatoes, capers, dried basil/oregano/garlic, chopped onion, sliced celery/green olives. Once it was all finished, I realized I'd created an Italian-flavored 'sauce'...cool!  I baked the tuna steak according to the package directions and in about 10 minutes it was done.  I nuked a variety veggies while the fish was cooking.  It was a really tasty, low carb, Fat Flush Plan-friendly meal, all without any fuss.  I just love happy accidents!

    

Steamed Superfood Veggies & Over Easy Eggs ~ Meatless Monday

To make this super simple breakfast/brunch/lunch/light dinner, I just steam a bunch of ~ chopped kale, baby bok choy, sliced onion, and bell peppers.  When they're done, I toss them with some ~ Bragg's, crushed red pepper flakes, minced ginger and cracked black pepper.  To complete my masterpiece I crown it with ~ an over easy egg, cooked to crispy-on-the-outside-and-runny-on-the-inside perfection, cut so the yolk runs down into the veggies, then misted with I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Spray and a slash of sriracha sauce.  To me, it's a perfect way to make an outstanding low fat, low cal meal, Fat Flush Plan friendly meal ~ just the way I like it!

 

Warm Spinach & Sriracha Chicken Salad

Now that the holidays are over and most of the sweet treats are gone, I'm trying to eat a more low carb diet.  (I'm trying to get back to eating more Fat Flush Plan diet friendly) What with all the lack of motivation to leave the house, due to all this bitter cold winter weather, as well as all the indulging in extra rich holiday foods in December...it's now definitely time to change up my meals.   Yesterday, I threw together a wonderful lunch that included a spinach salad with chicken and a side of steamed baby bok choy.

Just by chance, I tried a new way of making my salad.  This method of tossing heated ingredients into spinach (which slightly 'wilts' it) has turned out to be my new favorite way to eat/enjoy a healthy spinach salad.  I'm thinking this will work just a well with other types of heated protein, too. Like ~ beans, quinoa or grilled tofu.  I'm so looking forward to trying it in all different ways.  :)

And, as an extra bonus, the dressing is spicy and fat free ~ yes!  This is the first time I've ever dressed a salad with Sriracha sauce, and it won't be the last...don't know why I've never thought of it before.   The combo of the hot chili, garlic-y, sweet/spicy Sriracha sauce and Bragg's soy sauce flavor was truly amazing.  It makes for a really lively dressing, that's also super low-cal.

I didn't measure anything as I was making my salad, I was just throwing stuff into the bowl as the inspiration came to me.  So, I don't have a recipe per se, but, here is what I tossed together...

Warm Spinach & Sriracha Chicken Salad

serves 1

Into a big salad bowl throw...

• 4-6 handfuls of washed spinach leaves
• 6 oz. of leftover shredded chicken, heated through until really hot
• 1/2 small white onion, cut into thin 1/2 rings
• 1/4 cucumber, sliced into 1/4's
• a couple spoonfuls of toasted slivered almonds

Then drizzle with...

• Sriracha sauce (to taste)
• Bragg's amino acids or soy sauce (to taste)

Then sprinkle on...

• favorite spice blend & pepper (to taste)

Then get ready to eat...

Once all has been assembled in the bowl, toss the salad.  The heat of the chicken will begin to lightly wilt the spinach...yum!  Taste and add more Sriracha sauce or Bragg's/soy sauce as desired. (I'm pretty heavy handed with the Sriracha, I like my food hot & spicy)  Enjoy! 

 

Superfood Veggie Scramble with Chickpeas ~ Meatless Monday

I had one last 'Little Bessie' egg in my fridge, and I was all set to make a pretty meal.  I planned to saute superfood veggies (kale, spinach and 3 colors of bell peppers), getting them ready so I could crack my huge, double-yolk egg on top of their healthy goodness and then poach those two beautiful, mounded yolks (that came out of that one egg) and enjoy my breakfast...  

