April Meal Prep: Creamy Chicken & Stuffing

 

This was a fun dish to prepare.  We had this for dinner the same night that it was prepared - mainly because I didn't have an aluminum pan to freeze it in nor the space as the only freezer I have is the bottom of the refrigerator.  I hope to have our chest freezer moved from our old house to our current home this next week.

I can see this being made with turkey or even boneless pork chops.  Anyway, here are the ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced (mine were cut-up in chunks), seasoned with salt & pepper (mine weren't)
• 1 1/2 Tbsp Spinach & Herb Seasoning, divided
• 1/2 c frozen green peas, optional
• 1 (10.5 oz) can 50% less sodium cream of mushroom soup (I used no salt added)
• 1 c sour cream
• 1 (6 oz) pkg stovetop chicken-flavored stuffing mix
• 1/2 c butter, melted

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Place seasoned chicken in the bottom of a greased 9x9-inch baking dish.  Sprinkle with 1 1/2 teaspoons Spinach & Herb Seasoning.  Top with peas, if desired.

2.  In a medium bowl, whisk together soup, sour cream and remaining 1 tablespoon Spinach & Herb Seasoning.  Pour over chicken.  Sprinkle with dry stuffing mix and drizzle with melted butter.

3.  Bake until internal temperature of chicken reaches 165 degrees F on an instant-read food thermometer and stuffing is crispy and golden brown, about 30 minutes.

We froze the leftovers in individual servings.

Reset Day 3 & 4

 Thursday was a busy day away from home.  However, the scales indicated another pound lost when I stepped on them yesterday morning.  Good choices were made!

I used Day 2 menu as a guide for the day.  Breakfast was the Broccoli Hash.  Slight problem in that the egg stuck to the pan and some of the "hash" got a little done.  Other than that, it was a very filling breakfast along with a cup of mixed berries.

Then it was off to bowling . . . Had a large glass of ice water with lemon to drink while bowling.  Afterwards, I went to my parent's house and reheated some leftover Balsamic Chicken & Veggie Skillet for my lunch.  Oh, I also had to dry out . . . had to wade through flood waters to get from my car into their house.  Not fun!

Then it was off to our Grange meeting that had a Pizza dinner with potluck of salads and desserts.  I made a variation of the Chopped Chicken BLT Salad.  I did not touch the pizza or the desserts (that was a big deal for me as I love Pizza!).

    Ingredients

2 1/2 C chopped prepared Makin' Magic Chicken

 1 Tbsp Aged Balsamic Vinegar of Modena

1 Tsp Citrus Herb Seasoning

18 oz Baby Spring Salad mix 

5 slices turkey bacon, chopped & cooked

4 mini-sweet peppers

2 celery stalks

1/2 cup Citrus Herb Vinaigrette 

    Directions

1. In large bowl, combine chicken, Aged Balsamic Vinegar of Modena and Citrus Herb Seasoning.  Toss to coat.  (I actually mixed it in the zip lock bag that was holding the chicken).
2. Divide lettuce, bacon, veggies, chicken, and dressing among 4 dinner salad bowls and 1 storage container.

My evening snack was a granny smith apple with peanut butter and about an ounce of almonds.

Yesterday, I followed Day 5 menu.  So breakfast was the same as Day 1.  Lunch was leftover Chopped Chicken BLT Salad.  Dinner was the Turkey Veggie Meatloaf.  I did some modifications so listed below are what I used to make it.

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs 99% lean ground turkey

1 cup chopped fresh baby spinach leaves

1/2 cup chopped fresh button mushrooms

1/2 cup shredded carrots

1 Tbsp Onion Onion Seasoning

1 Tbsp Spinach & Herb Seasoning

2 tsp Garlic Garlic Seasoning

1 tsp yellow mustard

1/4 cup egg substitute

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. 
   In large bowl, combine all ingredients, mixing by hand until just combined.  Transfer to a greased 9x5-inch loaf pan.
3. Bake 50-55 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F on an instant-read food thermometer.

Makes 4 servings.

Served it with steamed green beans.

My evening snack was the Prosciutto Wrapped Melon.  Instead of the prosciutto, I used deli sliced ham.

I'll post today's final menu tomorrow along with my results.

Healthy Eating!

Reset Day 2 plus some Prep

 Yes, some prep for tomorrow's breakfast.  I was finally able to find the broccoli slaw at a local produce market.  

Results from yesterday - had a hard time getting to sleep last night as I had a slight headache and my stomach was making noises like it was hungry.  However, this morning was much better.  Stepped on the scales and I'm down 2 pounds!  Love it.  The headache was probably the result of sugar withdrawals.

Breakfast this morning was the same as yesterday.  Like I indicated, I had to do some switching of menus.  We ate lunch out today.  So, I had a small chef salad with vinegar & oil dressing.  About the only thing on the salad I probably shouldn't have is the cheese.

My afternoon snack was Turkey Avocado Bites.  I used some of our leftover smoked turkey breast.  Since I don't care for avocados or grape tomatoes, I used a sweet mini-pepper.

