Healthy Alternative Spaghetti with meat sauce

Tonight's recipe is a little different than the normal. A friend mentioned, the other day, that I should start posting recipes with meat as well, especially since I'm a bit more of a carnivore than a vegetarian. Recently, I've decided to start taking my diet more seriously. In that statement, I mean the primary definition of diet. I'm hoping to make some real changes to how I eat, not just for short term weight loss, but for long term health. Tonight, I made a meat dish that incorporates two things I love and won't give up (red sauce and pasta). Tonight was a sort of Spaghetti Chicken Stir Fry.

This recipe is pretty simple. Here is what you will need:

• chicken breast cut into strips (1lb) or stir fry chicken (as sold at Albertson's and Publix)
• mushrooms (1 package)
• onion (1/2 large onion) - I prefer vidalia
• oregano
• cilantro
• pasta (1 package)
• marinara sauce (1 can/jar) 

1. Begin by putting the pasta on to boil, as this will take the longest. 
2. Spray a little pan cooking spray into your frying pan -- sautee the chicken, onion and mushroom until the chicken has browned on the outside. I usually cook on medium to medium high (5-7 on electric stove top), adding maybe a 1/2 tsp of oregano and 1/2 tsp cilantro  as chicken is just starting to brown. 
3. At the same time that you being the chicken, put pasta sauce on to warm, cooking at a medium temp -- I suggest covering
4. Serve together, topped with a pinch of parmesan cheese

Overall, you will find this to be fewer calories than spaghetti with ground beef or meatballs -- 3 oz of chicken with the mushrooms and onions makes it feel somewhat hearty and very satisfying. Let me know what you think!
 

Meatless Mondays -- Ensalada de la Explosion

It has been a couple of weeks since I wrote our Meatless Mondays blog, not because we've been eating meat, but because the last two weeks were both busy and uninspired. I've been sick for part of the year, and Grandma Kat visited last weekend. I'm hoping to be a little more regular about this, but it is a learning curve, getting used to writing a blog regularly. I might be adding another weekly installment for other goings-on for the family, but we will see.

Tonight, Erin made Ensalada de la Explosion, a very delicious salad that she stole, sort of, from a Tex Mex restaurant she worked at for like 5 years. It remains her favorite dish (and her sister's favorite dish as well) and once in a while we make it at home. I've renamed it (and if you know the original, it should be somewhat obvious).

First things first, I made small cheese quesadillas for everyone. They can be served on the side, or in the salad. I like mine on the side, or to scoop up some of the good stuff at the bottom of the salad.

Now, onto the ensalada... We used a mix of green leaf lettuce and iceberg lettuce. The green leaf gives you iron and fiber, and I like the taste of it in a salad. The Iceberg, while adding little, has that crunch that most associate with salad, and provides a nice mix. On top of the salad we included chopped tomato, chopped onion, and cheddar cheese. We used a corn salsa, but from Jolly Green Giant. Their southwestern mix is a corn, black bean and bell pepper mix with lime and cilantro. Erin then made a nice guacamole ranch dressing (exactly as it sounds -- mix up some guacamole and add enough to turn the ranch greenish and give it the avacado flavor). Top that with some tortilla strips and you're all set.

All in all, the salad is a fantastic salad. Its meatless, delicious, and feels nice and filling.

As a little bonus, I'd like to blog about a side dish I made at the in-laws house Sunday night for family dinner, eggplant bake.

This was a pretty simple dish. You'll need the following:

(1) eggplant
(2) 4 eggs
(3) italian bread crumbs
(4) mozzerella cheese

Thinly slice up the eggplant. Thick eggplant won't cook as well. Whip the eggs until fluffy. Immerse each slice into the egg, then coat in italian bread crumbs. Baked at 375 degrees for 35 minutes on a cookie sheet (sprayed with a light coat of Pam). Remove, cover in mozzerella cheese and back for 5 minutes.

This dish was, I'm proud to say, my first successful eggplant dish, and I didn't have to fry them!

I know this to be true because not only did both of the girls eat a slice, but Jordan got seconds, and Erin had several slices. I highly recommend this recipe. It would be great with pasta and red sauce, but this was served on the side of steaks and baked potatoes.

Try either of these and feel free to give me feedback!

Until next time...