What really happened was that one of the yolks burst when I cracked the egg ~ WAH!!  Total bummer!  Since I couldn't make what I wanted, I got cranky and just scrambled it all together.  Since I was on a roll, I added some chickpeas that were in the fridge for good measure and topped it all with some salsa.  It had became a glorious, tasty mess.  Not pretty, but it was ~ low fat, low carb, low cal and yummy ~ all the same.    Some days chickens, some days feathers...some days cracked yolks.  Ya gotta roll with the punches and not let it ruffle your feathers.  (tee-hee ~ every pun intended! :)  Happy Meatless Monday!

Green Cake Batter Smoothie

Green Cake Batter Smoothie

Cowabunga!!  This stuff is amazingly good!  It tastes just like cake batter ~ no fooling!!  This smoothie gets it delightful green color from spinach, but just because you make this with spinach, don't let it turn you off.  You can't taste the spinach, at all.  Indulge your inner kid & have this green concoction for breakfast or a treat.  Ya gotta love a green smoothie when it tastes like cake batter.  

The following recipe was adapted from one by Mama Pea, over at ~ Peas & Thank You.  If you haven't been to her site, go check it out, it's awesome!!  She makes the most amazing vegan food & smoothies.  Plus, she is funny as all get out.  After reading one of her posts, I was inspired to rush right into my kitchen to make her Cake Batter Green Smoothie, but I was missing a bunch of the ingredients she called for.  I just used what I had on hand that sounded like it would create a similar taste.  Not having the exact ingredients for a recipe will NEVER stop me.  As Monty Python once said: Adopt, adapt & improve!

I must say, the shocking green smoothie turned out fantastic!  Of course, Roy wouldn't touch it with a 10 foot pole, because of the vibrant green color.  Sucker!  His loss was my gain ~ all the more for meeee!  J tried it & liked it.  He won't pass up anything that tastes like cake batter...and you shouldn't either.  Thanks for the bit of green inspiration, Mama Pea! 

Green Cake Batter Smoothie 
makes 1 smoothie

Ingredients

• 2 cups  prewashed/bagged baby spinach
• 1/2 cup fat free milk
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt
• 1 scoop vanilla whey protein powder
• 1/4 cup quick oats
• 1 tsp almond butter
• 1/2 cup silken tofu
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 slices frozen banana (cut into approx 1/2 inch slices)
• 6 ice cubes
• 2 packets Equal, or to taste (or sweetener of choice)

Directions
Throw all ingredients in blender & blend until smooth.

What an easy way to eat your greens ~ enjoy!

Cranberry Greek Yogurt Smoothie

Here is another tasty way that I've found to use fresh or frozen cranberries in a smoothie.  I took a little different spin on this High Protein Berry Smoothie recipe that I shared the other day.  I gotta say, I'm really enjoying adding those shiny, ruby berries to my smoothies.  I've been a bit lax lately in adding greens to my smoothies, so I decided to include some this time.  The fresh baby spinach just disappears into this drink ~ can't see it, nor taste it ~ but you still get the benefit of its green goodness, just the same.  Greek yogurt, flax seed/oil and strawberries/blueberries are just more of the superfood goodies in this smoothie ~ and it works for the Fat Flush Plan, too.  Booyah! 

Cranberry Greek Yogurt Smoothie
serves one

Ingredients

• 1 cup cold water
• 1 oz. unsweetened cranberry juice
• 1 cup Greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
• 3/4 cup fresh or frozen mix of strawberries and/or blueberries
• 2 handfuls of baby spinach leaves
• 1 Tbsp flax seed oil
• 1 Tbsp ground flax seed
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 6 ice cubes
• 2 packets of Equal or sweetener of choice 

Directions
Throw all ingredients into the blender and whirl away until it's smooth and frosty!

