Sauteed Brussels Sprouts

My family loves brussels sprouts.  Well, me, my husband and my 7 year old do.  My 4 year old doesn't like anything so we don't pay much attention to whether he will eat something or not!  Ahem.  Anyway, these sauteed brussels sprouts are a great accompaniment to any meat dish for which you need a quick, easy and yummy side.  I promise you will love them if you just give them a try!


2 T. extra virgin olive oil
2 lb. frozen brussels sprouts (Yes, frozen.  I promise it works in this application), thawed and cut in half
6 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and pepper

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Add brussels sprouts, garlic, salt and pepper (to taste) and saute 10-15 minutes until some of the brussels sprouts start to get caramelized.  Taste one to make sure they are seasoned just right and add more salt and pepper if necessary.  Enjoy!

To prep this dish ahead you could thaw brussels sprouts and cut them in half and mince the garlic.  Store them in the fridge until ready to saute.

Serves 6 (120 calories each serving) according to my calculator on loseit.com

Barbecue Sauce (Sugar Free!)

One of the things I love most in this world (well, besides my husband and kids) is barbecue!  Last year when my husband and I were doing our cleanse one of the things we craved was barbecue so I had to come up with a sugar free barbecue sauce.  Well, I think I did a pretty darn good job and I hope you do too!

2 8 oz. cans tomato sauce (no salt added)

2 T. spicy mustard

4 T. pineapple juice

1 1/2 t. chili powder

1 1/2 t. smoked paprika

1 t. garlic powder

2 t. onion powder

2 t. cumin

1 t. Bragg's liquid amino acids (or soy sauce)

1/2 t. salt (or more to taste)

2 T. apple cider vinegar

1 T. white vinegar

1 T. tomato paste

1/2 t. black pepper

1/2 t. crushed red pepper

2 T. applesauce (unsweetened)

Mix all ingredients together in a saucepan and simmer over low heat for 30-45 minutes.  Adjust salt and pepper to taste.

This can easily be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.

Makes about 2 cups (249 calories for entire recipe) according to my calculator on loseit.com

Wok Seared Chicken and Vegetables

I love Chinese, Indian and Thai food but the cleanse we are doing right now doesn't lend itself to those cuisines (no sugar, no soy, no coconut milk etc.) so when I found this recipe on eatingwell.com I got excited because it fulfills my want (need) of these types of food within my current dietary restrictions!  Hooray!  For a vegetarian option you could use tofu instead of chicken.  Serve with the rice of your choice (I used brown) but jasmine or basmati would be delicious.

Wok Seared Chicken and Vegetables (adapted from eatingwell.com)

2 t. ground coriander

1 t. ground cumin

1 t. fennel seeds

3/4 t. salt (plus more to taste)

1/2 t. ground turmeric

1 1/3 - 1 1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces

3 T. olive oil, divided

2 large carrots, cut into 1/4 inch thick slices

1 large green bell pepper (or yellow, or red) cut into 1 inch cubes (I used red)

1 small yellow onion, cut into 1/2" pieces

4 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1 jalapeno, seeded and diced

1 T. lime juice

1/2 c. firmly packed fresh mint leaves, finely chopped

Combine coriander, cumin, fennel seeds, salt and turmeric in a medium sized bowl.  Add chicken and stir until coated with the spice mixture.

Preheat a wok or large skillet over high heat.  Add 2 T. oil.  When the oil is shimmering, add carrots, bell pepper, onion, garlic and jalapeno and season with salt.  Cook, stirring, until the vegetables begin to brown, 4 to 6 minutes.  Transfer to a plate.

Reduce heat to medium high and add the remaining 1 T. oil to the pan.  Add the chicken and seasonings from the bowl and cook, stirring, until no longer pink in the middle, 5 to 7 minutes.  Stir in the vegetables, lime juice and mint and cook until heated through, about 30 seconds.

