Food

Name: Healthy Enchilada Bake
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 23 min
Total time: 38 min
Yield: 8 people
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 2 green bell peppers; 1 red bell pepper; 1 orange bell pepper; 1 red onion; 1 cup corn; 3 teaspoons chili powder; 2 tablespoons cumin; 2 tablespoons red pepper flakes; 2 tablespoons cajun seasoning; 2 cups Mexican blend cheese; 20 corn tortillas; 1 can refried beans; 1 15oz can red kidney beans, undrained; 1 cup hot enchilada sauce; 1 cup green enchilada sauce; Optional: sour cream, guacamole, and salsa for topping

Sesame Honey Chicken

March 26, 2014 By Alex Masica 4 Comments

YUM.

That’s what I have to say about this sesame honey chicken.

I bought some sesame seeds for a different recipe about three weeks ago but never ended up making it. And ever since, the sesame seeds have just been glaring at me every time I open the cupboard door. So I finally gave in.

There are a couple of ways to make this recipe—breading or no breading. I made it both ways and like them equally. The breading adds a richness but the unbreaded is obviously a little healthier and lighter. Try both and see what you think.

Sesame Honey Chicken

Ingredients

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3/4 cup cornstarch (optional, for breading)
3 eggs, beaten (optional, for breading)
1/4 cup canola oil or olive oil
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup soy sauce
3/4 cup ketchup
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3–1/2 cup apple cider vinegar (depending on your preferences)
1 t sesame oil
1 t minced garlic
Optional: sesame seeds, for garnish

Steps

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Chop chicken breasts into bite-size pieces. I went with about 1/2-inch pieces. If you go with the unbreaded option, make your pieces a little bit larger.
Optional, for breading (Skip to #3 for no breading):In separate bowls, place cornstarch and eggs. Dip chicken into cornstarch and then in the eggs. Alternative method: place cornstarch, eggs, and chicken in a gallon-size plastic bag. Shake and mix for two minutes to evenly coat. (See note at bottom)
Heat canola or olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook chicken until browned (they do not need to be fully cooked). Place the chicken in a 9×13 greased baking dish.
In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine honey, soy sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, sesame oil, and garlic.
Pour over chicken and bake for one hour or until chicken is cooked through and sauce has just started to crisp around the edges of the baking dish, stirring every 15 minutes.
Top with sesame seeds and serve with brown rice and a vegetable of choice (I used broccoli).
Note: if you use the plastic bag option to bread the chicken, remove chicken pieces individually with a small spoon and place in the skillet. Do not pour the entire contents into the skillet, as clumps of cornstarch will form and cook with the chicken. This makes it hard to tell the difference between pieces of chicken and cornstarch after removing from the oven.

http://betterwithfamily.com/2014/03/26/sesame-honey-chicken/

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Salted Caramel Turtle Bites

March 24, 2014 By Alex Masica 2 Comments

Let me fill you in on a little secret—I have a huge sweet tooth. OK, so maybe that’s not such a secret.

I didn’t always used to be like this. As a kid, I was like any other kid and downed just about anything with sugar I could get my hands on. But once high school hit, I really tamed down on the sweets.

In the last couple of years, I’ve had more cravings for sweet and salty combinations. If you follow me on Pinterest, you know I’m all about salted caramel anything. I’ve done salted caramel apple dippers, candy canes, cake, cupcakes, muffins—you name something with salted caramel in front of it, I’ve probably tried it.

But one thing I never thought to try were salted caramel turtle bites. And on my drive home this weekend from picking up my new car (!!!), the idea came to me.

I deliberately made these in way where I couldn’t eat them all at once. Instead of making a few, large candies, I made them bite size so I could make a lot of them and then share them at work. I’ve eaten a few (OK, maybe, like, eight) and the rest are in a big baggie ready to go to work with me tomorrow.

I hope you enjoy these. They’re really easy to make. From start to finish, I think I had these done in about 25 minutes. You’ll notice I have a few turtle bites that have white chocolate. That may or may not be because I burnt some of the milk chocolate. Oops!

Salted Caramel Turtle Bites

Ingredients

Mini pretzels (I used Old Dutch fat free thins)
Individually-wrapped caramel squares, unwrapped
Kosher salt
Pecan halves
16oz milk chocolate chips

Steps

Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Lay mini pretzels in rows on parchment paper, leaving about an inch in between each.
Place a caramel square on top of each pretzel. Place baking sheets in oven for about six minutes, or until the caramels have have softened but are not melting. Remove from oven.
Sprinkle the top of each caramel with a pinch kosher salt.
Place a pecan half on each caramel and press until the caramel has filled the pretzel holes but has not overflowed. Let caramel cool completely. You can expedite this process by placing baking sheets in the freezer or fridge for about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, melt the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl, heating for 20 seconds and then stirring until soft and runny.
When caramels are cooled, remove from baking sheet. Spoon about 1 teaspoon of melted chocolate onto the parchment paper, followed by a pinch of salt. Place a pretzel on top and press gently. Repeat until all pretzels have been used.
Let cool completely. Again, you can expedite this process by placing the baking sheets in a freezer or fridge. But be careful—caramel will be too firm to chew when you initially remove from the cold if using this method.

http://betterwithfamily.com/2014/03/24/salted-caramel-turtle-bites/

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Grape Quinoa Chicken Salad

March 23, 2014 By Alex Masica 4 Comments

If you couldn’t tell, I’ve been on a Mexican kick recently. From the enchiladas and burritos to the chicken tortilla soup, it was time to mix things up a bit.