Poached Eggs with Fire Roasted Tomatoes & Spinach ~ Meatless Monday

For a super easy, really tasty and very low carb breakfast, I like to turn to eggs poached right in the skillet with some juicy, sauteed veggies.  I'm a huge fan of canned, Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes.  When you add them to lightly sauteed spinach and then crack an egg or two on top of the mixture, you can't go wrong.  I'm heavy handed with the tomatoes, I just can't get enough of the lightly smokey flavor!  I'll sprinkle on some herbs, spices and maybe some chipotle Tabasco sauce, too.  I let it all simmer/poach until the egg is almost set, then I cover the skillet with the lid for an extra minute or two, just until the egg white 'sets' on top of the egg ~ then breakfast is served.  I think this would also make a great brunch or light lunch/dinner, too.   Who says eating low carb has to be boring?  Certainly not me!  Poached Eggs with Fire Roasted Tomatoes & Spinach ~ what a great way to start your Meatless Monday!

High Protein Berry Smoothie ~ Fat Flush Plan

I was looking through my Fat Flush Plan Cookbook and came across a recipe for a high protein smoothie that incorporates the diet's cranberry/flax seed daily 'cocktail', along with fresh cranberries, to make a great tasting breakfast smoothie.  I happened to have some frozen cranberries in the freezer, as well as a few blueberries and strawberries ~ so, this is my adapted version.  I'm really digging adding 'fresh' cranberries to smoothies, they add a great 'punch' and they aren't too tart for me ~ Enjoy!

High Protein Berry Smoothie

 ~ inspired by the Fat Flush Plan Super Smoothie recipe

serves one

Ingredients

• 1 cup cold water
• 1 oz. unsweetened cranberry juice
• 1 scoop vanilla whey protein powder
• 1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
• 1/4 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
• 1/4 cup fresh or frozen strawberries
• 1 Tbsp flax seed oil
• 1 Tbsp ground flax seed
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 5 ice cubes
• sweetener of choice (optional ~ I didn't use any, I liked it as is)

Directions
Throw all ingredients into the blender and whirl away until it's smooth and frosty!


 

Grilled Pork Loin Chop Salad

I'm trying to eat more salads and eat a bit more low carb.  One way I like to do that is to grill a piece of meat on my George Foreman Grill and then serve the sliced meat on top of a big bed of fresh lettuce and chopped up veggies.

For this salad, I cooked a lean pork loin chop and seasoned it with a Cajun spice blend.  Then I just sliced it up and drizzled the salad with a light vinaigrette.  (in case you were wondering, that big bowl of salad was just for me :)   It was on the table in no time, I like that.  Simple cooking at its best.

Quinoa, Kale, Walnut & Cranberry Salad

When I'm trying to get more greens into my diet, kale is one of the first veggies I head for.  I really enjoy eating raw kale in salads, especially when I have some leftover quinoa in the fridge.  Throw in a handful of walnuts and cranberries, a big spoonful of quinoa, then drizzle on some olive oil and balsamic vinegar, give it all a toss and I'm good to go.  Who says eating your greens has to be boring?  Certainly not me!

Day Spa Fruity Water ~ Cheaters Version ~ a simple & cheap recipe that makes a variety of low calorie ~ Fruit Flavored Waters ~ quickly!

Apple Cinnamon Day Spa Fruity Water ~ Cheaters Version ~ The basic recipe can be varied by using any 100% fruit juice concentrate flavor that you like.  Tropical, citrus, fruit punch blends ~ whatever you can find at the market.  It's super easy & a pretty cheap 'copycat' way to enjoy the trendy 'Fresh Fruit Infused Water' that's so popular right now.  (Shhh... you could even doll-up a glass with a slice of fresh fruit when you pour it for company, so it looks like the real deal.  I'll never tell! :) 

(If you want to see the recipe first ~ scroll down.  If you want to hear me on my soapbox first, read on...)

