Queen Bee Foodie

Healthy Eating for Busy Moms

Nacho Chicken Bake

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Nacho Chicken Bake

Nacho Chicken Bake

This is an easy go to dish that I modified from a local grocery store center. You can really back off the cheese to make it lower in fat, but really it does not have a lot of fat and calories on it’s own. Use the right chips, and it is also completely gluten free, which is a plus!

I think the key to this sauce is the brand of the salsa verde I use. Rick Bayless’s Frontera Grill sauces are the BEST in my opinion!

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Nacho Chicken Bake
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Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 8 - 10
 
Ingredients
  • 2 tbsp coconut oil
  • 2 lbs. boneless chicken tenderloins
  • ½ large onion, chopped to about ¾ cup
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 3 tsp minced garlic
  • 1 can (14.5 oz.) fire roasted diced tomatoes
  • 1 can (14.5 oz.) diced spicy red pepper tomatoes
  • 1 package Frontera Taco Skillet Sauce, Key Lime Cilantro flavor
  • 6 cups white corn tortilla chips
  • 1 cup finely shredded Monteray Jack cheese
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • ¼ cup chopped green onions
  • Sour Cream (optional)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375°. Brush 11x7 inch baking dish with 1 tbsp coconut oil.
  2. In 4 - 5 quart heavy saucepan heat remaining oil over medium heat. Add chicken and onion and cook until almost done. Then add the cumin and garlic. Add diced tomatoes and cook 4 to 5 minutes until the sauce thickens. Add half of your cilantro into the pan.
  3. Assemble the chicken bake by layering one-third Frontera taco sauce, one-third tortilla chips, spoon one-third chicken with red sauce over the chips, and ⅓ cup cheese. Repeat two more times. Top with cheese, remaining cilantro and green onions. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown and bubbling around edges. Serve with sour cream.

 

Peggie’s Pasta Salad

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IMG_2328A long time ago, I used to work in a government setting. I learned a lot about people when I did that, but more importantly, I learned a lot about food. Especially pot lucks. I am pretty sure my weight gain in my early twenties came from all the pot luck lunches we had in the office I worked in! But if you really want to learn about how to make great dishes to take to a pot luck, surround yourself with a bunch of ladies that work in an office. I will probably whip out some more as I go along because I have so many!

Now the challenge with these recipes is to make them healthier. Healthy was never on the menu at these pot luck lunches. We had a reputation to uphold for goodness sake! But, as luck would have it, I have finally mastered one of my favorite pot luck dishes from those years.

Peggie’s Pasta Salad.

Peggie could cook like nobody’s business. I was never a fan of pasta salad until I had hers. She told me some of her secrets, and of course, I have added a few of my own. I hope you enjoy.

Note for busy Moms: the recipe says to let it stand for an hour. This just gives you more flavor, but it is not necessary if you don’t have an hour. Just stir it up and serve!

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Peggie's Pasta Salad
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A great pasta salad for home and pot luck dinners!
Ingredients
  • 1 pkg. Gluten Free Garden Spiral noodles
  • 1 head of Broccoli and/or cauliflower
  • 1 Zucchini, cut in half and slice
  • 1 Green pepper, chopped
  • ½ Red or sweet onion, chopped
  • 1 can sliced water chestnuts
  • 1 pint sliced mushrooms
  • 1 small can of black olives
  • 4 Roma tomatoes, cut in quarters and sliced
  • ½ package of shredded Monterey Jack cheese
  • 1 cup gluten free bread crumbs (I used Glutino)
  • 1 bottle Italian dressing - I used Newman's Own Family Italian
  • ¼ cup white vinegar
  • Grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
  1. Cook pasta in salted boiling water, drain and rinse well with cold water and drain well.
  2. Layer pasta in bottom of very large salad bowl, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and sprinkle liberally with bread crumbs.
  3. Layer small pieces of a bunch of broccoli, even thinly sliced pieces of the more tender part of the stem.
  4. Layer zucchini.
  5. Layer green pepper pieces.
  6. Layer red onion or sweet onion
  7. Layer 1 can drained sliced water chestnuts.
  8. Layer sliced mushrooms
  9. Layer black olives
  10. Layer roma tomatoes, cut in quarters and sliced.
  11. Sprinkle Monterey Jack cheese.
  12. Pour the dressing over the salad, rinse the bottle with about ¼ cup white vinegar and pour over salad.
  13. Lastly, sprinkle liberally with Parmesan cheese, cover and let set in refrigerator for at least an hour, stir when ready to serve.

