Tasty Tuesday! Another Fabulous Slow cooker Recipe!

I have tried this recipe many times and made it on the stove top and in the oven.  This is the first time I have tried it in the slow cooker and I must say, it was delicious and easy!  I hope you enjoy this as much as I did.

Coq au Vin 

6             medium carrots cut into ½ inch chunks

8             oz sliced baby bella mushrooms

2             dried bay leaves

¼            cup all purpose flour

½            tsp dried thyme

8             bone in chicken thighs – skin removed

1             tbs plus 1 tsp olive oil

3             tbs tomato paste

2             cups dry red wine

8             oz peeled pearl onions (about 1 ¾ cups)

4             cups baby arugula – for serving

Combine carrots, mushroom slices and bay leaves in the slow cooker. 

In large bowl combine flour and thyme.  Season chicken with salt and pepper.  Add chicken to bowl with flour mixture and toss until evenly coated. 

In large skillet heat tsp oil over med – high heat.  Add half of chicken and cook, turning once until brown.  About 3 o4 minutes per side.  Repeat with other half and transfer chicken to slow cooker. 

Add tomato paste and wine to skillet and cook, stirring and scraping browned bits.  Boil for one minute and pour over chicken in slow cooker.  Cover and cook on low for 3 to 5 hours until meat is tender.

Serving Size 1 thigh, ½ up cook veggies and ¼ cup of sauce – 327 calories, 9 g fat, 2g fiber, 35g protein, 

14 g carb

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Tasty Tuesday! Chicken Breast with shaved Brussels Sprouts

Chicken Breast with shaved Brussels Sprouts

2 – 8 oz boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

¾ tsp kosher salt, divided

2 broccoli stems

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

¼ tsp fresh pepper

3 cups thinly sliced Brussels sprouts (about 12 medium)

2 celery stalks, thinly sliced

¼ cup toasted hazelnuts

¼ cup fresh, flat leaf parsley – coarsely chopped

1 oz Parmesan cheese – coarsely grated

 

Place chicken and ½ tsp salt in small saucepan and cover with water; bring to boil.  Immediately remove from heat, cover and let stand 15 minutes.  Drain chicken and run under cold water.  Cool completely; set aside.  Using a fork, shred into bite-sized pieces.

 

Use a Vegetable peeler to remove outer layer of broccoli stems and discard.  Continue peeling stems into long strips.  In large bowl, whisk together oil, lemon juice and 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper.  Add broccoli strips, brussels sprouts, celery, hazelnuts, parsley and reserved chicken to bowl with dressing and toss.  Divide into 4 shallow bowls.  Top with cheese.

 

Serving size – 1/2 cup slaw and 4 ounces chicken

Calories 309, Fat 17g, Protein 31g, Carbs 10g, Sugar 3g, Fiber 4g. 

 

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Select the Right Proteins

Compare the following Proteins
6 oz porterhouse – 38g protein, 44 g fat, 16g saturated fat

6 oz salmon – 34 g protein, 4 g saturated fat, 18g good fat

1 cup lentils – 34g protein, <1g fat, high in fiber, vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals

Pick protein by the least amount of feet – fish, poultry, then 4 legged animals.

Fish – good food for the heart and the brain
       – protects arteries and blood pressure
       – protects against brain infarcts
       – predictors of stroke and dementia
       – fish provides DHA which has been shown to ward off Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia

Poultry – protein with a punch 
            -- chicken and turkey have never been directly associated with chronic diseases 
            -- provide an abundance of nutritional goodness 
            -- poultry is largely devoid of saturated fats

Eggs – high quality, low fat protein
         --Prepare them boiled or poached
         --Microwave them too

Wild Game – Deer, antelope, moose, duck, goose, pheasant, turkey, quail and dove are great high quality lean proteins. Wild animals are free of antibiotics and hormones but are plentiful in omega 3 fats. 

Can you get too much protein?  Over the short term – not a problem.  But over a long duration, the acid released in the blood after consuming protein needs calcium to be neutralized or buffered.  If there is not sufficient calcium in the bloodstream, it is taken directly from the bones.  The calcium acid waste is secreted by the kidneys.  A long time high protein diet can predispose to osteoporosis.  The kidneys could also be overtaxed. 

Red meat contains -- a lot of saturated fat
                               – certain chemicals that are pro-inflammatory fatty acid
                               -- a lot of omega-6 fatty acids 
                               -- minimal omega-3 fatty acids

Portion control – Limit what you eat to what fits in your two hands cupped together – with the exception of fruits and veggies.

PLAN OF ACTION-- Select the right proteins

1. ALWAYS CONSUME THE HEALTHY PROTEINS –

·         Fish, shellfish, poultry, beans and legumes, nuts, seeds, whole soy foods, wild game, omega-3 fortified eggs and low-fat / skim dairy

·         Strive for 3 servings of fish / week.  Oily fish is best (salmon, tuna, mackerel, sardines, herring and lake trout).  Avoid shark, marlin, king mackerel, tile fish and swordfish due to toxins 

·         Consume omega-3 eggs as desired

·         For optimal appetite control, be sure to include healthy proteins at each meal

2. STRIVE TO EAT MORE VEGETABLE PROTEIN

·         Vegetable proteins guard and protect your health in ways that animal based proteins cannot

·         Beans and legumes, nuts, seeds, nut and seed butters and whole soy foods are excellent sources of vegetable based proteins

·         Beef, pork, lamb and whole dairy should be avoided and limited

3. LIMIT UNHEALTHY PROTEINS

·         Limit red meat to 2 servings per week.  Choose lean cuts when you do eat these foods

·         Limit or eliminate whole dairy products

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Ideas for a Rotisserie Chicken or Turkey Breast

These meals can be prepared in less than 7 minutes!  Pick up a grocery store rotisserie chicken or turkey breast and proceed!