Lately, I've been seeing a lot of pins on Pinterest showing how to make Fresh Fruit Infused Waters.  All of the photos show beautiful, water-filled carafes and glasses, full of glorious jewel-toned, sun ripened fruits, fresh herbs and occasionally, spices.  Talk about eye candy!  I instantly fell in love with the idea of creating this lovely drink at home.  So, on the 'Fruity Water' (as my English hubby calls it) bandwagon I jumped and off to the market I went, determined to 'brew' a batch for myself...

Only problem was, it's wintertime and the cost of the fresh fruit is up there.  Grrrr.   So, I opted for frozen fruit, still a bit up there price wise, but not near as bad.  I used these recipes for inspiration for my first batch.  As I waited (a tad impatiently) for to the water to be 'infused' enough to notice/drink, I watched how all the vibrantly colored fruits began to lose their beauty and eventually become pale, limp and sorry looking.  It made me feel sad.  Well, that was unexpected... the pictures never showed that part of the 'fresh fruit infused water' making process.  It makes perfect sense, it just never really occurred to me.  I was so completely seduced by the tempting photographs ~ showing the color saturated, full 'o' life fruits, all bathing in the beautiful, water filled carafes.  (I'm such a sucker for a pretty food picture!)

Yes, the water did take on a delicately flavored hint of the fruit, but, at the end of the day, seeing the lifeless/tasteless and almost colorless fruit left sitting in the bottom of the container, just left me wanting.  It seemed such a waste, all that real fruit flavor, diluted into a weak shadow of itself.  It really made me less enthusiastic for the whole 'fresh fruit infused water' process.  I've come to the conclusion, that for me, I would rather eat my fruit.  I'd rather savor every colorful, full-of-fruit-flavor bite ~ than to give it a long soak in water...wasting away, leaving just a hint of its true, sun-kissed flavor essence behind.  Meh!

On a more positive note ~ With all that being said, I did drink 64oz. of water that day with no problem at all!  Having a little hit of flavor in the water made it super easy to do.  I decided there had to be a better and cheaper way!  Hmm...Why not just use 100% frozen fruit juice concentrate instead?   A little bit goes a long way and there's no 'waiting' time, just stir and you're good to go. Booyah!  Now, everyone says that just by 'infusing' the water with fresh fruit, that it's a no-calorie drink.  Well, I've decided that using 2 tablespoons of 100% frozen fruit juice concentrate (approx. 60 calories) in 64oz. of water (turning it into about 8 calories a glass), was an acceptable trade-off.  It's still a super low calorie drink to me, it won't break the bank, and if you buy frozen cans of juice that have a resealable lid, you can buy a variety of flavors and make a different tasting batch every day ~  Double Booyah!

It's just SO MUCH CHEAPER to use 100% frozen fruit juice concentrate and here's the best part ~ there is no sad, depleted fruit left behind in the bottom of the pitcher at the end of the day!   When you consider how much fresh fruit costs, (and even some frozen fruits) it's just so much more budget friendly to use 100% concentrated fruit juice.  I'm so happy with my 'Day Spa Fruity Water' copycat version of 'infused' fresh fruit water, and at about 1 calorie an ounce/8 calories a cup, I'm happy with the calorie count, too.  OK, I'm off my soapbox now, time for me to drink up.  :)  ~ Enjoy!

Apple Cinnamon Day Spa Fruity Water ~ 'Cheaters Version' ~ vary the juice flavor for unlimited possibilities! 
makes a little more that 64oz.
inspired by this recipe

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp frozen 100% apple juice concentrate
• 1/4 tsp to 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (more or less to taste ~ the more you use, the more golden & cinnamon-y flavored it gets ~ I'm a bit heavy handed, I really like cinnamon :)
• 64 oz. filtered water (or the usual kind you drink ~ tap, bottled, etc.)

Directions

Mix the apple juice concentrate, cinnamon and 1/2 cup of water in a pitcher/container large enough to hold all the water.  Stir it until the cinnamon is completely blended into the juice.  (if you don't mix the cinnamon in really well first, it will just float on top when you add the rest of the water)  Add the remaining water, stir and then leave in the fridge.  When ready to serve, give it a good swirl, to get the cinnamon mixed back up again (it settles to the bottom after a while) or just let it stay down there ~ as you like.  Serve straight-up or over ice.  Enjoy!