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Chicken Sriracha Skewers

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I don’t know about you, but I grill all year round. I love my grill. I have no problem making my husband go outside in winter gear to put something on the grill! This one is one of my all time favorites, and my family’s as well. I will admit, I only make very small modifications to this recipe since it is fabulous all on its own!

I originally found this recipe in Bon Appetit magazine and I quickly jumped on it. I found it to be super easy. You just mix up the marinade and soak the chicken, skewer and grill. You don’t even have to add the extra sauce during grilling if you are in a hurry, but it is worth it!

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You will notice the recipe states that you can grill it right away, but I like to marinate it for at least an hour. But as a busy Mom, you don’t always remember to do the prep work ahead of time or even have time! So rest assured, this recipe is fabulous even when you throw it together at the last minute!

 

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Chicken Sriracha Skewers
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Kebabs get a bad rap. (Decades of alternating zucchini coins and cherry tomatoes can do that.) But this Asian take, with a spicy, sticky glaze, makes for a very convincing comeback.
Ingredients
  • ½ cup (packed) light brown sugar
  • ½ cup unseasoned rice vinegar
  • ⅓ cup hot chili paste (Danelle's note: I use Thai Chili Paste or Srirachi Chili Paste)
  • ¼ cup fish sauce
  • ¼ cup Sriracha
  • 2 teaspoon finely grated peeled ginger (Danelle's note: I use Gourmet Garden ready made Ginger)
  • 1½ pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1½-inch–2-inch pieces
  • SPECIAL EQUIPMENT
  • 8 bamboo skewers soaked in water at least 1 hour
Instructions
  1. Prepare grill for medium-high heat. Whisk brown sugar, vinegar, chili paste, fish sauce, Sriracha, and ginger in a large bowl. Add chicken and toss to coat. Thread 4 or 5 chicken pieces onto each skewer.
  2. Transfer marinade to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until reduced by half (about 1 cup), 7–10 minutes.
  3. Grill chicken, turning and basting often with reduced marinade, until cooked through, 8–10 minutes.

Swiss Chard with Bacon & Balsamic Vinegar

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Swiss Chard With Bacon & BalsamicLast week I got to have lunch with a friend at a restaurant where I lived called Bella Milano. Although known for their Italian, they always have a seafood special as well. That is what I ordered – Scallops with Swiss Chard, Bacon and Balsamic. I was excited since I am always wanting to try new ways to eat vegetables – especially the green leafy ones. I have to admit, I don’t have a lot of experience with swiss chard, turnip greens, kale and the like. But I am always wanting to learn!

IMG_2262So of course my meal was delicious, so I set out to come as close as I could at home – not knowing anything other than what I tasted. Since seafood is not always easy to come across in the midwest, I was unable to obtain some decent scallops, but I did get my hands on some great Mahi-Mahi. So, I did some research to find how to cook swiss chard, and with some help from Anne Burrell and of course my own modifications, I believe I nailed it!

One note: the recipe I found said to spray the pan with oil, but I really don’t think it is necessary. When I make this again, I will probably omit the oil.

You can use any seafood you want in my opinion for this recipe. We used the Mahi-Mahi and simply sprinkled salt and pepper and grilled it. We placed it on top of the Swiss Chard and drizzled balsamic vinegar on top to finish.

This was a big hit with my family – only problem, I did not make enough! Tell me what your family thinks!

 

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Swiss Chard with Bacon & Balsamic Vinegar
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Great side dish that pairs well with seafood.
Ingredients
  • Coconut oil, for pan (optional)
  • 1 cup bacon, cut into ¼-inch dice size (I used the nitrate free bacon)
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 2 bunches Swiss chard, stems removed and cut into ½-inch lengths, leaves cut into 1½-inch lengths
  • ½ cup vegetable stock
  • Kosher salt
  • ¼ cup balsamic vinegar (can be adjusted for taste)
Instructions
  1. Coat a large saute pan lightly with coconut oil and add the diced bacon, garlic, and crushed red pepper.
  2. Bring the pan to medium-high heat. At this point the bacon should start to become brown and crispy.
  3. Add the Swiss chard stems and the stock and cook until the stock has mostly evaporated.
  4. Add the Swiss chard leaves and saute until they are wilted. Season with salt.
  5. Add the balsamic at the very end before serving.

