Quick and (Relatively) Skinny Stroganoff

Who doesn't love Beef Stroganoff? Beef, mushrooms, booze, noodles? I mean, come on - that is food heaven! That said, I have about a 20 minute tolerance for cooking food after work due to "starvation" and my guilt-complex over the heaviness of this meal has kept me away for years. But, I bring you a solution! I made a few tweaks to a recipe that I found to make it relatively skinny and within my window of patience. Win-win.

I recommend gathering and chopping all your ingredients before you begin since this dish really comes together quick! You'll need a 12-inch saute pan and a pot to boil the noodles.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 tbsp. Canola oil

12-oz white mushrooms, wiped clean and cut in not-to-skinny slices (about 1 1/2 cartons of 'shrooms)

12-oz beef tenderloin, cut into 1/4-in strips

1/2 cup low-sodium beef broth (I use organic)

1 tbsp. unsalted butter

1 small onion, minced (1/2 cup)

1 tsp. tomato paste

1 1/2 tsp. dark brown sugar

1 tbsp. unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth

1/2 cup dry white wine

1/3 cup plain non-fat yogurt (if you want to be a purist, try light sour cream)

8 oz. egg noodles (I use No Yolks)

Directions:

1. Put a pot of water on the stove and bring to a boil while preparing the rest of the meal.

2.. Heat 1 tbsp oil in 12-in. skillet over medium-high heat until hot and shimmering but not smoking (about 2 min), swirl to coat pan. Add mushrooms and cook over med-high heat without stirring for 30 seconds; season with salt and pepper and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are lightly browned, about 4 min longer. Transfer to a medium bowl.

3. Return skillet to high heat, add remaining 1/2 tbsp oil; swirl to coat pan. Place sliced tenderloin strips in skillet. Using tongs, spread meat into a single layer, making sure that the strips to not touch, and cook without turning until well-browned on first side, 2 minutes. Turn strips and cook on second side until well-browned, about 1 minute longer. Season with salt and pepper to taste and transfer to bowl with mushrooms.

4. Add beef broth to skillet, scraping up browned bits on pan bottom with wooden spoon; simmer until broth is reduced to 1/4 cup, about 3-4 minutes. Transfer broth to bowl with mushrooms and beef, scraping the skillet until "clean" with rubber spatula.

5. Return skillet to medium-low heat and add butter; when butter foams, add onion, tomato paste, and brown sugar. Cook, stirring frequently, until onion is lightly browned and softened. Then, stir in flour until incorporated. Gradually whisk in chicken broth and wine; increase heat to med-high and bring to a boil (this happens fast), whisking occasionally, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until thickened, about 2 minutes. During this time, drop your noodles into the boiling water you started in step #1.

6. Pour the liquid from the bottom of the bowl with the mushrooms and beef into the beef sauce in the skillet, and whisk to incorporate (try not to let the beef and 'shrooms fall into the skillet when you do this). Then, in a separate bowl or large measuring cup, stir about 1/2 cup of the hot sauce into the yogurt (I do this one large spoonful at a time - the point here is to keep the cool yogurt or sour cream from curdling if you throw it right into the skillet), then stir yogurt mixture back into the sauce.

7. Add mushrooms and beef to the skillet; heat to warm through, about 1 minute. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper and serve over your drained noodles (you can butter them if you want, but I skip that.)

The Best Skinless Boneless Chicken!

I think making great, juicy skinless, boneless chicken is an art. It takes a lot of trial and error to find what is best for you depending on your bakeware, available chicken (what type and how thick your pieces are), and oven temperature (since some ovens are just a bit different). I also strongly recommend spending the money on really fresh, organic, air-chilled chicken from the butcher's case (vs. a package) - it makes a BIG difference.

Once you have great ingredients the rest is pretty quick and easy for weeknight dinner. Here are 2 ways that I recommend, both with similar approaches:

Ingredients/Shopping List: skinless boneless chicken (however much you need), olive oil, 1-2 fresh lemons, salt/pepper, fresh garlic (optional), dried oregano. For Italian Chicken, also buy: a jar of tomato sauce and/or basil leaves

Mediterranean Chicken:
1. Preheat oven to 400-degrees.
2. In a clear glass baking dish, put your chicken breasts with enough space in between so they're not touching (or, you can put the chicken in a large ziplock bag to combine the ingredients in the next steps and THEN put the seasoned chicken in the dish).
3. Drizzle a bit of olive oil over each piece, then squeeze the juice of 1-2 lemons (I use about 1/2 lemon for every 2 pieces of chicken).
4. Put a little sea salt and fresh cracked pepper over each (or whatever salt/pepper you have), then dash some dried oregano over each piece to your preferred taste (a lot or a little).
5. Optional: put a couple cloves of fresh, minced or pressed garlic on top of each of the pieces.
6. Toss the seasoned chicken all around in the dish so the chicken is coated on both sides (or, again, you can toss all the ingredients in a large ziplock bag with the chicken to coat, then put in the glass dish.)
7. Cook in the preheated 400-degree oven for about 30 minutes (just check that the fattest end of the chicken breast has no more pink but is still nice and juicy.) VOILA! Note: the chicken is not going to be browned, but it is cooked.