*Just a little heads up ~ ground cinnamon's viscosity (that occurs when it sits in liquid over a period of time) might make it clump together & form into 'strands' while in the bottom of the container. (it kinda reminds me of the 'Mother' found in the bottom of organic unfiltered apple cider bottles)  You can drink the remaining cinnamon on the bottom, or pour it out, your call.  I usually drink it.

~ Flavor Variations ~ 

• 2 Tbsp any flavor  ~ 100% fruit juice concentrate blends
• fresh ginger, mint, basil or whatever herbs/spices might inspire you   

Prepare it the same way, mix and match to your hearts content, with the addition of herbs/spices or without.  Make it anyway you like! 

Lemony Kale Salad ~ Lisa Oz / Dr. Oz

I was reading a magazine and came across an article from Dr. Oz and his wife, Lisa.  She mentioned a salad that she likes to make at home, it's her own recipe for ~ Lemony Kale Salad.  It sounded really good, I had almost all  the ingredients to make it ~ so I did.

I skipped the hemp seeds since I don't have any in my pantry, I used an onion instead of a shallot and threw in a handful of chopped walnuts.  As Lisa says, get your hands messy and give the salad a really good massage.  It's super easy, super tasty and super good for you.  Cool!  Check out the recipe ~ here ~, it's over on the Oprah site.

Festive Christmas Eggs ~ A low carb, low cal & low fat breakfast treat!

Festive Christmas Eggs ~ Great for the holidays, but they would be wonderful for anytime of year.  These are a simple way to eat low carb, low fat and low cal.  What a deal!

My friend, GA, shared a photo link on Facebook of an imaginative way to cook your eggs.  It was from the Facebook fan page for ~ Mama Earth Organics.  I love the way it looked and decided to try it in my kitchen.  They didn't have a 'recipe' listed, just a 4-square photo showing how they did it.  Couldn't be simpler ~ take a ring slice of bell pepper; crack an egg in it and cook it until done.  Theirs were 'sunny side up' and looks like it had a tomato slice nestled down on the bottom.  I just used the sliced bell pepper and the egg, but about half way through cooking mine, I added a little water & covered the skillet with a lid to get a little steam action going ~ so my yolks are still runny, but covered with cooked white on top.

This was ready in under 10 minutes.  I just love how pretty it looks and you can't beat the carb, fat or calorie count!

Sure makes for a pretty presentation, perfect for a Christmas morning breakfast or brunch.  Actually, they would be great anytime of day and there's no need to only enjoy them during the holidays ~ especially when you're looking for an extra special way to serve the incredible, edible egg.   If you'd like to see more cool recipes, stop by the Mama Earth Organics website for more info about their organic food delivery service (in the Toronto area), recipes & such.  Enjoy!



  

Cabbage Soup ~ Grandma Bunni's family favorite

Grandma Bunni's Cabbage Soup ~ A super easy & really tasty soup that's simple to make.  A wonderful soup for the chilly nights of autumn.

 

As I was going through an old cookbook of Grandma Bunni's, I came across her recipe for ~ Cabbage Soup.  It's a simple & easy to prepare soup that is full of the flavors I remember from my childhood.   It just so happens, a few weeks ago J & I found some late season cabbages to harvest over at the Community Garden.  This recipe was the perfect way to use them!

When I was cooking this soup, its aroma filled the kitchen & I was taken back, probably 20+ years, to the last time I enjoyed a bowl of this comforting homemade soup.  I'm so glad that I found Grandma Bunni's old Cabbage Soup recipe & I'm looking forward to finding other recipes of hers.  I have a habit of stashing recipes (those written on slips of paper) in random cookbooks & it seems she did the same thing, too.