To make this recipe ahead you can make the entire thing as written above and store in individual containers for reheating later or do the following:

1.  Combine coriander, cumin, fennel seeds, salt and turmeric in a medium sized bowl.  Add chicken and stir until coated with the spice mixture.  Cover and refrigerate.
2.  Cut carrots, bell pepper, onion, garlic and jalapeno and place in a ziploc bag or a bowl with a lid and refrigerate.  
3.  Juice the lime and place in a small bowl with a lid and refrigerate.
4.  When you are ready to cook:  preheat a wok or large skillet over high heat.  Add 2 T. oil.  When the oil is shimmering, add the vegetables and season with salt.  Cook, stirring, until the vegetables begin to brown, 4 to 6 minutes.  Transfer to a plate.  Reduce heat to medium high and add the remaining 1 T. oil to the pan.  Add the chicken and seasonings from the bowl and cook, stirring, until no longer pink in the middle, 5 to 7 minutes.  Stir in the vegetables, lime juice and mint and cook until heated through, about 30 seconds.

Serves 4 (311 calories each serving excluding brown rice) according to my calculator on loseit.com

Broiled Salmon with Rosemary

As I said in my previous post regarding broiled asparagus, I REALLY like to broil!  This salmon recipe is perfect for broiling and the beautiful thing is, you can prepare the salmon ahead of time and just broil it when you're ready!  

Broiled Salmon with Rosemary (adapted from skinnytaste.com)

1 T. olive oil

1 T. freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 T. chopped fresh rosemary

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 lb. salmon (cut into 6 pieces)
Salt and Pepper

Combine the olive oil, lemon juice, rosemary and garlic in a small bowl.  Place fish on a greased baking sheet and brush mixture onto fish.  Season with salt and pepper.  Broil fish 4" from heat until the fish flakes easily when tested with a fork, approximately 4-6 minutes per 1/2" thickness.  If fish is more than 1" thick, gently turn it halfway through broiling.

Serves 6 (300 calories each serving) according to my calculator on loseit.com

Broiled Asparagus

One of my favorite ways to fix asparagus is to broil it.  Broiling is a quick and easy way of cooking and imparting flavor to meats and vegetables.  This recipe would be perfect for your Easter table!


2 bunches asparagus, woody ends trimmed off (I like to snap one piece where it naturally bends and then line up all the other pieces and trim them all up together but if you want to snap each piece individually, be my guest.)
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 T. extra virgin olive oil
*1/4 c. parmesan cheese (optional)

Place oven rack on top notch and preheat the broiler.  Line a heavy duty baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray.  Lay the asparagus on the baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper and toss to evenly distribute.  Broil for 5-7 minutes depending on the thickness of your asparagus.  You want to see some caramelization but you don't want the asparagus burned.  If more time is needed (for thicker asparagus spears) you may want to pull the pan out of the oven and toss the asparagus and continue to cook for 30 second to 1 minute intervals until the asparagus has reached the desired doneness.

*  If desired, sprinkle parmesan cheese on top and continue to broil for 30 to 45 more seconds until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Serves 6 (56 calories each serving) according to my calculator on loseit.com

Weeknight Bolognese

Need a quick, easy and impressive weeknight dinner for guests?  Here it is!  A super easy bolognese sauce with penne pasta.  Whip up a caesar salad, heat up some garlic bread and you have a delicious dinner in about 30 minutes!

Weeknight Bolognese (adapted from Ina Garten)

2 tablespoons good olive oil
1 pound lean ground sirloin (I used 96% lean)
4 teaspoons minced garlic (4 cloves)
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 1/4 cups dry red wine, divided (you can also use beef broth, if you prefer, although the flavor will not be the same)
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, preferably San Marzano
2 tablespoons tomato paste
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3/4 pound dried pasta, such as orecchiette or small shells (I used Ronzoni Smart Taste penne pasta)
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves, lightly packed
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large (12-inch) skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground sirloin and cook, crumbling the meat with a wooden spoon, for 5 to 7 minutes, until the meat has lost its pink color and has started to brown. Stir in the garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 more minute. Pour 1 cup of the wine into the skillet and stir to scrape up any browned bits. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper, stirring until combined. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil, add 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt and the pasta, and cook according to the directions on the box.