I usually serve this over quinoa or whole-grain pasta with some sauteed kale and Parmesan, or with a side of brown rice and the steamed or sauteed veggie of your choice.

Italian Chicken - Almost the same as the approach above, but adds some tomato sauce and basil:
1. Preheat oven to 400-degrees.
2. In a clear glass baking dish, put your chicken breasts with enough space in between so they're not touching.
3. Drizzle a bit of olive oil over each piece, then squeeze the juice of 1-2 lemons (I use 1/2 lemon for every 2 pieces of chicken).
4. Put a little sea salt and fresh cracked pepper over each (or whatever salt/pepper you have), then dash some dried oregano over each piece to taste.
5. Pour about 1/3 jar of a healthy tomato sauce (for every 2 pieces of chicken) over the top. Note: I choose an all natural tomato sauce with no sugar added and low sodium that also has basil included - but you can buy whatever you prefer.
6. Lift the chicken pieces up a little so the juices and olive oil run underneath the chicken pieces in the dish (or, you can toss all the ingredients in a large ziplock bag with the chicken to coat, then put in the glass dish.)
7. Cook in the preheated 400-degree oven for about 30 minutes (just check that the fattest end of the chicken breast has no more pink but is still nice and juicy.) VOILA!

Again, serve this dish with whatever sides you like!

Monkey Bread

My favorite flavor (along with pumpkin) is anything "cinnamon and sugar". While you sure can't eat it alot, Monkey Bread is just about the yummiest thing on the planet!! An oldie, but goodie recipe:

Prep only takes about 15 minutes and baking time is 30 minutes.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

3, 7.5 oz. cans of refrigerated buttermilk biscuits (30 biscuits)

1/2 cup butter

1 cup packed brown sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Then, generously grease a 10-inch tube pan.

2. In a medium bowl, combine granulated sugar and cinnamon. With kitchen shears, cut biscuits into quarters. Toss several biscuit pieces at a time into sugar mixture to coat. Layer biscuits in the prepared pan. Sprinkle with remaining sugar mixture; set aside.

3. In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar. Bring to boiling and let boil 1 minute. Pour over biscuits.

4. Bake in the 350-degree oven for 30 minutes or until golden. Let stand for 10 minutes before inverting onto a large serving platter. Serve warm. Makes 15 servings.

Healthy Spaghetti & Meat Sauce

I love finding new, healthy ingredients. My current healthy favorite is rainbow chard and lacinato kale. I like to work them into all sorts of dishes as a way to get our leafy greens. Here is one quick 2 pot dish I made up the other night. Super quick and very healthy!

Ingredients:
1 bunch of lacinato kale (remove large center ribs and stems, cut crosswise into 1/2-in slices)
2-3 cloves of fresh minced garlic
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 container of mushrooms, sliced
Dash of olive oil
1 lb. of ground buffalo, turkey, or chicken
1 can of organic, salt-free diced tomatoes or healthy tomato sauce (low or no sugar)
1 package of healthy pasta (quinoa, multigrain or whole wheat)
Dash of oregano and/or dried or fresh basil

Directions:
1. Put water on the stove to boil
2. Meanwhile, brown meat in a big pot (or dutch oven) over medium-high heat until nearly all pink is gone
3. Turn down heat to medium, toss 1/2 chopped onion in with the browned meat and cook until the doneness you like
4. Toss in minced garlic and continue to sauté until fragrant (just a minute or two)
5. Add a dash of olive oil and chopped kale to the pot of meat (it will take up the whole pot but cooks down quickly) - add a bit of salt and pepper here if you'd like. Stir to combine
6. Meanwhile, add pasta to boiling water and cook according to box directions
7. After kale wilts down, add can of tomatoes or about a cup of sauce
8. Add oregano, basil or spices of your choice
9. Simmer sauce until pasta is ready
10. Serve meat sauce over pasta and top with parmesan cheese

Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients:

3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 large eggs
1 can (15 oz.) pure pumpkin (Libby’s or organic from Whole Foods)1 can (12 fl. oz.) evaporated milk
1 unbaked 9-inch (4-cup volume) deep-dish pie shell (I like Pillsbury pie crust in the red box that you unroll)
Whipped cream with a sprinkle of cinnamon on top (optional)

Directions:

Mix sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger and cloves in small bowl. Beat eggs in large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture. Gradually stir in evaporated milk.POUR into pie shell.

Bake in preheated 425° F oven for 15 minutes (cover pie crust with tin foil). Reduce temperature to 350° F; bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean (I usually remove the foil and put on leaf cut-outs in the last 15 minutes – cut-outs are made from the other roll of Pillsbury crust).

Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate. Top with whipped cream before serving.