Who knows what, where and/or when I'll find the next recipe of hers.  Let me just say, I get such a kick out of sharing old family recipes, it makes my heart happy.  Grandma Bunni is now gone, but it's like she's still in the kitchen with me when I use her old, handwritten recipes... and I like that, I like it a lot. :)


Grandma Bunni's Cabbage Soup
a big soup pot full

Ingredients

• 1 pound lean ground beef ~ cooked, drained & crumbled
• 1 28 oz. can diced/chopped tomatoes, with juice
• 1 tomato can of water
• 1/2 medium cabbage, chopped
• 1 16 oz. can of kidney beans with juice (or your favorite kind)
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 4 beef bouillon cubes
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp garlic salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper

Directions

Brown beef, then add remaining ingredients to a big soup pot.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover & simmer for one hour.  Stir occasionally.  Taste before serving & adjust seasonings as needed.  As I remember it, we used to eat this will lots of fresh bread & butter.  Enjoy! 
 

Chipotle Scrambled Egg Naked Burrito ~ high protein & low carb

Chipotle Scrambled Egg Naked Burrito ~ Looking for a high protein / low carb way to start your day?  Give this really quick & easy meal a try!

My stepson, William, is an up & coming actor in Hollywood.  Recently he told me about one of the meals he had while on set & I just had to share it on the blog. This originally started out as a breakfast burrito, but by ordering it without the tomato-basil tortilla, it was turned into the perfect high protein / low carb meal.  I'm calling my version a ~ Chipotle Scrambled Egg Naked Burrito.  

As soon as William told me about it, I was reminded of how I used to get a 'Naked Burrito' over at the restaurant ~ Chipotle's.  When they first opened up in Colorado, that's how you asked for a burrito minus the tortilla. (this was before they actually sold salads)  The name 'naked burrito' always cracked me up & this is the same method, just for a different meal of the day.  Why didn't I think of this for a breakfast burrito before?  Thanks for sharing your meal idea, William!

Chipotle Scrambled Egg Naked Burrito ~ high protein & low carb

serves one

Layer all ingredients on a plate, starting with...

• sliced tomatoes
• cooked bacon or sliced ham
• scrambled eggs
• grated cheese (optional) 
• shredded lettuce
• sliced avocado (optional ~ I happened to have one in the fridge)

...and ending with ~

• chipotle salsa (or your favorite salsa/hot sauce)

Enjoy your high protein & low carb meal for ~ breakfast, brunch, lunch or a light supper or dinner.

William's original version with maple bacon & La Victoria Chipotle Taco Sauce

Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms ~ Italian Style ~ for Meatless Monday

Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms Italian Style ~ a quick and flavorful meal, full of rich Italian flavors, low carb, & depending on your choice of cheeses ~ low fat & low cal.  Perfect for Meatless Monday!

 

I love cooking with portobello mushrooms, there is something about that big, 'meaty' mushroom that I really enjoy.  Sometimes I slice them, then saute or grill.  Sometimes I bake them.  Today my 'shrooms, they got baked.  :)  This meal came together in minutes & cooked for just a bit more.  This big, tasty mushroom was on the table quickly & was devoured promptly.  I can always tell how good a meal is by how quiet it gets around the table when we are eating... and it was real quiet... until everyone asked (clamored) for seconds, that is.

A word to the wise ~ make enough for seconds.