While the pasta cooks, finish the sauce. Add the nutmeg, basil, cream, and the remaining 1/4 cup wine to the sauce and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until thickened. When the pasta is cooked, drain and pour into a large serving bowl. Add the sauce and 1/2 cup Parmesan and toss well. Serve hot with Parmesan on the side.

Makes 6 servings (478 calories each serving) according to my calculator on loseit.com

Chipotle Style Rice

Oh Chipotle.  How I love thee.  That chicken, that salsa, that guacamole, that RICE!!!!  Pure deliciousness.  So, I've recreated the rice recipe for you to make at home!  It is so easy.  


2 c. instant brown rice
2 c. water
1 t. salt
Zest and juice of 1 lime
1/4-1/2 c. cilantro

Place rice, salt, water, lime zest and lime juice in a saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat.  Turn it down to a simmer and cover.  Allow to cook for 5 minutes.  At the end of the 5 minutes, turn the heat off and let the rice sit for 5 minutes covered.  Add cilantro and serve!  It is that easy and so good!

Serves 4 (152 calories each serving) according to my calculator on loseit.com

Taco Seasoning

Have you ever read the back of the packet of taco seasoning you picked up at the store?  I picked up one recently that contained whole wheat flour, sugar, lactose and "natural flavor."  Really?  What the heck is "natural flavor" anyway?  That just doesn't sound, well, natural.  So, I give you a recipe for taco seasoning that really IS natural.  You can throw it together in minutes and the good news is you can double or triple it and keep it on hand for a quick, easy taco fix anytime!  

Taco Seasoning (allrecipes.com)

1 T. chili powder

1/4 t. garlic powder

1/4 t. onion powder

1/4 t. crushed red pepper

1/4 t. dried oregano

1/2 t. paprika

1 1/2 t. ground cumin

1 t. sea salt

1 t. black pepper

This makes enough taco seasoning for 1 to 1 1/2 lb. ground meat (I use turkey) depending on how spicy you like your taco meat.

No calories here!  :)

(Chocolate) Coconut Macaroons

I LOVE chocolate.  In fact, dessert is almost not dessert unless there's some chocolate in it.  So, I made coconut macaroons with mini chocolate chips!  They are so yummy and easy to make.  If you don't want chocolate and prefer a more traditional macaroon (although, I'm not sure why you would) knock yourself out.

(Chocolate) Coconut Macaroons (adapted from Ina Garten)

14 oz. sweetened shredded coconut
14 oz. sweetened condensed milk
1 t. vanilla extract
1 c. mini chocolate chips (if desired)
2 large egg whites
1/8 t. salt

Preheat oven to 325.  Combine the coconut, condensed milk, vanilla and chocolate chips (if desired) in a large bowl.  Whip the egg whites and salt on high speed in the bowl of an electric mixer with a whisk attachment until they make medium firm peaks (I used my hand mixer and it worked just fine.)  Carefully fold egg whites into the coconut mixture.

Drop the batter onto GREASED sheet pans (you will not be able to get them off of the pan if it's not greased) using a 1 3/4" diameter ice cream scoop, or 2 teaspoons.  Bake for 25-30 minutes (mine were perfect in 25 minutes) until golden brown.  Cool and serve.

Makes 28 cookies (128 calories each) according to my calculator on loseit.com

Brown Sugar Blondies

For those that know me it comes as no surprise when I say I hate to bake.  I hate the measuring and the mess and the TIME it takes to plop out each individual cookie and wait for each individual pan to bake (because if I'm gonna bake, I'm gonna bake the cookies one pan at a time so they come out just right.)  So.....when I came across this recipe for brown sugar blondies that (to me) taste better than chocolate chip (individually dropped, full of hassle, time suck) cookies <AHEM> I couldn't resist trying them.  I will NEVER make chocolate chip cookies the old fashioned way again.  For this post I made them with Easter colored M&Ms but you could use regular old chocolate chips too.  Enjoy!