Even though there’s still a little snow on the ground, the temperatures have been (slowly) rising and I’m getting more and more excited to spend more time outside, put away the winter coats, and wear sandals.

And what better way to get in the mood than with a salad. I think salads are the best meal during the spring and summer because they’re light and colorful but still filling when packed with the right ingredients.

Let me tell you—this grape quinoa chicken salad is delicious. I got the idea when I wondered what grapes and honey mustard dressing would taste like together. A weird combination, I know, but the result is divine. Honey mustard is one of those dressings that is either really, really good or really, really bad. I found a light dressing to use made by a local company and I’m hooked.

Grape Quinoa Chicken Salad

10 minutes

1 Serving

Try this tasty salad that's perfect for spring and summer. It's loaded with color from the grapes, carrot, quinoa, cucumber, and honey mustard dressing!

Ingredients

Chopped romaine lettuce
1 handful red grapes
1 carrot, shaved
1/3 cucumber, quartered
1/2 cup cooked quinoa
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, cooked and chopped
Light honey mustard dressing

Steps

Place all ingredients in a large bowl and toss to combine with tongs or salad spoons. Place in a salad bowl and enjoy!

http://betterwithfamily.com/2014/03/23/grape-quinoa-chicken-salad/

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Healthy Enchilada Bake

March 16, 2014 By Alex Masica 1 Comment

OK, I admit it—I’m in love with Mexican food. As if you couldn’t tell from my recent recipes, any day is a good day for salsa, cheese, tortillas, and spice in my book.

The problem, however, is that it can sometimes be tough to make Mexican food healthy. By the time you add cheeses, sauces, fryers, creams, and everything else, it’s not hard to make your favorite Mexican dish into a calorie buster.

Making adjustments isn’t hard—it just takes a little creativity. That’s when I came across a recipe for a healthy Mexican casserole recently, I knew I had to try it out and put my own spin on it.

What I love about this enchilada bake is that it’s packed with great, natural flavors and a lot of protein. So even though the food is tasting great and a small portion is filling, you’re not consuming tons and tons of unnecessary calories, fat, carbs, and sugar.

With the exception of the orange pepper, you probably have all (or most) of the ingredients already in your kitchen. And this enchilada bake couldn’t be more easy to put together. After you’re done dry pan frying (is that a real term?) the vegetables, the only steps left are to layer the ingredients in a baking dish.

Healthy Enchilada Bake

Prep 15 minutes

Cook 23 minutes

Total 38 minutes

Servings 8 people

This lightened-up Mexican classic feeds a crowd and is light on the waistline. It's quick to prepare and even quicker to bake. Try it out tonight!

Ingredients

2 green bell peppers
1 red bell pepper
1 orange bell pepper
1 red onion
1 cup corn
3 teaspoons chili powder
2 tablespoons cumin
2 tablespoons red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons cajun seasoning
2 cups Mexican blend cheese
20 corn tortillas
1 can refried beans
1 15oz can red kidney beans, undrained
1 cup hot enchilada sauce
1 cup green enchilada sauce
Optional: sour cream, guacamole, and salsa for topping

Instructions

Chop peppers and dice onion.
Using a nonstick pan on high heat, fry the corn until smoky and slightly burnt, about three minutes.
Fry the peppers until slightly burnt, about four minutes. (Note: if you have a small pan, fry the peppers in two batches)
Fry the onion until soft and slightly burnt, about four minutes.
Mix all vegetables together in a large bowl. Toss with chili powder, cumin, red pepper flakes, and cajun seasoning. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Mix refried beans and kidney beans together in a medium bowl.
Mix enchilada sauces together in a medium bowl.
Grease a deep 9×13 baking dish. Coat the bottom with about 1/4 cup enchilada sauce.
Layer the pan in the following order: half of the tortillas, all of the beans, half of the vegetables, half of the sauce, half of the cheese. Repeat with remaining tortillas, vegetables, sauce, and cheese.
Cover with tin foil and bake on second-to-top rack for 23 minutes or until cheese is melted. Rotate baking dish once during baking.

Courses Dinner

Cuisine Mexican

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Adapted from Pinch of Yum.