Slice the breast as desired.  Heat up two 3-oz packages of Uncle Ben's Ready Chicken Whole Grain Rice according to microwave instructions.  Heat a can of crowder or field peas and serve it over rice.

Wilt three - 9 oz bags or washed, fresh, baby spinach leaves (organic if you can).  Toss with1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, 1/2 cup of feta cheese crumbles and the juice of one lemon.  Serve as side salad or for another meal topped with the left over chicken.

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Food Safety

Who is responsible for food safety oversight in the United States?  There are many agencies involved, but the job is mostly split among three:  the U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) regulates meat products; the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) oversees produce and seafood; and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP) monitors and controls outbreaks of food-borne illnesses.

RISK AT HOME – Last year a study found that 83% of fresh, whole broiler chickens purchased throughout the U.S. were contaminated with Campylobacter or Salmonella.  This is up significantly from 49% in 2003.  It did not matter if the chickens were organic or not.

Despite numerous recent domestic-produce contamination “outbreaks,” the industry is still mostly unregulated.  In the wake of 14 outbreaks linked to lettuce and tomatoes in 2004, the FDA sent letters to firms that grow, pack or ship these implicated products and asked them to “review their current operations.”  However, the FDA lacks the authority to mandate changes.

MOST COMMONLY CONTAMINATED FOODS – During the study period from 1990 – 2004, the number of people infected by different foods are as follows:

Greens-based salad                 7,555
Turkey                                     5,832
Chicken                                    3,979
Ground beef                            3,425
Shellfish                                   3,399
Berries                                     3,330
Tomatoes                                2,852

HOW TO KEEP YOUR FOOD SAFE – Here are few ways to safeguard against food-borne contamination:
·        Check produce for bruises, as these can be a sign of a brewing infection.
·        Look for a “sell by date” for breads and baked goods, a “use by date” on packaged foods and an “expiration date” on yeast and baking powder.
·        Look for a “pack date” on canned goods.  Canned foods are good for a year after the pack date, whereas frozen foods are best used within a few months of the pack date.
·        Ensure packaged goods are not torn and cans are not cracked or bulging.
·        Keep fish and poultry apart from other foods by wrapping in plastic and placing in separate bags.
·        Make sure all perishable items are refrigerated within 2 hours of purchase.

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Chicken Pepian

This is from the food network's Healthy Appetite with Ellie Krieger.  I made some changes because I could not find pumpkin seeds and I added my own flair!

Ingredients:

1 pound fresh tomatillos

1 large poblano pepper (about 2 1/2 to 3 ounces), seeded and cut into 4 pieces

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup raw pistachio nuts

1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds

fresh ground pepper

cumin powder

1 medium onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves, plus 1/4 cup for garnish

1 cup low-sodium chicken broth

1 medium (2-inch) jalapeno pepper, seeded and roughly chopped

1/2 teaspoon salt4 (6-ounce) boneless skinless chicken breast halves, pounded to 1/2-inch thickness

Lime wedges

Directions:  Preheat the broiler. Remove papery outer layer from tomatillos then rinse them in warm water to remove some of their natural stickiness. Pat dry, then cut into quarters. Toss tomatillos and poblano with 2 teaspoons of the oil, place on a baking sheet and broil until charred, about 10 minutes.

Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add nuts and seeds, and cumin and toast until seeds are fragrant, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate. In same sauté pan, heat 2 teaspoons oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes, add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.  Remove from heat and add pepper and cumin.

Place tomatillos, poblano, onions and garlic, cilantro, chicken broth, jalapeno, toasted seeds and spices and salt in a blender and blend on high until totally smooth, about 30 seconds.

Heat the remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil in skillet and cook the chicken until browned on both sides and nearly cooked through, about 5 minutes per side.  Add pepian sauce to skillet, covering chicken pieces. Bring to a simmer and cook an additional 3 to 5 minutes, until chicken is cooked through.  Serve chicken topped with sauce and garnished with cilantro and lime wedges.

Per Serving(1 serving equals 1 chicken breast and 2/3 cup sauce)Calories 440; Total Fat 23 g; (Sat Fat 4 g, Mono Fat 6.5 g, Poly Fat 2.5 g) ; Protein 43 g; Carb 15 g; Fiber 4 g; Cholesterol 95 mg; Sodium 400 mg.  Excellent source of: Protein, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Iron, Phosphorus, Potassium, Selenium.  Good source of: Fiber, Vitamin A, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Pantothenic Acid, Copper, Magnesium, Manganese, Zinc

 

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Bahamian-Spiced Chicken with Yogurt -Cilantro Sauce

Another good one from Bobby Flay

you can omit the habanero pepper to make this less spicy.

3/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (you can by the fresh lime and lemon juice already juiced in the fish section of the grocery!)

2 tbsp light brown sugar

2 tbsp grated fresh ginger

1 tbsp ancho chile powder

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp allspice

1 tsp minced seed habanero - or jalapeno

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 1/2 cup plain reduced fat greek yogurt (not fat free but reduced fat)

2 shallots sliced thinly

3 tbs cilantro leaves finely chopped

1 garlic clove finely chopped

zest of one lime

1/4 tsp salt

freshly ground pepper to taste

1 tsp canola oil

Combine juices and next 7 ingredients in a medium baking dish and whisk well.  Add chicken breasts, turning to coat.  Cover and refrigerate from 1 to 4 hours.

While chicken is marinating, combine yogurt and next six ingredients (down to pepper) in a small bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Heat a grill or grill pan or nonstick pan over medium high heat.  Remove chicken from marinade and pat dry.  Brush chicken with oil on both sides.  Cook until golden on both side, about 4.5 minutes.  Serve with sauce.

 

 

 

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