This afternoon, I prepped tomorrow's breakfast, Breakfast Broccoli Hash.  I did not make any substitutions.  I did use the Spinach & Herb Seasoning rather than our favorite Rustic Herb Seasoning.  In the morning, I'll do steps 3 & 4.  Will let you know what that will look like.

  

Tonight's dinner is one of my favorites - Citrus Herb Roasted Salmon.  No substitutions.  However, if you don't like fish, you can substitute chicken.  The menu indicates to serve it with Sauteed Green Beans.  However, we are having steamed broccoli.

    

My evening snack will be an apple with peanut butter (menu says to use unsweetened almond butter - the peanut butter we use is pure peanuts, no added sugar or any other ingredient - doesn't even have salt).

Hope this encourages you towards a reset to healthy eating.  

14-Day Reset: Spinach Apricot Breakfast Meatballs

This is so easy to make (about 25 minutes) and very tasty.  I could see making these for other meals as well.  Only substitutions I did was egg substitute instead of yolk and Seasoned Pepper for the black pepper.  Oh, and I used 99% fat free ground turkey.

Nutritional information:  210 calories, 11g fat, 3g saturated fat, 145mg cholesterol, 540mg sodium, 5g carbs, less than 1g fiber, 4g sugar, and 22g protein.


Ingredients:

12 oz 93% lean ground turkey
2 Tbsp Spinach & Herb Seasoning
1 large egg yolk
2 tsp Garlic Garlic Seasoning
1 tsp Ultimate Steak Seasoning
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 c finely chopped no sugar added dried apricots

Instructions:

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil; spritz with no-stick cooking spray.

2.  Combine first 6 ingredients, then mix in apricots (your hands work best for this).  Form mixture into 9 meatballs and place on baking sheet.

3.  Bake until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F on an instant-read food thermometer, about 13-15 minutes.

Makes 3 servings (3 meatballs per serving)

14 Day Reset: Spinach & Herb Shrimp over Zoodles

Last night's dinner . . . this is so delicious.  Takes about 30 minutes to make (took longer for me as I used chicken instead of shrimp).  I also used carrots instead of the bell pepper and I sprinkled Onion Onion instead of using the shallot.

Nutritional information if prepared per recipe:  250 calories, 16 g fat, 12 g saturated fat, 145 mg cholesterol, 990 mg sodium, 11 g carbs, 2 g fiber, 5 g sugar, and 19 g protein.

Ingredients:

1 can (13.5 oz) full-fat coconut milk, refrigerated several hours
1/2 c unsweetened non-dairy milk of choice (almond, cashew, coconut)
1 Tbsp Spinach & Herb Seasoning
1 Tbsp Avocado Oil
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 large shallot, sliced
1 pkg (8 oz) sliced fresh button mushrooms
2 tsp Ultimate Steak Seasoning, divided
1 1/2 lbs raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 1/2 Tbsp arrowroot powder or cornstarch
1 1/2 Tbsp cold water
2 pkgs (12 oz) zoodles, prepared as desired

Instructions:

1.  Carefully remove coconut milk can from refrigerator (do not shake) and open.  Scoop out the solid coconut cream into a medium bowl.  Discard remaining coconut water.  Whisk milk and Spinach & Herb Seasoning into bowl with solid coconut cream until a creamy consistency.  Set aside.


2.  In large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat.  Add bell peppers, shallots, mushrooms and 1 teaspoon Ultimate Steak Seasoning.  Saute 4-5 minutes.  Remove from skillet; set aside.

3.  Add shrimp and remaining 1 teaspoon Ultimate Steak Seasoning to skillet; saute until opaque in color, about 4-5 minutes.  Add cooked vegetables back to skillet.

4.  Stir in coconut milk mixture.  Reduce heat and simmer 3-4 minutes.  In small bowl, whisk together arrowroot powder and water.  Stir into pan and simmer until sauce is desired thickness.  Salt and pepper as desired.


5.  Serve over prepared zoodles.

Makes 6 servings

Bruschetta Chicken Sandwich - Family Faves Meal Solution #10

My husband loves chicken sandwiches.  this does take time as it requires at least 30 minutes of marinating (and the longer it marinates the better it tastes).  Oh, my, when done, the chicken was delicious!  We ate it both ways - as a sandwich and bare.  We used cheddar sliced cheese instead of mozzarella and gluten-free hamburger buns.





Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 6 pieces
2 Tbsp Roasted Garlic Infused Oil
2 Tbsp + 1 tsp Aged Balsamic Vinegar of Modena, divided
2 tsp Garlic Garlic Seasoning, divided
1 tsp Spinach & Herb Seasoning
1/2 c mayonnaise
6 slices mozzarella cheese
6 ciabatta rolls, toasted
tomato slices, lettuce leaves, optional

Instructions:

1.  Pound chicken to 1/4-inch thick; salt and pepper as desired.  Place in a gallon freezer bag.  Add Roasted Garlic Infused Oil, 2 tablespoons Aged Balsamic Vinegar of Modena, 1 teaspoon Garlic Garlic Seasoning and Spinach & Herb Seasoning.  Seal well; toss to coat.  Refrigerate 30 minutes or up to overnight.