Roasted Vegetable & Chicken Burrito

March 1, 2014 By Alex Masica Leave a Comment

Last week, I came down with a nasty cold. It started with a scratchy throat and then lead to an achy body and a loss of appetite. After about five days of living in the La-Z-Boy and watching Modern Family and Scandal, I was back to normal.

I was excited to get back to eating more than toast, but I didn’t want to fall of wagon and go hog wild and eat all the things. What I came up with was a roasted vegetable and chicken burrito.

What I like about it is how versatile the recipe is—use what you like and replace the things you don’t like or don’t have on hand. Also, it’s a fairly healthy recipe that will leave you full without feeling guilty. I used traditional flour burrito tortillas for my shell but you can experiment and use alternatives, like whole wheat or spinach tortillas. Next time, I’m going to try these as tacos.

Because I was trying to keep the recipe light, I opted out of using rice but I think next time I’ll try making some brown or jasmine rice. Not only does it add great flavor but it also gives you a little more bang for your buck.

Roasted Vegetable & Chicken Burrito

About 8 Burritos

This roasted vegetable & chicken burrito is a healthy, light take on the classic Mexican burrito. Add in your favorite vegetables for your perfect burrito!

Ingredients

1 head broccoli
1 head cauliflower
1 large carrot
1 sweet onion
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 15.5-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 15-ounce can whole kernel corn, drained and rinsed
2 cups shredded Mexican cheese (5 to 6 ounces)
3 cups salsa of choice (I used Chi-Chi’s original medium salsa)
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and chopped or shredded
8 large burrito-sized tortillas
Optional: sour cream, cooked rice

Steps

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Chop the broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots into bite-sized pieces (the smaller and finer the better). Chop the onion into quarters.
Assemble the vegetables in a single layer on the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.
Bake vegetables for 15–20 minutes or until tender and dark spots appear. Stir vegetables twice during baking.
While vegetables are baking, mix corn and black beans together and create an assembly line with the rest of ingredients.
Remove vegetables from oven and chop onion into small pieces. In a large bowl, toss vegetables with chili powder, cayenne pepper, and black pepper.
Place tortillas in microwave for 10–15 seconds to soften. Then, assemble burritos with the roasted vegetables, corn and black beans, chicken, salsa, and cheese. Use no more than 1 1/2 cups of filling per burrito. Roll burrito and enjoy!

http://betterwithfamily.com/2014/03/01/roasted-vegetable-chicken-burrito/

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Chicken Tortilla Soup

February 23, 2014 By Alex Masica 2 Comments

I have to admit, I’m not really a soup person and I’m not sure why. It might have to do with the fact that I ate beef stew A LOT as a kid, and I never liked it. Or it might be the numerous soups I’ve tried over the years that didn’t taste good (or tasted like hot water), didn’t fill me up, or just didn’t look appetizing.

But it’s been cold in Minneapolis recently (read: ever since I moved here). And making a hot meal every night after work becomes time consuming and tiresome. So I decided to revisit the soup idea. I’m a huge fan of pretty much any Mexican food, so I thought that was a good place to start exploring ideas for soup. And what I came up with was chicken tortilla soup.

What I like about this soup is that is fills me up after one bowl from its heartiness, yet it’s not full of added calories or fats. It has a little kick to it (and you can adjust the spiciness to your liking), and it doesn’t really remind me of soup due to its Mexican flavor. I feel like I’m eating an enchilada.

So get out the soup pot and light up the stove, because you’re making chicken tortilla soup for dinner tonight!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

About Six Servings

Chicken tortilla soup is hearty, fresh, healthy, and tastes great. Find out how to make this tasty soup with ingredients you already have in your kitchen.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons of butter (or substitute 3 tablespoons of olive oil)
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 sweet onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 14-ounce cans chicken broth (only use 1.5 or 2 cans if you like your soup thicker)
1 quart fat free half-and-half
1 10.75-ounce can cream of chicken soup
2 cups salsa (I used Chi-Chi’s medium chunky salsa)
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
1 15-ounce can each of: kidney beans, black beans, corn, all drained
2 teaspoons cumin
1 packet (~1.27oz) fajita seasoning
4 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, grated
4 ounces sharp Cheddar cheese, grated
Tortilla chips (I used Tostinos fajita scoops)

Steps

1. Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat.
2. Add the garlic and onion. Sauté until soft and fragrant (about seven minutes).
3. Add the flour and stir well. Let this cook for at least one minute.
4. Add the chicken broth and half-and-half.
5. Bring to a boil on medium-high heat, then reduce heat to low.
6. Add cream of chicken soup, salsa, chicken, beans, corn, cumin, fajita seasoning, and cheese.
7. Continue to simmer over low heat for at least 15 minutes.
8. When serving, crumble tortilla chips on top of soup. Serve with extra cheese and sour cream, optional.

http://betterwithfamily.com/2014/02/23/chicken-tortilla-soup/

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