Brown Sugar Blondies (adapted from therecipecritic.com)

1 c. white whole wheat flour (could use all purpose too)
1/2 t. baking powder
1/8 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1/3 c. butter
1 c. packed brown sugar
1 large egg
1 T. vanilla extract
1 to 1 1/3 c. M&Ms (or chocolate chips)

Preheat oven to 350.  In a large bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Set aside

Melt 1/3 c. butter.  Cool slightly.  In a separate bowl, add the butter to the brown sugar and mix well.  Add the egg and vanilla and mix well.

Add the flour mixture and mix well.  Mix in 2/3 c. M&Ms (or chocolate chips.)  Spread in a greased 9X9X2 inch pan.  Sprinkle remaining M&Ms (or chocolate chips) on the top.

Bake for 20-25 minutes until lightly browned on top.  Cool and cut into 12 squares (unlike what I did here which was cut the cookies while they were still warm because I couldn't wait to show them to you!)

*This recipe can easily be doubled and made in a 9X13 pan.

Serves 12 (230 calories each serving) according to my calculator on loseit.com

Mini Cheesecakes

Mini cheesecakes are the perfect dessert.  At around 50 calories a piece you can have one or two and walk away (almost) totally guilt free.  Here are two recipes from skinnytaste.com that I made for a dear friend's wedding shower last June.  Each recipe makes 24 mini cheesecakes.  If you do not have mini muffin cups you can use a full sized muffin pan and make 12.  What a great dessert to bring to your Easter celebrations!  Enjoy!

Mini Strawberry Swirl Cheesecakes (adapted from skinnytaste.com)

mini muffin cup liners
1/2 c. crushed graham cracker crumbs
1 T. unsalted butter, softened
8 oz. reduced fat cream cheese, softened (not fat free)
1/4 c. sugar
1/2 t. vanilla extract
6 oz. fat-free vanilla Greek yogurt
2 large egg whites
2 T. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 T. all purpose flour
1/4 c. strawberry jam (I used the all fruit variety)

Heat oven to 350.  Line a mini muffin pan with cupcake liners and set aside.

Mix together graham cracker crumbs and butter with a fork until evenly moistened.  Press 1 teaspoon of cracker crumb mixture into each mini muffin cup.

Gently beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth using an electric mixer.  Gradually beat in yogurt, egg whites, lemon juice and flour.  Do not over beat.  Distribute evenly among the mini muffin cups.

Stir jam until smooth.  Drop 1/2 teaspoon of jam into each mini muffin cup and swirl gently with a knife to create a marble effect.

Bake 10-12 minutes or until center is almost set.  Cool to room temperature.  Chill a few hours in the refrigerator.

Makes 24 (63 calories each) according to my calculator on loseit.com

Mini Lemon Cheesecakes (adapted from skinnytaste.com)

mini muffin cup liners
1/2 c. crushed graham cracker crumbs

1 T. unsalted butter, softened 

8 oz. reduced fat cream cheese, softened (not fat free)
1/4 c. sugar
1 t. vanilla extract
6 oz. fat-free vanilla Greek yogurt
2 large egg whites
1 T. lemon zest
3 T. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 T. all purpose flour
24 blackberries

Heat oven to 350.  Line a mini muffin pan with cupcake liners and set aside.

Mix together graham cracker crumbs and butter with a fork until evenly moistened.  Press 1 teaspoon of cracker crumb mixture into each mini muffin cup.  

Gently beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth using an electric mixer.  Gradually beat in yogurt, egg whites, lemon zest, lemon juice and flour.  Do not over beat.  Distribute evenly among the mini muffin cups.