 

Danelle’s Vegetable Stir-Fry

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Danelle's Vegetable Stir FryAll of my friends know that vegetables make me happy. The more colorful the better. I think I get that from my Latina Mother-in-law who always would fuss over if the dish had enough color!

I love making a pan of vegetables and it is so simple to do. You basically take whatever vegetables you have in the house and chop them up, and then start adding your seasonings of choice. My go to list is below, but really, you can add any flavor you want. In fact, I only recently added potatoes to my usual stir-fry.

I find the key to this is all in the oil you use and the time you cook it. I started out with extra-virgin olive oil, but now am a big fan of Coconut Oil. It is not a heavy flavor and it allows the veggies and spices to shine through. You also have to keep an eye on the veggies so they don’t get soggy and adjust your cooking time accordingly.

You can make this a side dish to virtually anything, add a protein of choice or simply eat it by itself. So enjoy and tell me what your favorite seasonings are!

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Danelle's Vegetable Stir-Fry
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A simple and healthy vegetable stir-fry, suitable as a side dish or main course.
Ingredients
  • 2 heads of broccoli, chopped
  • 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
  • 1 zucchini, sliced
  • 4 baby size purple potatoes, sliced
  • 6 portabella mushrooms, sliced
  • 2 Roma tomatoes, quartered
  • 4 gloves of garlic, minced
  • fresh rosemary
  • 1 heaping tbsp. coconut oil
  • salt and pepper
Instructions
  1. Chop your veggies and garlic.
  2. Heat your oil in your pan until it is melted; add the potatoes, garlic and rosemary. Cook for a few minutes.
  3. Add the broccoli, bell pepper, and zucchini. Cook for a few more minutes.
  4. Finally add the mushrooms and tomatoes. Cook for only a few more minutes, making sure your vegetables all remain crunchy.

 

Almond Fried Chicken with Roasted Kale and Apples

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Almond Fried Chicken with Roasted Kale and ApplesAs a busy Mom, I don’t always have time to make up a recipe off the top of my head. I also don’t always have the energy to be that creative. So when I see a great recipe, I want to try it out – but put my healthy spin on it. This was the case with my most recent creation – and it was a big hit.

Now I know I am not the only one that is always trying to pull magic out of thin air when it comes to coming up with new and exciting dishes for dinner. So this one really appealed to me because it was not like anything I had ever made for my family. With my youngest daughter being uber picky about vegetables, I was very concerned she would hate the whole thing.

Roasted Kale and ApplesI was wrong. She loved it and so did the rest of my family!

I found this recipe on Food Network, but what I am posting below includes my own tweaks in order to make it gluten-free and eliminate some of the glycemic factor. I also love to add more spice – my husband is Latino and I think it is a requirement in his culture!

So enjoy and tell me what you think!

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Almond Fried Chicken with Roasted Kale and Apples
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Almond Fried Chicken with Roasted Kale and Apples with Danelle Brown's healthy modifications
Ingredients
  • Ingredients for Kale and Apples:
  • 2 large bunches kale, stems removed, leaves cut into 2-to-3-inch pieces
  • 3 apples, cut into thin wedges
  • 5 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • Salt & Pepper
  • Garlic Wine Seasoning (I like the one The Melting Pot sells)

  • Ingredients for Chicken:
  • Coconut oil for frying
  • Kosher salt
  • ½ cup almond butter
  • ⅓ cup coconut milk
  • 1 tablespoon agave nectar
  • 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 1½ pounds)
  • All-purpose gluten free flour, for dredging (I used Glutino in this case)
  • 2 cups gluten free breadcrumbs (again, used Glutino)
  • Lemon wedges, for serving
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Toss the kale and apples on a baking sheet with 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper and garlic wine seasoning. Roast, stirring occasionally, until the apples are tender and the kale is crisp, about 15 - 20 minutes.
  2. Whisk the almond butter with the milk, honey and 1 teaspoon salt in a small bowl. Dredge the chicken in flour, coat with the almond butter mixture, then roll in the breadcrumbs.
  3. Heat ½ inch coconut oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Pan-fry the chicken, adjusting the heat as necessary to keep it from burning, until crispy and cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes per side. Serve with the roasted kale and apples and a squeeze of lemon.