2.  Prepare grill to medium heat.  In small bowl, combine mayonnaise, remaining 1 teaspoon Garlic Garlic Seasoning and remaining 1 teaspoon Aged Balsamic Vinegar of Modena; salt and pepper as desired.  Refrigerate, covered, until ready to serve.

3.  Remove chicken from marinade; discard bag with marinade.  Place chicken on grill.  Grill, turning once, until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees f on an instant-read food thermometer, about 10-12 minutes.  Top with cheese.

4.  Place chicken on toasted rolls with balsamic mayonnaise, tomato slices and lettuce, if desired.

Makes 6 servings.  Serve with carrot and celery sticks.

Make Ahead & Freeze:  Prepare step 1.  Seal well, label and freeze.  Thaw completely.  Continue with step 2.


 

Creamy Spinach & Herb Chicken - Family Faves Meal Solution #9

Another delicious meal from our Meals & More Collections.  I love the different ways of seasoning chicken and the different side dishes to serve with it.  Instead of spaghetti, I used a gluten-free spiral noodle pasta and I used chicken breasts instead of thighs (we don't care for dark meat).  You can make whatever substitutions you desire to meet your family's tastebuds.

Ingredients:

1 10 1/2 oz can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 c reduced sodium chicken broth
2 Tbsp Spinach & Herb Seasoning
1 Tbsp Garlic Garlic Seasoning
1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 8oz pkg cream cheese, softened and cubed
12 ozs spaghetti, cooked

Instructions:

In a greased 3-quart or larger slow-cooker, combine first 4 ingredients; salt and pepper as desired.

Salt and pepper chicken thighs as desired; place in slow cooker and cover with sauce.  Cook on low 4-5 hours.

Remove chicken; set aside.  Stir in cream cheese until smooth.  Stir in cooked pasta and cook until heated through.  Serve chicken over pasta.

Makes 6 servings.  Serve with Balsamic Roasted Carrots (recipe later).

Make Ahead & Freeze:  Combine step 1 in a gallon freezer bag; add step 2.  Toss cooked spaghetti with 1 tablespoon oil and place in a quart freezer bag.  Place both bags in a gallon freezer bag.  Seal well, label and freeze.  Thaw completely.  Continue with step 1.

Beef, Cheese & Spinach Penne - Family Faves Meal Solution #7

This was a great change in pasta.  We usually have a tomato based sauce.  Not this time!  Because of our dietary needs, I made some changes - used ground turkey instead of beef, reduced sodium tomatoes, gluten free pasta, almond milk, and the lower amount of the Mama Mia Marinara Sauce Mix.  We also didn't add the extra salt & pepper.  You can also make changes to meet your family needs as well.  Here are the original ingredients:

Ingredients:

1 lb lean ground beef
1 Tbsp Garlic Garlic Seasoning
1 15oz can crushed tomatoes
1-2 Tbsp Mama Mia Marinara Sauce Mix
2 1/2 cups 2% milk, warmed
1 1/2 cups hot water
10 oz penne pasta
2 Tbsp Spinach & Herb Seasoning
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions:

1.  In large skillet with cover over medium-high heat, cook and crumble ground beef and Garlic Garlic Seasoning until no longer pink; salt and pepper as desired.  Drain.

2. Stir in tomatoes and Mama Mia Marinara Sauce Mix.  Stir in milk, water, pasta and Spinach & Herb Seasoning.  Cover and bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 12-15 minutes or until desired doneness of pasta, stirring occasionally.  Salt and pepper as desired.

3.  Remove from heat and stir in cheese until melted and smooth.  Serve immediately.  Sauce will continue to thicken upon standing.

Makes 6 servings.  Serve with Green Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing.

Make Ahead & Freeze:  Combine first 2 ingredients in a quart freezer bag.  Combine next 2 ingredients in a quart freezer bag.  Place both bags in a gallon freezer bag.  Seal well, label and freeze.  Thaw completely.  Continue with step 1.

Cheesy Spinach Bread - side dish

This was fantastic!  I can see it being made with other seasonings as well.  Perfect to have with lasagna, spaghetti, or the pasta dish that I previously posted.  You could probably use other bread loafs other than baguette.

Ingredients:

1 long baguette bread loaf
2 Tbsp Roasted Garlic Infused Oil
1/2 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
2 c shredded Italian style six cheese blend
1 Tbsp Spinach & Herb Seasoning

Instructions:

1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Line large baking sheet with aluminum foil.  Cut baguette loaf into thirds; cut each in half lengthwise.  Place all 6 sections on baking sheet, cut side up.


2.  Brush bread sections with oil.  In small bowl, combine remaining ingredients; salt and pepper as desired.  Spread on bread.

3.  Bake 15 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown.

Makes 6 servings.

Make Ahead:  Prepare through step 2.  Wrap in aluminum foil and refrigerate up to 1 day ahead. Preheat oven to 375 and continue with step 3.