Bake 10-12 minutes or until center is almost set.  Cool to room temperature then top each cheesecake with blackberries (one each for mini cheesecakes and two each for regular sized muffin pan cheesecakes.)  Chill a few hours in the refrigerator. 

Makes 24 (59 calories each) according to my calculator on loseit.com

Tomato Vinaigrette

I am always looking for a quick, easy and DIFFERENT vinaigrette for my salads.  Here is one that will not disappoint!  And, it's low cal too!  Two thumbs up!

Tomato Vinaigrette (adapted from skinnytaste.com)

1 medium tomato, cut in quarters

1 clove garlic, crushed

3 T. freshly squeezed lemon juice (I beg you to squeeze your own lemons.  Just do it once and you'll be hooked.)

3 T. extra virgin olive oil

1 T. water

1/2 t. dried oregano

Salt and pepper to taste (Remember, this is the only seasoning the salad will get)

1 T. minced shallot (or yellow onion or, in a pinch, about 1/2 t. onion powder)

Put all ingredients in the food processor and pulse until smooth.  If you make this ahead and let it sit in the fridge it may separate.  Just shake it up and proceed!

I am putting this over a salad with romaine lettuce, roasted chicken, diced carrot, diced celery, sliced radish, roasted cherry tomatoes and diced cucumber for lunch today.  If you want you could add a little blue cheese and nuts of your choice too.  Delicious!

Makes about 1 cup depending on the size of your tomato (415 calories for the entire recipe) according to my calculator on loseit.com

Chicken with Turkey Kielbasa Sausage

My husband and I are currently doing a 16 week candida (yeast) cleanse so we are very restricted on what we can eat.  One of the things we can't have right now is pork and, well, for this sausage lovin' girl that doesn't work out too well!  Enter Trader Joe's.  After searching other grocery stores (which will remain nameless) I found a turkey kielbasa that would work for us!  No cheese, no pork, no sugar etc.  So.....I could make this delicious recipe from skinnytaste.com that actually calls for andouille sausage (my stinking favorite sausage, by the way.)  I decided I could <kinda> achieve the same result by using kielbasa and adding a little crushed red pepper to spice things up.  A little nod to New Orleans, coming your way.  I think it worked and I hope you do too!  Of course, please feel free to use any sausage you choose and make it as spicy (or not) as you'd like!

Chicken with Turkey Kielbasa Sausage (adapted from skinnytaste.com)

8 bone-in, skin off chicken thighs

Salt and pepper

1 c. chopped onion

1 chopped green bell pepper

1/4 c. chopped celery

1 c. chicken broth

6 oz. turkey kielbasa, sliced 

1 bay leaf

1/2 t. crushed red pepper
1/4 c. chopped green onion

Place chicken pieces in slow cooker and season with salt and pepper.  Place onion, green pepper and celery on top and season with salt and pepper.  Pour in chicken broth.  Add kielbasa, bay leaf and crushed red pepper and cook for 3-4 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low.  Garnish with green onion.  Serve with brown rice.

Serves 4 (297 calories each serving excluding brown rice) according to my calculator on loseit.com

Pineapple 101

A dear friend of mine said, "Hey Shel, why don't you do some posts about kitchen basics.  You know, like, how to cut a pineapple or make a good (easy) vinaigrette."  I am more than happy to oblige.  Today, I give you, the pineapple.

Step 1:  Lay the pineapple on it's side on a cutting board.  (This step is not shown here but I am <hoping> that you won't try to cut the ends off of a pineapple that is standing up.)  :)

Step 2.  Cut off both ends and discard.

Step 3.  Now cut off the skin, turning the pineapple as you go.  Make sure to get as much of the brown part off as you can without losing too much of the precious pineapple.

 Step 4.  All clean!

 Step 5.  Now cut the pineapple down the center (and please excuse the gruesome Freddy Krueger picture.  It was just me and my camera today.  :)

 Step 6.  That's better.