P.S. ~ Do it the first time around.  It's so much quicker that way... about 20 minutes quicker.  :)

Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms ~ Italian Style

• big portobello mushrooms ~ cleaned & ready to go ~ As many as you like & may I suggest at least 2 per person. You might as well save yourself the time & trouble & go ahead & make a lot.  It will save you having to start the second batch before you have even had the chance to finish your own 'shroom.  (somehow the cook always starts eating last around here :)  That way yours won't get cold & nobody will give you the stink eye.  Not that that happens around here or anything...  ;)

• your favorite jarred spaghetti sauce ~ or my favorite, the homemade ~ Tomato Chutney ~ I wrote about a few weeks ago

• cottage cheese ~ regular, low-fat or fat-free ~ whatever floats your boat

• cooked spinach ~ from fresh, frozen or canned, well drained

• your favorite herbs & spices ~ some I like to use: Italian herb blend, basil, onion/garlic powder, oregano, smoked paprika, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, pepper

•  shredded pizza cheese ~ buy the pre-shredded bagged kind or grate some of your favorite cheese(s)

• Parmesan cheese ~ sprinkle liberally in, on & over the gloriously layered mushroom as you are assembling it & when serving it

Look at all that lovely, flavorful juice the mushroom makes while it bakes.  Anybody seen my fork??  :)

Preheat oven to 400F degrees.

Prep your baking sheet or cast iron skillet with cooking spray and/or foil.

Place the cleaned mushrooms ~ gill side up ~ on your baking sheet/cast iron skillet.

Assemble the stuffed mushroom in layers, starting with:

1. jarred spaghetti sauce or tomato chutney ~ spread to the edges of the mushroom
2. sprinkle all over with your choice of herbs & spices 
3. cottage cheese ~ spread a good sized amount all over the sauce
4. add a bit more sauce to the center of the mushroom & spread out about half way
5. add the spinach in cool dollops or spread it around ~ as you like
6. sprinkle a bit more herbs/spice ~ as you like
7. top it all with the pizza cheese & Parmesan cheese ~ as much or as little as you like

Bake the mushrooms for approx. 15-20 minutes ~ until they are cooked through, the filling is beginning to bubble & the mushroom is giving off it's lovely juices.

Plate it up & pour any of the mushroom juices over the top & add additional cheeses ~ if desired.

Enjoy!



** This would be such an easy recipe to change up, just vary the 'stuffing' fillings ~ some to consider...

~ for a Mexican Style version use: salsa, Mexican spices/cilantro, cottage cheese, spinach & some smashed chili beans ~ top with sliced avocado, jalapenos & crushed tortilla chips when serving

~ for a Greek Style version use: fresh chopped tomatoes tossed in olive oil (or Greek salad dressing) & Greek spices/oregano, thin sliced/chopped zucchini, spinach, olives, sliced onions, Greek Yogurt & feta cheese ~ sprinkle with a hint of mint when serving

Join the Movement

Chicken Tenders with Marsala Glazed Mushrooms

We love mushrooms in this house ~ any kind, any size ~ & in just about every kind of meal.  One of my favorite ways to cook mushrooms is sauteed with a little wine.  When I want to cook with wine, I just choose one that suits my mood ~  white, red, Marsala, Madeira, Vermouth, Port or Sherry ~ and/or my recipe.  Before you get concerned, just let me say ~ I don't have a drinking problem, I have a cooking problem ~ and I like to tinker in the kitchen.  :)   A well stocked liquor cabinet is just part of my kitchen arsenal & since fortified wines last a long time, I always have some handy.  The red & white wines don't keep well once opened, so I usually only use those wines if we are also going to enjoy the rest of the bottle with dinner.  (OK, and maybe a glass of wine before dinner, while doing the cooking :)

This time I was surfing the net, looking for a recipe to use my Marsala wine in.  I came across this recipe for Marsala Glazed Mushrooms & just had to give it a try.  Just let me say ~ It Is Awesome!  The recipe is straight forward, easy & pretty quick.  For this meal I paired the glazed mushrooms with chicken tenders & steamed veggies.  These tasty mushrooms would also be great with steak, turned into an upscale vegetarian mushroom quesadilla, served along side a pork tenderloin, stuffed into an omelet, terrific over tofu & especially when piled high on a burger.  I think they would turn a regular hamburger into a gourmet mushroom burger ~ for hardly any extra effort at all.  With so many different ways to enjoy the wine glazed mushrooms, no wonder we all love mushrooms so much around here!