 Step 7.  Now lay the two pieces flat and cut them in half lengthwise.

 Step 8.  Again with the horror flick.  Sorry.  Cut into the pineapple on an angle to remove the core which runs the entire length of the fruit.  Be careful.  It's slippery!

Step 9.  Now cut the piece into 4 strips (and repeat with remaining pieces.)

Step 10.  Cut the strips into bite sized chunks and there you have it!  Pineapple!  All ready to eat!

Turkey, Kale and Brown Rice Soup

Stay with me.  I know it sounds weird.  Turkey, kale and brown rice?  Seriously?  Yes!  It is delicious, healthy and EASY!  And, where I live, it's supposed to snow 7-10" this weekend.  On spring break?  Oh yes.  I love the midwest.  Now go to the store and buy stuff for this soup so you can stay warm this weekend.  Don't forget the hot chocolate!

Turkey, Kale and Brown Rice Soup (adapted from Giada DeLaurentiis)

2 T. extra-virgin olive oil

5 to 6 large shallots, diced (or, if you feel less fancy, a yellow onion will do too.)

3 medium carrots, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 1 1/3 cups)

1 large red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 1 1/2 cups)

8 ounces ground white turkey meat, broken into small chunks

1 T. herbes de Provence (or Italian seasoning)

4 cups low-sodium chicken broth, plus more as needed 

15 oz. diced plum tomatoes (canned works too)

1 c. cooked brown rice

1 small bunch kale, coarsely chopped (about 4 packed cups)

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper

1/4 c. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the shallots (or yellow onion), carrots and bell pepper and saute, stirring frequently, until the vegetables begin to brown and soften slightly, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the ground turkey and stir until the meat turns white and begins to color very slightly around the edges, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the herbes de Provence (or Italian seasoning) and stir, 1 minute. Add chicken broth, tomatoes and rice. Bring to a boil. Stir in the kale and season with 3/4 teaspoon salt and the freshly ground black pepper. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.  Add parsley and season with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt or more to taste.

Serves 4 (270 calories each serving) according to my calculator on loseit.com

It is time

Well, friends, many have told me that I should start a cooking blog so, here we go!  I will share simple, delicious and (mostly) healthy recipes that I make and that you can make too.  It's not hard, I promise!  Today, a recipe for Braised Tarragon Chicken which I have adapted from williams-sonoma.com:

Braised Tarragon Chicken (adapted from williams-sonoma.com)

8 chicken thighs, bone in, skin off

Salt and pepper to taste

1 1/2 t. olive oil

3 large leeks, sliced and rinsed

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 c. chicken broth

2 T. dried tarragon

1/4 c. chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

1 T. fresh lemon juice

6 carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch lengths

Season chicken thighs on both sides with salt and pepper.  Heat oil in a large saute pan and brown chicken thighs, in batches if necessary.  Place chicken thighs in slow cooker.  To the same pan add the leeks and garlic and saute for 4 minutes.  Add chicken broth to release pan drippings and pour on top of the chicken.  Add tarragon, parsley, lemon juice and carrots to the slow cooker and cook on high about 3-4 hours or on low for 6-8 hours.  Serve with brown rice or mashed potatoes.  

Serves 4 (312 calories each serving) according to my calculator on loseit.com

Oh, you want a healthy mashed potato recipe too?  Twist my arm.

Mashed Potatoes

2 lb. yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1" pieces

Salt and pepper to taste (Trust me when I say potatoes need a lot of salt.  Get over it and salt those babies!)

2T. extra virgin olive oil

1/2- 3/4 c. chicken broth

2 T.  fresh chives 

Cook potatoes in boiling water until fork tender.  Drain and place back in pot.  Add salt (enough salt please!), pepper, olive oil, chicken broth and chives.  Blend with hand mixer and taste.  Adjust seasonings as necessary (don't forget the salt!)  

Serves 4 (167 calories each serving) according to my calculator on loseit.com